On this week's #SundayGunday, we’re taking a look at the next generation of the famed Browning Citori over/under shotgun, the Citori 825, and it’s got a lot more going for it than just a new number.
The Browning Citori 825 is, of course, a great looking shotgun in any flavor, be it the Sporting model a gloss oil finish on its fine walnut stock, or, our personal favorite, the Field model, which sports the addition of an upland hunting scene engraved on its steel receiver. Whichever new model you choose, know you’re getting a shotgun with classic Citori performance built in from barrel to butt plate.
Though the new Citori 825 sports a few of the same winning features as the original 725, mainly the low-profile receiver, and the strong and sturdy full-width hinge and tapered locking lug that “wears in, not out,” there are a few noticeable changes that set it apart.
The receiver has been updated, the traditional hard-edge, H-shape receiver-to-fore-end connection has been replaced with a curved, more fluid connection. This is purely aesthetic, but it gives the shotgun a modern shape, flow and look, and it pairs perfectly with the new barrel/receiver wing design. The barrel tapers smoothly as it contours into the receiver instead of stepping down into the receiver with a near square edge.
The 825 sports a diamond-checkered fore-end and grip, slimmer than that of its predecessor. The forearm is somewhat long, allowing the shooter to extend the support hand further down the barrel for improved balance and a natural swing. At the other end, the 825 wears an Inflex II Recoil Pad, which essentially collapses under recoil while a series of directional ribs force the comb down and away from your face instead of up and under your cheekbone.
The 825 features an ergonomically enhanced and redesigned safety selector switch, still tang mounted, but shaped like a pyramid to provide more surface area which makes it easier to engage. Browning also modified and beefed up the forearm lever, which not only provides a stronger lock up, but makes assembly and disassembly easier.
One of the most notable upgrades, the 825 wears Browning’s enhanced Fire Lite 2 Mechanical Trigger. This trigger sports a delay mechanism with a higher pivot point than the original Fire Lite, promising a crisper and lighter pull with less overtravel. Its mechanical reset connects in a quicker and cleaner way, too, for an improved second trigger pull. The 825 Field model sports the standard Fire Lite 2 mechanical trigger, while the Sporting model—along with the other 825 “target” models—wear the adjustable Fire Lite 2 “Tripple Trigger System,” which allows the shooter to fine tune the trigger reach via different sized “trigger shoes” that are included with the shotgun.
The Citori 825 sports chrome-lined barrels, the Field model available in lengths of 26 and 28 inches. The Sporting model extends that a bit with 30-inch and 32-inch options. Browning back-bores the Citori’s barrels, and included Browning’s lengthened and gradually tapering “Vector Pro” forcing cone, which reduces friction on the shot column, resulting in less pellet deformity and therefore more pellets in the center of the pattern. As these guns are made to hunt, Browning designed the Field and Sporting models with a 50/50 point of impact. The Citori 825 Field ships with three chokes: Modified, Improved Cylinder, and Full.
While you’ll pay a pretty penny for a new Citori 825 Field, with MSRP of around $3,300, if you’re looking for a hunt-worth over-under that’ll be treasured by generations to come, give the Browning Citori 825 a look. You won’t be disappointed.
For more information on the Browning Citori 825, check out browning.com. And of course, to help keep content like this coming and the woods open for hunting, click the join button in the upper lefthand corner to join the world's largest gun club.
