doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Great buy on a very good gun...

A gunsmith former gunshop owner advised me against the Citori when I was looking to buy one or the other. He had seen fewer problems with the Beretta 686/7 series than with the Citori. When the Berettas had issues, he could get parts; when the Brownings had issues, he had problems obtaining parts. As he no longer sold guns, his opinion was not tainted by an overstocked, unsold inventory of Berettas.. Gil

The Beretta is more advanced design with lower action height and having "U-shaped bolt' that can be exchanged for one with larger prongs to allow for wear.

I have found the 682 and 687 Berettas to be absolutely reliable. My 20 ga. 697 SPII Sporting will be going to Argentina for the third time in August. It has never had any maintenance except cleaning and lubing, and has stood in good stead for 16 dove seasons stateside as well.

SRH

One of the gunsmiths at Ahlman's Custom Gun replaced a firing pin in a Beretta for my Dad. Told him that was the only part that ever caused a problem, it was a 10 minute fix, on the counter, while we waited. We bought a spare, just in case-that was 40 years ago. That is the only problem I've ever witnessed with any of the Berettas in my circle of friends, and there are about 2 dozen of those guns in that group. Small sample, but, notable.

Over on 16ga.com, the Citori FTF problem is hashed out in great detail several times a year, usually in the fall, when guys figure out their Browning is a none shot.

Clown boy, you can have your Citoris, and your google searches for gun information.

I guess even this little village has it's idiot, and his name is Frank.

In some 17 years of shooting sporting seriously I have seen many Browning O/U guns worn out to the point that they unbolted after the first shot. I've seen them with rubber bands wrapped around the wrist and hooked on each end around the top lever to prevent that. I knew one guy who really shot a lot, every chance he got, and he owned three Brownings, exactly alike. One was in the shop being rebolted nearly all the time. In all that time I've only known of one Beretta that had to be rebolted. All O/Us that are shot enough have to be rebolted, even Perazzis, but it's been my experience that it happens to a Browning entirely too quickly, regardless the amount of cleaning, and lubricant that is kept on it.

Having shot a 682 Gold E as a comp gun for years, then my hunting experience with my 687 SPII, I'm solidly in the Beretta camp. I'm sure there are those on here who will say they have put 50K rounds through their Brownings without an issue.......they might should be buying Lotto tickets, too. That said, other than the bolts wearing out too quickly, I've never seen that many other problems with Brownings. I wouldn't be scared of one for a hunting gun, I just don't like the looks of that high action.

SRH

My remark was about the original Beretta in question no other Beretta...this is not about a Browning Beretta shoot out..

Along comes Gill with his fAiry dust shot to put me in my place ..(still mad at me because he's dumb enough to fall for the density crAp)

The 35 step holier than thou know it all using a bogus name on here...John Roberts ps...if you're going to use a bogus name try something like HomelessjOe.

And last but not least my sweet little Teddy bOy Sniffle'beAn whoz inflatuated with me...sweet sweet Teddy.

George Hoenig thinks the Citori is an amazing gun. George is somewhat knowledgeable on how a good gun should be made & designed. We should listen to George.

You're 100% wrong about that. John Roberts is a personal friend of mine. He and his son have both stayed with me and hunted with me. He uses his real name ..............always has.

SRH

Now, Frank, there you go again. No need to put you in your place; you do fine by your lonesome without outside help. Gil

Well Stan then I guess he lied to me about his name not being Roberts when I questioned him about it...see my great great grandad Mose Roberts fought in the Cival war out of the state of Mississippi...he flat told me in a pm his name was not Roberts when he first pooped up on here.