Pro's and Con's Browning Citori vs Beretta Silver Pigeon 1 O/U - What would you choose?

R

RedCopper

New member
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Any preferences and direct experience field shooting with both? I'm leaning towards picking up a Beretta 686 after handling a friend of mine's while pheasant hunting. Currently shooting a Browning SxS 12 gauge, so 12 or 20 is the plan in a new O/U. Have hunted with Beretta BL4 and Browning Citori's in the past and preferred the Browning in 20 gauge.

Thoughts on what you would choose? Shotgun and gauge preference? Shotgun will be predominately used for uplands birds from grouse to pheasants and grey partridge.
 
I like the locking system of the Beretta. The receiver isn't as deep. I also like the Beretta safety better.
 
I'm in agreement with the previous responses - the two fit differently. For my size and body type, I've always found Berettas shoulder cleanly, balance and swing more naturally. But, some folks find Brownings a better fit. If you can shoulder both, do so before buying.
 
I like the Beretta much better. Have heard of a couple people having springs break but they are easy to change. The Beretta though doesn't fit me at all, way too much like a trap gun, way too high for my liking. Have met some that swear by the Browning for fit but they just are not my gun in terms of style. I would take a 20 if I was just taking if for pheasants for me personally.
 
As previously stated, the Beretta and Browning fit differently so the choice between them should be which one fits better.
Having said that Beretta's fit me a little better than Browning's and the Beretta 686/687 in 20 gauge with 28 inch barrels is one of the nicest handling guns on the market today and would be my top choice for a pheasant gun.
 
Similar, but slightly different answer. "Generally" people will prefer either Browning OR Beretta. In my case, Beretta but I'm going to deviate from those who say "The one that fits you". Pretty much any gun can be easily made to fit you - LOP - Drop at face - and to some extent cast and and butt (toe, DAH, Pitch etc). "Feel" is more important to me. Even with all the metrics above, a gun that didn't "feel" awesome the first time you shouldered it is unlikely to pass muster even after all the adjustments are made.

No preference between 12 and 20 except 20ga frame may be easier to carry while hunting or 12 may have a bit extra weight to soak up extra recoil with high volume shooting.

YMMV
 
Rob! said:
Similar, but slightly different answer. "Generally" people will prefer either Browning OR Beretta. In my case, Beretta but I'm going to deviate from those who say "The one that fits you". Pretty much any gun can be easily made to fit you - LOP - Drop at face - and to some extent cast and and butt (toe, DAH, Pitch etc). "Feel" is more important to me. Even with all the metrics above, a gun that didn't "feel" awesome the first time you shouldered it is unlikely to pass muster even after all the adjustments are made.

No preference between 12 and 20 except 20ga frame may be easier to carry while hunting or 12 may have a bit extra weight to soak up extra recoil with high volume shooting.

YMMV
Click to expand...
The fact that is that most hunters are not shooting shotguns that are fitted for them, and most hunting shotguns don't have adjustable combs. So for the average hunter, it is a case of finding the factory shotgun that fits them better right out of the box. More serious clays shooters are an entirely different situation, we typically will do what it takes to make a shotgun fit us.
 
Thanks for everyone's perspective and I concur fit is important. The amount of Canadian pesos a person needs to shell out is about the same, more or less, pending the grade. After a few mountain and prairie miles this fall, I'm leaning towards the 20 gauge to ease the old bones from the weight of carry and I do like a 26 in pipe in the hills, but the 686's I'm finding for sale are 28's, so maybe not such a bad balance for forest grouse and prairie huns and pheasants. The 686's are nice to look at for sure and balance well...hmmm, you guys got me thinking...
 
Here’s a tip for you: Start a new thread with your additional questions. Otherwise most readers won’t know you have new and different questions from that which was posed in the thread title, leaving you with far fewer answers to those additional questions. Changing the topic of a thread would be considered “hijacking” the thread, if someone other the original poster was doing it. In your case as the OP, it’s not necessarily bad form, but it probably will reduce the volume and quality of the responses. Cheers!
 
RedCopper said:
What chokes are your go to and any favorite loads?
Click to expand...
Most people run IC/M, but I prefer IC/IM, the IM is a little better for the long shots. I like the Fiocchi Golden Pheasant loads, the nickel plated shot penetrates better , and doesn't drag feathers into the meat. I actually use SxS shotguns, and I hunt over a pointing dog. When I was shooting an O/U, I shot a 28 gauge Citori 625 Feather, at under 5-1/2lbs, which was nice to carry.
 
Can't go wrong with either as long as it fits. I had the 686 20g and it was a beautifully balanced gun. I did, however, end up getting a better fitting factory stock for it (with more drop) from Cole Guns. Sadly Cole doesn't ship to Canada anymore. Out of the box, the greater drop and slightly shorter LOP of the Browning (typically with the standard Citori's anyway) works better for me.
 
Getting a gun with an aluminum receiver will knock a fair amount of weight off the gun. I'm not current with the B gun offerings, perhaps they offer one - Beretta "Ultra Leggero", Browning "Feather Lightning"? Not a B gun, but Franchi offers such a variant. Personally, I shoot a steel framed 28 g in the field.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom