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The Browning Citori - Is it a collectible?

7K views 35 replies 13 participants last post by  msr  
#1 ·
Dear Citori Lovers:

Our fellow Browning Buddy, Mr. dbuffington, has posed an interesting question on another thread . . . So as to not hi-jack the other thread, I thought that I would start this one.

Dave's question: Will the Browning Citori from Miroku, Japan ever be considered collectible?

My answer: why not? There are some beautiful and rare Citoris out there!

I have already started my small collection. For example, I picked up a Citori 20ga Superlightwith 28-inch barrels, which I hear is farely rare. Another in 12ga (a Grade III). I even got letters of authenticity on them from Browning, signed by Glen Jensen!!!!

Here's an article and some pics that appeared in the Browning Collectors Association Newsletter in 2014 about a hand-engraved (signed by the Japanese engraver, K. Tsu Tsui):

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Will the Citori ever be as collectible as some of the engraved and rare Browning Superposed guns? Will a gun engraved by Tsu Tsui ever command the collector's eye and wallet like a Superposed engraved by Vrancken, A. Watrin, J. Baerten, Magis, A. Bee or Dewil? Maybe. Maybe not. That's not the point. The point is that there are some Citori OU's out there that are worthy of collection.

What do you guys think?

Have you run across any rare Citoris?

Are there any signed and hand-engraved Citoris out there? Post a pic!

Are there any 16ga Gran Lightnings with awesome wood out there? Post a pic!

Are there any pre-invector, fixed choke Citoris out there? Post a pic!

How about a Citori high-grade in 28ga? Post a pic!

Great question, Dave! {hs#

Respectfully submitted,

CFB
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Here's a pic of my Citori 20ga Superlight with 28in barrels. Steel receiver, not alloy. Invector chokes. From what I understand from Glen Jensen at Browning (since retired), the 20ga Superlight with 28in barrels is pretty rare. I don't have any info on how many Browning made. Maybe I'll give Lenny a call and see if he can find out.

Note to Buffington: notice the quarter inch rubber butt pad (Browning) so that it doesn't slip off your shoulder, like the hard plastic ones do. Works great!!

In any event, she points and shoots like a dream!

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Respectfully submitted,

CFB
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Check out the new "hand-engraved" Grade VII 725 Citori . . . New distinctive engraving style that sets it apart from the engraved Brownings of yester-year. I like it.

There is also a new Grade V.

Looks like Browning is out to create some new "classics" with these awesome looking hi-grades. These are not engraved Superposed wanna-bees.

These photos are from Browning's website.

Grade VII
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Grade V
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Respectfully,

CFB
 
Discussion starter · #34 ·
Anatidae said:
Not to berate the Citori, but this is an example of the lack of attention to detail that evidences that there's no pride in your work....... nor strict quality control. Just another day at work. . . . The spacing on the serial number is 'hodge-podge' at best.......the sort of 'detail' that drives me nutz.

C'mon, Man! :roll:
Yikes! :shock:

And that's a high-grade?!! :?

I'm hoping that Browning steps-up its game on the new 725 high-grades.

CFB