Browning Citori 725 Sporting 32 Adjustable. Why is this sporting?

[rogersmithiii]

What makes a clay gun sporting, trap or skeet?
I'm looking at a Browning 725 Citori Adjustable Sporting shotgun. It's 32 inches with an adjustable comb.
What makes this a sporting shotgun as opposed as a trap gun? Is it the percentage of shot that hits above and below the aimed point? Does sporting refer to sporting clays, or shooting upland game?
Trying to figure al of this out.

 

[union]

I believe the difference is in the barrel length and the rib height. How one shoots different from the other I don't know. I have a Citori 725 sporting. I've only done trap and skeet once with it but I've done the sporting clays at Addieville many times. For something like skeet I think a shorter barrel is better because it's easier to move and the clays are close where as in sporting clays at least where I've been there are some decent distance shots to be made and you tend to have a little more time to take the shot.

 

[Obi2winky]

Skeet guns tend to be lighter than trap guns. PoI is prob around 50/50. I think 28" used to be popular but I see many 30" guns too. Depending on if you shoot premounted or low gun, 32" might be a bit slow. But I shoot a beretta 686 32" and I do ok in skeet. I shoot semi-low gun. When I miss, it's not because I couldn't move the gun. It's usually because my head wasn't fully in the stock.

Trap guns seem to be at least 32", PoI of at least 80/20. High rib is popular for quick target acquisition.

Sporting Clays I see lots of variations. low rib, med rib, high rib. All kinda depends on preference. 32"+ seems to be the norm. The extra weight makes the gun movement steady and good follow through is almost automatic thanks to the momentum. You probably don't want a PoI that prefer rising targets only, so prob keep it 50/50 ~ 60/40.

Nice thing about the gun you're looking at is that you could adjust your comb to set the PoI differently and make it work for all three sports.

 

[kurtb]

My sporting clays gun is 30" with extended comp 'n choke tubes. The longer the barrel is the shorter the lead needs to be - or at least thats what I have been led to believe .. lol

 

[dixidawg]

I have the Citori 725 Field in 20 gauge. 28” barrel with 50/50 poi. When I first got it, I shot a couple rounds of trap with it and had one of my best scores. Go figure….

 

[MisterHappy]

Meh. If the gun fits you physically and mentally, you'll crush them.

My son is an excellent Trap shot. When he was 15, we were at an annual back yard shoot, that is more like Skeet than Trap, because of the target presentation, and he ran 25/25 with a 32-inch Trap gun. I'm not sure if he remembered to put in the Skeet tubes, or not, LOL.

I generally run an ancient A5 with a 26-inch barrel, and my misses are not due to the gun.

 

[northny]

Back in the old days before skeet tubes, the choke in the barrel was the main difference. I still have a “matched” pair of Ithaca’s o/u where one is 20 gauge skeet and skeet and the other a 12 ga full and modified. They are near 45 years old. The 20 ga saw a lot of skeet and woodcock hunting, the 12 trap and everything else.

I have a 20 year old Weatherby O/U that fits me and that gun has a slew of choke tubes. Its done trap/ skeet/ sporting clays/ ducks / pheasants/ and turkey. On one trip to Kansas / Nebraska I used it for sporting clays, field hunt and European (driven) hunt for pheasants, and we even snuck in a morning of ducks over an 8 days trip. That was last shotgun I bought for myself.

But if the gun your considering fits you and has choke tubes I don’t think you can go wrong getting it. But I am not and have never been a serious clays competitor so my opinion is only that.

 

[Cuz]

Not sure on the Browning, but on the SKB 90TSS gun, they make a Trap and Sporting model and the difference is the angle of the stock to the barrels. The Trap model is more parallel and the Sporting model is more sloped. That is the only difference between the two guns.
I just checked the Browning site, and if you look closely, the Trap models have a higher rib and a more parallel stock, while the Sporting models have a low rib and a more sloped stock.

 

[rep308]

Not sure on the Browning, but on the SKB 90TSS gun, they make a Trap and Sporting model and the difference is the angle of the stock to the barrels. The Trap model is more parallel and the Sporting model is more sloped. That is the only difference between the two guns.
I just checked the Browning site, and if you look closely, the Trap models have a higher rib and a more parallel stock, while the Sporting models have a low rib and a more sloped stock.
View attachment 715910

This is a good chart to understand

When shooting trap the target is always rising, so the guns are set to have a higher point of aim. This can be adjusted with an adjustable comb. When shooting a shotgun, your eye is the rear site. Raise the comb and therefor your eye, and the gun will shoot lower, same as adjustable rifle sights. Skeet target are flat, and who knows where sporting targets will go, so sporting and skeek guns t tend to shoot flatter. Field guns are set to shoot dead flat. Again you can change this with comb hight and some even have adjustable ribs.

