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< 16ga. Guns ~ 2021 citori white lightning/gran lightning thoughts |
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Posted:
Tue May 24, 2022 6:29 am
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Joined: 01 Jul 2021
Posts: 81
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Think I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on a white or gran lightning (2021 shotshow special) in 16ga of course. I recently handled one next to a fair OU, rizzini br110 light, and a franchi instinct.
I want an ou primarily for clays but still can handle some upland hunts. I think the Browning is the standout for reputation, reliability, customer service, looks, and has a tiny bit more weight to it where I can see myself shooting 100 clays and not regretting it.
Anyone have one of the new white lightnings or gran lightnings in 16 that can give me their thoughts or confirm that I'm making the right decision? |
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Posted:
Tue May 24, 2022 7:10 am
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Joined: 30 Sep 2020
Posts: 187
Location: ont canada
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I have a Grand 16 28" a tad bit muzzle heavy but works well . I tried the fair , Rizzini , Franchi to wippy for me and also a lot of those brands are on the used market up here but not many Browning 16 but they do come up for grabs on occasion. As stated service parts for the B guns is generally not a issue the other makes can be difficult to source dealers up here seem to come and go but B dealers not so much. |
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Posted:
Tue May 24, 2022 11:22 am
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Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 965
Location: Minnesota
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I have two 16 ga citoris, a Heritage and a Gr III. I like them both and I don’t think you will go wrong with either that you are considering. One thing, on the Gran, you are paying a premium for nice wood. I’d sure want to see the actual Gran to be purchased before buying it. Some have very nice wood, some not at all worth the premium. |
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Posted:
Wed May 25, 2022 12:04 pm
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Member
Joined: 15 Mar 2007
Posts: 601
Location: Virginia
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I bought a White Lightning last fall, a Shot Show special. Came with 28" barrels, three chokes (F,M,IC) and a 1/2" Iside recoil pad. Got a 1" Iside from Browning as I wanted a slightly longer LOP. Ordered a couple skeet chokes from Trulok. I use it for low-gun skeet a couple days a week. Had a couple FTFs with the lower barrel, but I think it's ammo related where the primer is set too deep. All factory ammo has fired, so it's probably my reloads. After six months and approximately 5,000 shells, I'm pleased with it. |
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Posted:
Thu May 26, 2022 2:17 pm
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Joined: 24 Dec 2009
Posts: 196
Location: South Dakota
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I bought a White Lightning close to 15 years ago and couldn't be more happy with it. An excellent quality gun that I have never had a FTF or any other issue with. Not sure of the changes to the new ones other than I see the engraving and wood is nicer. And also the chokes are different. Otherwise, weight seems to be about the same at 6 lbs. 13 oz. I think mine with 26" barrels is 6 lbs. 10-12 oz. You definitely can't go wrong with a 16 ga. White Lightning. |
_________________ My 16's:
Browning A5 Sweet Sixteen
Browning Citori White Lightning
Browning BPS Upland Special |
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Posted:
Thu May 26, 2022 5:55 pm
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Joined: 07 Mar 2010
Posts: 483
Location: South Eastern PA
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df wrote: |
I have two 16 ga citoris, a Heritage and a Gr III. I like them both and I don’t think you will go wrong with either that you are considering. One thing, on the Gran, you are paying a premium for nice wood. I’d sure want to see the actual Gran to be purchased before buying it. Some have very nice wood, some not at all worth the premium.
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I've got two 2010 Grans and they have spectacular wood. I guess I got lucky, or at least got what I was paying for.
