Shooting the Browning 725 Feather in 20
Though it weighed in a little heavier than expected, the Browning Citori 725 Feather is a well-balanced straight shooter. MSRP for this 20 gauge is $2549.
Though it weighed in a little heavier than expected, the Browning Citori 725 Feather is a well-balanced straight shooter. MSRP for this 20 gauge is $2549.
Brian founded Ultimate Upland in 2010 to be the most comprehensive resource for upland hunting enthusiasts. Since then it has grown into a community where bird hunters congregate and share their love for the sport. Brian shares detailed accounts of Ultimate Upland adventures in pursuit of wild birds in the wildest places.
Koch is joined afield by hunting partners Labs and Llews.
Turn your vehicle into a mobile bird hunting command unit just by adding the Nite Ize Steelie Car Mount ($35). Whoever is riding shotgun can use a smart phone or tablet with the Socket ($19) to checkout GPS and satellite imagery in real time while headed to the next covert.
The NEMO Equipment Dagger 2 Person Tent weighed in a full 2 lbs. lighter than my old backpacking tent. That may not sound like much but when you’re talking about hauling a crammed backpack miles up a mountain over 9,000′ above sea level, those couple pounds are fairly pronounced. We’ve become fans of NEMO’s equipment which is well thought…
My bird dogs rarely just plunk down on a bed. It’s a whole process where they turn circles, try digging a hole completely through it, turn a few more circles the opposite direction and then settle in once they have verified the legitimacy of a sleeping spot. Orvis constructs their ComfortFill-Eco Softshell Dog Bed with…
More than half of my season to date has been spent in the mountains chasing birds at elevation. I saw the MQM – Moving Quickly in the Mountains – and they got me with that marketing hook. When you’re chasing Chukar, moving quickly is a high priority. I have now worn these shoes for hundreds of miles…
When you’re headed into the backcountry bird hunting, it’s always a balancing act between how much gear you can carry yet still have enough legs left once camped to follow dogs in pursuit of birds. I was able to easily pack four days and three nights worth of gear and food in Eddie Bauer’s Alchemist….
During the early season, I broke out my backpacking tent and lightweight sleeping pad for a few nights camping in the backcountry. It had been a hot second since using that pad and after night one my back was convinced I needed a better solution for the Way Upland journey this season. The nearby town…
The higher weight is probably the wood. It is most likely denser than then the model used for average weight. I had the same thing happen with one of their 12 gauges.
Agree. But you wouldn’t think wood density would push it to 5-6 oz. I only believe the significance is because they obviously were trying to get to the sub 6 lb mark like some of the competitive break action 20s.
Great to see you having fun out there with Rio and Wyatt … still working so not much time to be at the range … still buying though. Will catch with you next year or so … love your stuff.
That doesn’t seem like a feather from the looks of the weight. I expect that weight from the regular field 725.
Agree, but I assure you it is a feather and weighed it on a digital scale.
I purchased one this spring and it weighed exactly 5# 15 oz. with two 7/8 ounce 20 gauge shells on the postal scale beside it. The Citori 725 feather thin (er)/ lighter barrels
make a big difference for balance and handling IMHO. I have shot 600 rounds of sporting clays through it this summer with 7/8 ounce shells. With the Browning inflex
recoil pad the result is negligible recoil for report or true pair doubles. I have a Browning Citori Lightning Combo (20ga/28ga) that I have used for grouse, quail and pheasant hunting the last 5 years. While you get used to any gun you shoot and carry often , and the Lightning Combo is no different, Browning has done its homework for handling, balance, trigger pull and carry weight with the 725 20 gauge feather. Looking forward to being in the uplands with this fall. Best……
Go get ’em Tim.
For shooting purists the idea of sub 6# guns can seem silly. It takes a bit of getting used to, but for those of us carrying long days afield, the weight savings over time makes a big difference.
And now there is no going back. A 7# gun feels like a telephone pole.
Agree! I know I am spoiled. For 2 years I have owned a Citori Feather 725 in 12 gauge.
It tips the scale at 6# 11 ounces. Proportionally larger with 28″ barrels, it is very well balanced for carry in the field. I do not feel fatigue with it like I did with other 12 gauge shotguns I have owned over #7 when you are an hour or two into a hunt.
In fact, my experience with this 12 gauge feather made it a no-brainer to purchase the 20 gauge version. This 12 & 20 combo covers any upland game I will ever hunt in North America. IMHO the 725 is best upland over/under shotguns Browning has ever produced with the 725 feather versions a hidden gem always under reported in the trades and internet sites. Which is why I appreciated your video posting above here in 2016.Thank You. Best, Tim