Don't sweat this if you are looking to get started, just shoot, but check the point of aim of your shotgun. Once you get addicted to the sport you will be tempted to buy expensive and different shotguns, but remember, "Money can't buy targets", lord knows I've tried.

Now let's get back to debating expensive extended chokes. Love my Mullers..

 

[Cuz]

Now let's get back to debating expensive extended chokes. Love my Mullers..

Nooo, never get expensive chokes, but ALWAYS get extended chokes. Their function is to protect the end of the barrel when you scrape it on the cement because you missed the rubber pad provided at the trap field. Or when you turn around in your basement and smack the end of your barrel into the door of your safe…. Ask me how I know.
It’s much easier to just buy another choke tube than to try and repair the end of the barrel.

 

[rep308]

Nooo, never get expensive chokes, but ALWAYS get extended chokes. Their function is to protect the end of the barrel when you scrape it on the cement because you missed the rubber pad provided at the trap field. Or when you turn around in your basement and smack the end of your barrel into the door of your safe…. Ask me how I know.
It’s much easier to just buy another choke tube than to try and repair the end of the barrel.

I agree 100% and extended chokes also have markings on the side of them, my eyes are too damn old to see the little slots in the end to figure out if I have a skeet or mod choke in it, and NEVER store your shotgun with the chokes on for an extended period. Expensive chokes are like putter to the average golfer, there is always a new model that will lower your score, NOT.

 

[mac1911]

What makes a clay gun sporting, trap or skeet?
I'm looking at a Browning 725 Citori Adjustable Sporting shotgun. It's 32 inches with an adjustable comb.
What makes this a sporting shotgun as opposed as a trap gun? Is it the percentage of shot that hits above and below the aimed point? Does sporting refer to sporting clays, or shooting upland game?
Trying to figure al of this out.

there is really no difference, although they can be set up to do one thing better than others

Trap guns often have parallel stocks , your eye is the rear sight on a shotgun. So the rib and comb tend to be high As in trap the target when shot before the apex of its travel is always away and rising and set speed so TRAP guns are set up so the target is always in view and gets the shot pattern above your line of sight

Skeet targets are always crossing at the same speed and all you need is to get ahead of the target . So you just need a set up that gets the shot in front of the bird.

Sporting clays: Well your presented with just about every angle speed and target type so it falls some where in between

For the most part as long as the shot is going where you look and the gun fits well enough that its not slamming into your cheek cause the pitch is off you can run with almost anything.

Trap guns are generally heavier also as you really dont need to be "quick or fast" for trap its more of a smooth move.

good thing almost any shot gun can be adjusted/modified for any of the clay sports.
You will be surprised how well a 28-30" modified chock shotgun can get you through the clay games

 

[watchman]

OK too many here are giving bad advice in the clay sports. Lets start from the beginning

1) The main goal is to acquire many different shotguns ...why...well the same reason the wife acquires shoes.. you need one for every occasion.
2) We DON"T buy ugly guns to shoot with that's just absurd ... all the primping we do before going to the range to upstage our friends and you show up with a pump????Really???
Pa..leassssseee!
3) When shooting we aren't there to shoot for score but rather to look good doing it...thats why we shoot over/unders you semi/pump guys never get re-invited to parties and this is why.

So what makes a trap or skeet gun...how much money money your wife lets you spend on the gun, the grade of wood and how well it photographs with you in your Sunday best. Education is key in shooting sports!

 

[grizquad]

I have bought and sold many many used and some new shotguns in my life. I am on social security, so I am on the back 9 of life. I am able to come to the dance now with a good looking gun, it's how I finesse and hold the old girl that determines if the targets "Smoke". I have shot with kids that come to the trap range with home defense guns and they DO break targets. I am happy to shoot with anyone as long as they observe Safety and line etiquette which if I think they are new, we discuss before we shoot......everyone is then happy! I strongly agree EDUCATION id key to our sport.

 

[Mark from MA]

Trap Guns typically have higher ribs so the rising target can be seen while shooting. Meaning like a 6 o clock hold. The higher rib allows this. Longer barrel helps follow thru and swing.
Shoot a modifed choke, and probably at least a 28" barrel.

Sporting Clays are more of a 50/50 rib, don't need a super long barrel, though longer barrel helps with swing and follow thru. I'd go with a 28"-30" barrel. I shoot mostly IC choke

Skeet guns. People tell me longer barrels, and maybe in the middle targets it helps with swing and follow thru..... I have trouble on station 8 with long heavy barrels. I shoot just as well with a short barrelled field gun. Skeet to me, it really doesnt matter what gun you have as long as you shoot a fairly open IC or Skeet choke and it fits you.

I love skeet because I can shoot any gun and any gauge and it really doesn't matter, its not the gun, its the user.

 

[magoo]

I just order a Beretta 686 SP1 sporting with 30 inch barrels in 20 gauge.