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Last edited by ROMAC on Sat May 28, 2022 4:57 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Posted:
Thu May 26, 2022 6:38 pm
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Joined: 14 Sep 2016
Posts: 67
Location: KC,MO
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I bought a 28” white lightning in 16 ga in late 2018. Got very lucky on the wood, given Browning’s normal wood. I absolutely love the gun. For clays I wish it had a pad on it, but it is a perfect pheasant gun. I think the engraving on the new run looks better and the checking pattern looks worse, but otherwise if a person was going to own only 1 current production 16 ga gun, it’s the one I would choose. |
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Posted:
Thu May 26, 2022 7:45 pm
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Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 965
Location: Minnesota
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ROMAC, yes those are very nice. But not all grans are. I ordered a 28 ga, sight unseen. It was very marginal. I’m a wood whore so I sold that gun pretty quick. And I’ve seen other grans that are nothing special. I stand by my statement “see before you buy.” |
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Posted:
Tue May 31, 2022 8:37 am
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Member
Joined: 03 Aug 2009
Posts: 203
Location: Northern California
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Absolutely love my 16 Gran Lightning. I ordered some Briley extended chokes for it and it does everything well - from clays to waterfowl. If I didn't already own one, however, I would purchase the White Lightning. That's a really nice looking 16 gauge. |
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Posted:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 7:16 am
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Joined: 16 Feb 2007
Posts: 181
Location: Great White North
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S.davis wrote: |
I bought a 28” white lightning in 16 ga in late 2018.... I think the engraving on the new run looks better and the checking pattern looks worse....
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Absolutely 100% agree with this, whoever ok'ed that horrific checkering pattern on the new White Lightnings needs to lose their job! Such a nice gun with tasteful new engraving and then they go and throw on stupid futuristic looking checkering...totally wrecks the look and is the only reason I won't buy a new White Lightning. |
_________________ Browning Gold 20/26
Browning Gold 20/28
Browning A5 SS Lightning |
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Posted:
Tue Jul 12, 2022 5:56 am
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Member
Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 1395
Location: Tappahannock, Virginia
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I kinda like the checkering? esp on the Gran, where it mirrors the receiver inlay. It doesn't bother me to much on the white lightning.
Still would like to see a grade III or IV Superlight Feather, nicer wood and the engraving off the WL would do just fine. |
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Posted:
Sat Jul 16, 2022 11:16 am
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Member
Joined: 03 Sep 2007
Posts: 161
Location: Orangevale (aka, Sacramento)
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df wrote: |
ROMAC, yes those are very nice. But not all grans are. I ordered a 28 ga, sight unseen. It was very marginal. I’m a wood whore so I sold that gun pretty quick. And I’ve seen other grans that are nothing special. I stand by my statement “see before you buy.”
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Sound advice.
About 10 years ago I thought about getting a Cabela's Winchester anniversary rifle in 300 mag. They said it would have grade 3 wood. The one on display sure didn't. I asked the Manager if he could bring out all he had in stock so I could look. He was happy to do it. After looking at 5 I thought, I don't really need a 300 Win Mag. Of course, the last one he brought out was more like grade 5. I took it. Used my points on it. Didn't pay a penny
2 years later I did the same thing with the "sister" gun in 264 Win Mag. Same store (Reno), same manager. Again, the last gun featured such nice wood. Used my points again!
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming. |
_________________ a bad day hunting is better than... Anything else! |
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Posted:
Wed Jul 27, 2022 7:09 pm
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Member
Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 495
Location: Kenosha, WI
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Bought my Granlightning in 2003. It's got wood on it that rivals ROMACs, the newer ones that I've seen, I wouldn't have bought if they were standard Lightnings let alone a Granlighting. There's been some real dogs that have been passed off as Grade III or higher wood from Browning in the last decade or more. |
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Posted:
Tue Aug 02, 2022 11:36 am
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Joined: 14 Sep 2016
Posts: 67
Location: KC,MO
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Picked up a new 20 ga White Lightning today, the "special limited edition" model from Browning website (typical Browning nonsense). It has the previous white lightning iteration style of checkering, engraving and hard butt plate. Once again, nothing to complain about on the wood. It's even better than my 2018 16 ga. At some point, I'm going to have to write them a letter apologizing for all the trash I talked on their wood.
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Posted:
Mon Sep 12, 2022 1:07 pm
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Joined: 30 Nov 2021
Posts: 14
Location: KCBM Sim Instructor
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Just picked up this White Lightning today. Very pleased with the wood.
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_________________ “When my ship comes in, I’ll probably be at the airport” |
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