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df
PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 1:01 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 962
Location: Minnesota

I bought a new in box Gran Lightning 16 ga two weeks ago.
Tried to change the choke tubes and found that the bottom barrel tube was extremely tight on removal.
Tried another tube and it was as bad or worse. It’s all I can do to turn it.
So I guess it’s back to Browning, if I can ever get through to their service department.
Been on hold 30 minutes.
If Beretta made a 16 ga SP, this gran lightning would be gone.
I am not a happy camper.
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William J. siefert
PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 2:45 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 13 Jul 2017
Posts: 39

Last year I bought two new Brownings. A Sweet 16 and a 16ga Citori White Lightning. My brother bought the same two guns. All four functioned flawlessly and shot right where they were pointed. Zero problems. That being said, my brother works part time at a gun club that sells Browning shotguns through the pro shop. Because he lives near the local authorized Browning gun smith, he takes all the guns that need warranty work in. Over the past year or so, he has taken in 10-12 of the newly redesigned 725 O/Us. Problems with the new mechanical triggers firing only one barrel. It appears that about 20% of these are going in to be worked on.

One might consider it a design flaw but if it can be fixed, it sounds like a Quality issue to me. This might be an isolated issue with a particular run of guns and I hope that's the case. Browning has always stood for Quality and I'd hate to see that go away.

Bill
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buckmark
PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 5:45 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Feb 2007
Posts: 181
Location: Great White North

I had the exact same problem with the 'High Grade Program' GrIII Citori 12g I had purchased (2015 I believe). The bottom choke was nearly impossible to get out. And getting a tube back in could not be done. Excessive force was needed, and even then it still stuck out of barrel 1/4inch. No way it could be shot like that so back to Browning (Canada) it went. Turns out the choke threads were messed up at factory so any tube you tried to put in would just cross thread. They had to recut the lower tube threads. Worked perfect after that, no issues at all.

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WyoChukar
PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 6:42 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2124
Location: Hudson,Wy

It looks like it is a good thing that other manufacturers are adding a 16 ga. here and there. Browning better look out, they have had problems lately and they certainly have competition.

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Square Load
PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 7:15 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 711
Location: Flagstaff, AZ

Browning's website is showing they have discontinued all the Citori models except for the CXS, CXT, and 725.

Was wondering if this would happen when they brought out the 725 in all of the different gauges.

Wonder if we will see anymore 16ga. Browning O/U's? Maybe they will make a 725?

Amazed that they are still making the Cynergy Shocked Shocked Shocked


Last edited by Square Load on Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:12 am; edited 1 time in total

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Dennis

Current 16ga. Stable

Browning Citori Gr I
Browning Belgium Sweet 16
A.H. Fox Sterlingworth
Remington 11-48
Remington 31
Remington 870
Geco/J.P. Sauer BLNE
Winchester Mod 12
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hoashooter
PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 7:38 pm  Reply with quote
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Location: Illinois

Amid all the hype the Cynergy never did catch on---ANY maker of ANY product will have problems---not covering for them----it's how they handle the problem that counts---
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fourtrax
PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:28 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Jun 2009
Posts: 827
Location: N. Shore, mn

Sounds like Browning is having their share & a bit more of screw ups. If their customer service is poor, or gets that way it will catch up with them. Not having enough capacity (people) in customer service also turns people off. I know when I call some outfit & get the electronic answering / automated phone system run around for 10 -15 minutes just to make contact I am very "less than impressed." Being left dangling for an extended period on hold also leaves me cold & looking for a different provider.

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Square Load
PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:20 am  Reply with quote
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[quote="hoashooter"]Amid all the hype the Cynergy never did catch on---

Hope I don't insult anyone's shotgun but I think the Cynergy's looks rank right up there with the new Benelli O/U.

Guess I am just too old. Space age looks on a shotgun just don't get it for me. I do like the way a Cynergy feels when I put it to my shoulder though.

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Dennis

Current 16ga. Stable

Browning Citori Gr I
Browning Belgium Sweet 16
A.H. Fox Sterlingworth
Remington 11-48
Remington 31
Remington 870
Geco/J.P. Sauer BLNE
Winchester Mod 12
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1stgun
PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:15 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 10 Jul 2010
Posts: 356
Location: Ponchatoula, Louisiana

I have not wanted to lay this out on the site because in my opinion it can be considered a one of a kind problem. Simply put, I am the owner of a 2010 run Grade 4 Gran Lightning. Really like this gun. Over the ensuing time I had noticed the stock loosen on the gun but the bolt was tight. Eventually I saw that the stock had cracked, at the wrist, when, I dunno. I called Browning repair and was told to send the gun to Missouri. It arrived at the shop in March 2017. These are things I have been told when requesting updates:
Well, you know it is a Grade 4 and that is special wood.
It is being fitted with the new stock.
The stock and fore arm are out being finished before final installation and shipment.
You do know it takes longer to get grade 4 wood.
We do all our work in-house, we do not ship things out to be finished.
We get our wood from Japan and we have to wait till they tool up to do the 16ga.

