Gents, I'd like a few opinions from your side, if you don't mind.

For the past three years or so I've been using a Browning 525 GTS as my primary competition gun. It must have about 4 000 shells on the clock and I shoot it pretty damn good, even if I have to say so myself. When I got it, I inserted the Modified and Improved Cylinder chokes and I've never had the need for anything else. With the British-made competition ammo I primarily use, the Modified choke gives pretty tight patterns in any event and I've no trouble breaking clays at 50 metres or so with it if I do my part.

Recently, however, I took up a very tempting offer on a Beretta Silver Pigeon I. I have to admit I like the shallower action and reduced weight, compared to the Browning, a lot. As far as I can tell, it fits me equally well and the one round of sporting clays I've shot with it went well.

As far as I know, nobody has yet managed to shoot either of the two guns to pieces, even though I suppose it's possible with lots of time and hundreds of thousands of shells on hand.

My question is this: which of the two would you pick? Not talking about looks - nothing to choose there - nor longevity. Simply "feel".

The Browning I shoot well, I know that. The Beretta should do me equally well for the time I have left for clay pigeon shooting. I thus have no use for two of them and might as well sell one and go hunting with the money.

PS: I do have a couple of English side-by-sides that I use as well, mainly for birds.

I cannot answer your question with much authority, except to say that I am shopping for a new gun and the 525 and Silver Pigeon are contenders.
Having "felt" both, I would pick the 525.
I now want to try the 725.
I look forward to reading the responses to your question.

Personally I like the liveliness of Berettas over Brownings. But thats just personal preference. The average person will not wear out either, but if they do they are both easily rebuildable for a few hundred dollars...which you can easily afford if you can shoot enough to wear it out.

I'm with Aaron Little, I've owned two Browning Citoris, one a plain jane Citori and the other a 625 both in 12 gauge. I've also owned three Beretta Silver Pigeon IIs. One in 12 gauge and two in 20 gauge. I don't shoot clays so I can't offer an opinion for those disciplines but for hunting, I prefer the Berettas as they are more lively in the hands than the heavier Citoris.

To complicate things for you, Browning's new 725 is much lighter and livelier than the Citori or 625. It may be worth looking at if you are interested in trying yet another model.

My primary dislike of the Citori/625 aside from weight is the safety. I somehow managed to jam it in the middle position twice on one hunting trip and the shotgun simply locked up. Browning would refer to it as operator error and Beretta would say you can't do that with our safeties.

While I prefer the Beretta safety, I disabled all three of my Beretta automatic safeties. They appear to be standard on all field models but not sporting models. All three of my Beretta safeties were unacceptably hard to switch from on to off right out of the box so I removed the stocks and bent the safety spring to allow them to slide more easily.

Lastly, my primary dislike of the Beretta is the quality of the wood on the stock. If I can generalize, the Brownings usually come with nicer wood at least in the field models. I paid a premium to upgrade the wood on one of mine and left the others as they were.

Whichever you choose, you've got a well built reliable shotgun.

Re the wood on Beretta Silver Pigeon, I have one and the wood on my son's Franchi that cost 1/2 as much as the Beretta has much nicer wood.

Browning is my preference. I own and use four different Citoris and love them! But, each to their own.

I have shot as well as I am able to shoot with both. But for hunting, I prefer the lightness and quickness of the Beretta.

I have always been a Browning Citori fan and have shot them for many years. I now have feather lightnings in 12, 16 and 20 and they feel livelier than the standard citori.

I recently went to purchase a standard citori as I wanted the heavier gun for waterfowl. While I was in the store a Beretta SV10 caught my eye as it had beautiful wood, much nicer wood than the standard Beretta or Browning. The guy behind the counter said he can't move a Beretta that is not a sporting clays gun. I only shoot clay games for fun and a field gun is much more practical for my needs. He gave me a good price so I bought it. I have only used it on skeet and clays so far. I like it but do not prefer it anymore or less than the Browning. I think it is kind of a Ford/Chevy argument as to which is better.

jvw375, I think the answer depends on the intended use. The Browning (and Rem 3200) have always been popular in American Skeet where the gun is mounted and the heavier weight and balance (forward) allows for full follow through. In the International game, Berettas rule, with the DT10 being the most popular. I have shot one of these (with the Ergosign Evocomp stock) and the balance was amazing! I made the comment that the gun was light, but it wasn't (especially), it was the balance point that made it seem light! So, for sporting clays and other disciplines where fast and smooth gun mount is paramount, I would give the edge to Berettas, Perazzi's etc. as they understand, and market to, the International game. For the record I own tubed sets in Browning Citori and Rem 3200, both with 26" barrels. However I feel at a disadvantage when shooting International with these guns. Just my 2 cents.
Peter

Thanks very much for all the replies! I've come to the conclusion that the best way to go about things is to shoot both extensively and then make up my mind. The Beretta is indeed much livelier than the Browning but I've had lots of success with the latter and it's hard to argue against that!

To me the Browning feels, for lack of a better word, fat. They seem to have just a little too much of everything. The Berettas feel slimmer and more lively. I have an old Silver Snipe that feels a bit clunky, but the new Silver Pigeons feel very good. All of this is very subjective. I have a light weight straight stocked Citori 20 ga that seems about right, but in 12 ga. I much prefer the Beretta.
C.G.B.

I have both. I like them both. The Browning's barrel weight makes me swing through better, both shooting clays and on crossing ducks or dove.

Also, I prefer the stronger locking systems on the Citoris.

The Beretta's are lighter for carrying. They also have a higher comb, though the sub gauge Citoris and the new 525-725 models seem to also be "rising". Scares me. It's like SUV's and airline seats; they're actually making them to fit smaller and smaller people.

Steve

I'm FN-Browning, all the way


FN B25 "Special Chasse", 12 ga. 2.75"


Browning B525 Prestige 12 ga. 3"


FN-Browning CCS25, 9,3x74R

I have owned clitoris in 12,16, 20, 28, and 410.
I now own Berettas in 12, 20, 28, 410 and the citori in 16.
The reason I have the citori is Beretta does not make a 16 ga O/U.
Both are very good but I prefer Berettas. They fit and feel better to me. In smaller gauges, Beretta makes a smaller frame for the 28 and 410, Browning does not.
Try them both and shoot what you like, you cant go wrong with these two.

Don't overlook some of the other Italian guns. Fausti comes to mind. Guerini is another.

quote:

Originally posted by df06:
I have owned clitoris in 12,16, 20, 28, and 410.
I now own Berettas in 12, 20, 28, 410 and the citori in 16.
The reason I have the citori is Beretta does not make a 16 ga O/U.
Both are very good but I prefer Berettas. They fit and feel better to me. In smaller gauges, Beretta makes a smaller frame for the 28 and 410, Browning does not.
Try them both and shoot what you like, you cant go wrong with these two.

You may want to edit that first line.
joe

I prefer Brownings, but it all depends on whether you low profile or high profile. If you don't have a preference, flip a coin.
joe