Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

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Old No7
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Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

Post by Old No7 »

I picked up a decent used Browning Citori Hunter in 12 gauge (28” barrels) that I’ll use for hunting instead of my nicer CX 32” model. This Citori is in great shape mechanically and metal-wise, but the stock had numerous nicks and scratches in the glossy and HARD Browning finish. One side is shown in the before & after image below, which also shows some small compression dents; and the other side was scratched up even more, especially on the forearm – not to the wood, but only in the finish.

I had a local furniture shop chemically strip it in their chamber * for only $50 and it came out great. In fact, it needed very little sanding afterwards, just a light touch. Then I used Cabot's “Gun Stock” color as the wood stain (it is walnut colored with just a hint of the vintage “Winchester Red” that I like a lot), and then I added the first thin coat of Birchwood Casey's "Genuine Oil" (a satin-finish version of their TruOil gunstock finish). I also ground a Pachmayr recoil pad to fit, before applying the stain.

I think this will look great after 7 or 8 more thin coats -- all hand rubbed, of course! Now it won't show white scratches like a Browning finish does, and will be easier to maintain if it gets nicked while out hunting.

Old No7

* I learned the hard way many years ago on a BLR .308 not to try and strip/refinish a HARD Browning finish on my own... Ended up replacing the wood... :o

( Click image to enlarge )
Citori H stock 05 before-after.jpg
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GunnyMack
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Re: Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

Post by GunnyMack »

That'll do just fine.
Do you plan to leave the wood pores open or are you going to fill the pores?
Also do yourself a favor and get snap caps, the older Browning hammer springs had a tendency to break if left cocked.
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6pt-sika
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Re: Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

Post by 6pt-sika »

I redid a Browning Citori 16 gauge Upland Special over thirty years ago . At the time that was my grouse gun and hunting in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia can get a little bumpy . If you even slightly dinged that thick polyurethane finish against a rock it would make a small white spot . So I stripped and used Brownell’s quite thick Tung Oil to put if memory serves forty hand rubbed coats . Also put a Pachmayer Old English Decelerator pad on the gun . Back then I was quick with that gun and minced more than a few grouse and quail . Kinda wish I had it back !
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jeepnik
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Re: Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

Post by jeepnik »

Let me know how you decide to proceed. I love my Citori 20 ga, except for the stock finish.
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Old No7
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Re: Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

Post by Old No7 »

GunnyMack wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 3:12 pm That'll do just fine.
Do you plan to leave the wood pores open or are you going to fill the pores?
Also do yourself a favor and get snap caps, the older Browning hammer springs had a tendency to break if left cocked.
I'm not going to be very fussy with filling the pores, but I'll see what it looks like after 8 to 10 coats of oil and a mild sanding in-between coats 5 to 8. And yes, I have snap caps and also replaced the firing pins & springs already.

jeepnik wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 5:06 pm Let me know how you decide to proceed. I love my Citori 20 ga, except for the stock finish.
I will keep the forum updated as it proceeds (will need some time -- work is not cooperating very well...).

Old No7
Last edited by Old No7 on Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:57 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Bill in Oregon
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Re: Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

Post by Bill in Oregon »

6-pt.: A 16 gauge and grouse -- you are making my heart flutter ...
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Re: Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

Post by Ysabel Kid »

Nicely done! 8)
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Re: Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

Post by gamekeeper »

Always satisfying when you make it better than when it left the factory...... :D
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6pt-sika
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Re: Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

Post by 6pt-sika »

Bill in Oregon wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:43 pm 6-pt.: A 16 gauge and grouse -- you are making my heart flutter ...
At that time I had a pair of Citori 16’s . The aforementioned as well as a Linghtening 28” . The 28” at that time was my go to dove and sporting gun .
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RIHMFIRE
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Re: Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

Post by RIHMFIRE »

looks great!
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Re: Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

Post by Triggernosis »

I've always wanted one of those Clitoris, but just couldn't fork over the dough for only two shots.
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Old No7
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Re: Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

Post by Old No7 »

* Update *
Posts over on the Shotgun Forum have convinced me to fill the pores more before I finish it up -- I will start a new "Part 2 Refinish" posting once I make some more progress on it. I'm happy with the stain color and sheen of the finish, but the pores do catch a lot of light...

On the other hand... Instead of buying a used Citori as I did (I paid only a grand for this one due to the scratched-up wood, but the lockup is tight, the metal's in great shape and it has Invector + chokes), I "almost" bought one of the limited edition "White Satin Hunter" models which have a low-gloss oil finish -- so says Browning.

*** BUT ***
Look at all the "white nicks" in this 28 ga White Satin Hunter being sold (at a hefty discount) by a major sporting retailer, and you'll see it suffers the same fate as Browning's high-gloss hard finish -- every little nick leaves a white mark.


However mine turns out, the low-gloss oil that I apply won't do that and will be much easier to touch up.

Old No7
Wht Satin Stock.jpg
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Tycer
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Re: Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

Post by Tycer »

Old No7 wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 9:03 am * Update *
Posts over on the Shotgun Forum have convinced me to fill the pores more before I finish it up -- I will start a new "Part 2 Refinish" posting once I make some more progress on it. I'm happy with the stain color and sheen of the finish, but the pores do catch a lot of light...

On the other hand... Instead of buying a used Citori as I did (I paid only a grand for this one due to the scratched-up wood, but the lockup is tight, the metal's in great shape and it has Invector + chokes), I "almost" bought one of the limited edition "White Satin Hunter" models which have a low-gloss oil finish -- so says Browning.

*** BUT ***
Look at all the "white nicks" in this 28 ga White Satin Hunter being sold (at a hefty discount) by a major sporting retailer, and you'll see it suffers the same fate as Browning's high-gloss hard finish -- every little nick leaves a white mark.


However mine turns out, the low-gloss oil that I apply won't do that and will be much easier to touch up.

Old No7

Wht Satin Stock.jpg
I use waterlox but you can do the same with any tung oil type finish. When you put your next couple/few coats sand the wet coat with 400 grit (remember to lightly sand something other than your piece a few strokes before using the sandpaper on your work). Let it dry completely, sand with 400 again. rinse repeat until you’re happy with the fill and then apply final couple of coats.
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Tycer
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Re: Citori Hunter – Before & After Stock Refinish

Post by Tycer »

Old No7 wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 2:13 pm I had a local furniture shop chemically strip it in their chamber * for only $50 and it came out great..

Old No7

* I learned the hard way many years ago on a BLR .308 not to try and strip/refinish a HARD Browning finish on my own... Ended up replacing the wood... :o

( Click image to enlarge )
Citori H stock 05 before-after.jpg
I would love to send them my stock. Can I ship it to you with $50?
Kind regards,
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