Nice shotgun at a great price. But, as you stated the fixed choke, depending on what you want to shoot, would be a deal breaker for me. If you do a search, there has been information posted on problems and fixes for possible light loads failing to cycle.
CDNN may have barrels available at a reasonable price that would work.

I believe a frequent poster here named Randy Wakeman is the guru on B-80's.

 

Let's start with the B-80 owner's manual, attractively price at free: http://media.browning.com/pdf/om/b80_om_s.pdf.

The B-80. Beretta A302, A303, etc. are all the same basic action. There are dozens (if not hundreds) of threads if you do a search.

A 12 gauge target load, historically, is an 1-1/8 oz. payload, 1 oz. a 16 gauge light load, 7/8 oz. a 20 gauge light or target load.

As is mentioned at bunkershooting.com, "The 36 gram (1 1/4 oz) era ended in 1973, 32 gram (1 1/8 oz) era ended in 1988, 28 gram (1 oz) era ended in 1990 with the current 24 Gram (7/8 oz) era starting in 1991."

While you'll hear that some isolated examples of most any autoloading 12 ga. shotgun will cycle with 3/4 oz. loads or blanks, few are designed for it and none were designed for it until recently. Even today, 1-1/8 oz. loads are the standard in American Skeet, Trap, Sporting Clays and in case like ZZ-bird or live pigeon shoots, 1-1/4 oz. is the preferred target load.

Most 2-3/4 in. chambered B-80, 300 series Berettas, etc. work fine with 1 oz. 1200 fps loads assuming good, clean condition and that means the almost universally neglected gas ports that no one wants to look at, much less clean. Lighter than that, who knows. A define maybe is the best I can say. I personally have no use for anything lighter than 1 oz., but they are always plenty of folks (in Illinois, anyway) struggling with 3/4 oz. reloads, etc., the classic 28 gauge target load.

 

Let's start with the B-80 owner's manual, attractively price at free: http://media.browning.com/pdf/om/b80_om_s.pdf.

The B-80. Beretta A302, A303, etc. are all the same basic action. There are dozens (if not hundreds) of threads if you do a search.

A 12 gauge target load, historically, is an 1-1/8 oz. payload, 1 oz. a 16 gauge light load, 7/8 oz. a 20 gauge light or target load.

As is mentioned at bunkershooting.com, "The 36 gram (1 1/4 oz) era ended in 1973, 32 gram (1 1/8 oz) era ended in 1988, 28 gram (1 oz) era ended in 1990 with the current 24 Gram (7/8 oz) era starting in 1991."

While you'll hear that some isolated examples of most any autoloading 12 ga. shotgun will cycle with 3/4 oz. loads or blanks, few are designed for it and none were designed for it until recently. Even today, 1-1/8 oz. loads are the standard in American Skeet, Trap, Sporting Clays and in case like ZZ-bird or live pigeon shoots, 1-1/4 oz. is the preferred target load.

Most 2-3/4 in. chambered B-80, 300 series Berettas, etc. work fine with 1 oz. 1200 fps loads assuming good, clean condition and that means the almost universally neglected gas ports that no one wants to look at, much less clean. Lighter than that, who knows. A define maybe is the best I can say. I personally have no use for anything lighter than 1 oz., but they are always plenty of folks (in Illinois, anyway) struggling with 3/4 oz. reloads, etc., the classic 28 gauge target load.

Thanks for the info Randy. As the B-80 expert, is there anything else I should consider? Price OK? Any thoughts on my plan to have barrel work done?

I am glad to here it will cycle standard loads just fine. I am sure that is what I will be shooting mostly.

 

If it is on the rack for $325, offer a little less. There is usually bargaining room in prices, unless you like paying window prices for cars and such. Use the fixed choke as a bargaining point.

 

If it is on the rack for $325, offer a little less. There is usually bargaining room in prices, unless you like paying window prices for cars and such. Use the fixed choke as a bargaining point.

I was already thinking I would do this, but thanks for the tip on the angle.

 

I've had Mike Orlen put in Tru-Chokes on several B-80 barrels.

The stock is shim adjustable, using the same shims as a Beretta 303. You just clean it, give it a new mainspring in the buttstock, and go shooting. You'll find a few B-80s that have what Browning called a "recoil adapter" installed. If I get one with it, it comes off and goes in the garbage can.

 

I just picked up a b80 with a 3 inch chambered barrel. What weight of lead shot shells should I expect to cycle the action reliably?

 

One test is worth a thousand guesses. Since factory port sizes vary significantly and many have been touched up, you'll have to try it to know.

 

BUY!........Fixed choke?........My favorite Wingmaster, 1963, is fixed.........Some here prefer a fixed choke, you can always have it tubed.