Latest estimate of completion March 2018.

I had my left knee replaced one week ago yesterday(due to the use of opioid drugs I am probably able to write this today and not restrain myself.)

I am not angry, not surprised, will not make ridiculous threats or promises. The reason I can say this is very simple. Sitting in my office, calling for my latest completion date with the phone speaker on, my lovely wife walked in and said "Honey, you ain't never gonna see that damn gun again! Either they lost it or it is in someones gunsafe in Missouri!"
The next five minutes of conversation was fascinating, especially the part about "are you recording this call for training purposes?!"

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The reason I am awed by shotgun shooters is that most of them don’t know how in the hell they do what they do.
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df
PostPosted: Wed Jan 31, 2018 11:07 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 962
Location: Minnesota

I had an idea on this tight choke tube matter. Often I mount rifle scopes and always lap the rings with an abrasive. So I put some of that abrasive on a choke tube threads and screwed it in and out several times. Then I flushed out the abrasive with a solvent. Then I put choke tube lube on a choke tube and screwed it in. It made quite a difference. That bottom tube is still a little tighter than the top, but I can screw it in most of the way by hand now. Before I had to hard wrench it the entire way.
Problem solved.
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hiplainsdrifter
PostPosted: Sun Feb 04, 2018 7:07 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Jan 2017
Posts: 50

Per Browning CS, they will continue to make limited runs of the 16GA Citori (so no different than it is now), and probably limited runs of other popular Citoris, like the 20GA Superlight. Also, the Citori line is not completely discontinued, check out the Limited Availability page, they have some 12GA Citoris with new recoil pads and forearm designs. I also am surprised the the Cynergy is still going. They must sell to someone I guess. @1stgun, why don't you just ask them to send you a new gun as they are currently producing Gran Lightnings?
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1stgun
PostPosted: Sun Feb 04, 2018 12:20 pm  Reply with quote
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Location: Ponchatoula, Louisiana

[quote=@1stgun, why don't you just ask them to send you a new gun as they are currently producing Gran Lightnings?[/quote]

I never thought of that! Thank you so much, I will let you know what they say.
Chuck

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The reason I am awed by shotgun shooters is that most of them don’t know how in the hell they do what they do.
Charles F. Waterman,
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8mmFan
PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 8:19 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2007
Posts: 203

Bought it as a consignment gun. Seemed to have been shot very little. In addition to a very light and inconsistent primer strike on the bottom barrel, the more troubling problem was that sometimes the action would close with the chambers loaded, and sometimes it wouldn't. From the very beginning, using cheap Winchester Super X factory loads, sometimes it would lock up nice and normal, and on the next two rounds it either wouldn't close at all, or would be very hard to close.

In fairness to Browning, they've only had it for about three weeks, and they did tell me that it could take four to six weeks to get it back. I use Browning shotguns extensively and I've always been happy. If this one comes back ship-shape, I'll get another while they're still around. Yes, hold times can be a little long when you call back there, but I guess that's a sign of the times.

I'd really like to get another Citori 20 ga feather, but they're rare as hen's teeth, and cost a lot more.

Due to the problems that I've heard here and elsewhere about the wood on Gran Lightnings, I'm going to leave them alone even though I prefer a blue'd receiver over the silver of the White Lightning.

8mmFan
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df
PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 8:52 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 962
Location: Minnesota

What problems have you heard with the wood on gran Lightning’s?
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8mmFan
PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 9:57 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2007
Posts: 203

[quote="df"]What problems have you heard with the wood on gran Lightning’s?[/quote]

Cracking in the wrist. It seems that--with some of them at least--the higher grades of wood have a lot of grain that isn't straight. If the grain in the wrist--the thinnest part of the stock--isn't straight, it's prone to cracking. I've read of it in reviews, heard it at the range from one shooter, and read of it here. For a quick dive, search here for "Citori Gran Lightning". You'll find at least a few references to the issue.

I should add: I hope that your Gran Lightning works out great and lasts for decades. No doubt it will, and obviously the things I've read are isolated instances. There are hundreds (thousands?) out there with no problems at all. It was just enough for me to take a pass. Believe me, I wanted one.

8mmFan
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