By Joe Ferronato
I’ve been to Alaska for a lot of reasons, on a lot of different hunts, but never one for ptarmigan. It seems like a long way to go for upland birds—especially when your destination is the little town of Cold Bay on the Aleutian Peninsula. Cold Bay services mostly big game hunters, usually chasing big brown bears, and the eccentric waterfowlers hoping for a chance at the beautiful sea ducks and geese that start their migration by heading to Izembek Lagoon.
Our group was neither of those, and we received many funny looks from fellow passengers heading to Cold Bay when we told them what we were hunting. But, when you have a new shotgun to test, why not make an adventure out of it, right?
The area was full of ptarmigan and a great spot to put the new Citori 825 Field through its paces. Busting through alder patches and dealing with the overly wet environment may bring many pause when carrying a fine shotgun like a Citori, but the 825 Field was built for serious upland hunters who demand the most from their equipment—all while boasting enough class to keep hunting partners ogling at the finish.
The Browning Citori should be a familiar name for anyone who claims to know shotguns, as the gun’s legacy started in the early 1970s. Personally, these shotguns have always held a place in my heart. My dad’s gun safe has been graced by a 28-gauge model as long as I can remember. On rare occasions, he allowed me to handle it, and I loved the feel. I loved it so much that my own safe now holds one.
I’m of the opinion that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, but people always want something new, and Browning delivers with high-quality guns that are built to perform. Enter the Citori 825 with newly designed and refined features that bring the gun into modernity while keeping much of the traditional feel we all love about the Citori.
The new 825 Field—weighing in at just over seven pounds with 26-inch barrels—shoulders well and swings smooth, making it easy to get on target with wily flushing upland birds. The first shot from the new gun folded a beautiful ptarmigan, and I was hooked. Throughout the hunt, the shotgun became a very natural extension of my body. As birds continued to fall, I paid special attention to the design changes found on the gun.
At the forefront of the upgrades on the 825 is the receiver. The low-profile design of the receiver helps the shotgun fit comfortably while allowing the shooter better control over recoil to stay on target. It is forged from steel and has a silver nitride finish so that it holds up to years of field abuse, and the modern lines and beautiful engraving blend nicely into the classic walnut stock.
Atop the receiver, you’ll find the newly refined controls that match the modern look. The top lever fits tightly to the top of the gun but is still easy to find and manipulate for quick reloads. The tang-mounted safety/selector is intuitively positioned and operates smoothly.
A trigger can make or break a gun, and the 825’s trigger only improves the overall shooting experience. While hunting, I noticed that the trigger pull was excellent. It broke crisp and there was hardly any perceivable slack in the pull. Among the other upgrades is the Fire Lite 2 Trigger which does not rely on recoil to cock the hammer for your second shot. I’m not an engineer, so don’t ask me to explain the exact process, because I can’t. But I do know that the mechanical design, which features a high-pivot-point disconnector, allows for an immediate and reliable second shot and one of the best trigger pulls I’ve felt on a shotgun.
Over the course of the week in Cold Bay, the shotgun never ceased to impress me. It held up in the challenging environment and shot well. My misses were no fault of the 825, and it’s a shame I must take responsibility for them. Do yourself a favor and buy one of these shotguns, your kids and grandkids will thank you down the road if you ever decide they’re worthy to have it passed down to them.
Cost: $3150
Pros: Beautiful finish; shoulders, balances and swings well; excellent trigger; interchangeable choke tubes; will hold up over years of abuse to be passed down
Cons: None
