Description
I remember the first time I shouldered a Browning Citori at a sporting clays course. It wasn’t this specific model, but the balance and swing were so intuitive it felt like cheating. That experience is what the Browning Citori Lightning Vectorpro 12 Ga 26 Inch Barrel Blue Finish 3 Inch Chamber Walnut Stock Gloss Finish Single Selective Trigger is built to deliver, but refined. It’s a purpose-built over-under shotgun designed for the field and the clays course, offering Browning’s legendary reliability in a sleek, fast-handling package. At $1824.81, it sits in that sweet spot between a workhorse and a heirloom-grade piece.
Look, here’s the direct answer. The Browning Citori Lightning Vectorpro is a 12-gauge over-under shotgun with a 26-inch barrel set, a 3-inch chamber, and a single selective mechanical trigger. It features a classic blue steel finish and a high-gloss walnut stock. It’s built on Browning’s proven, durable action and is designed for smooth, fast handling in upland game and sporting clays scenarios. This specific configuration ships to Missouri and compliant US states.
What Makes It a “Lightning”?
I’ve put a few hundred rounds through a similar Citori setup, and the “Lightning” designation isn’t just marketing. The 26-inch barrels on this model are the key. They create a shotgun that’s incredibly quick to mount and swing. In dense Missouri cover for quail or grouse, that speed is a genuine advantage. The balance point is just ahead of the hinge, making it feel alive in your hands without being muzzle-light. The VectorPro rib is a flat, wide design that gives you a superb, clean sight picture—it’s less cluttered than a stepped rib and helps you focus on the target, not the gun. The whole package weighs in at a very manageable 7 pounds, 2 ounces, which is light enough to carry all day but heavy enough to soak up recoil for a follow-up shot.
Fit, Finish, and Function
The gloss walnut stock is where the heirloom quality shines through. It’s not just for show; the high-gloss finish protects the wood from the elements during a damp morning hunt. The checkering is sharp and provides a positive grip. The single selective trigger is a mechanical design, not inertial. That means it’s reliable with any load, from light target rounds to heavy 3-inch magnums, without worrying about recoil to reset it. You select the barrel with a simple, positive slide on the tang. Here’s the thing—this gun is ready to go. It fits out of the box for most shooters with an average build, and the 14 5/8-inch length of pull is a great starting point. It’s compatible with standard Browning Invector-DS choke tubes (three are included), so you can tune your pattern for everything from close-range skeet to passing ducks.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Gauge | 12 Gauge |
| Chamber | 3″ |
| Barrel Length | 26″ |
| Overall Length | 43.5″ |
| Weight | 7 lbs 2 oz |
| Trigger | Single Selective Mechanical |
| Chokes | Invector-DS (IC, M, F Included) |
Pros & Cons: The Straight Talk
Pros: The handling is sublime—fast, balanced, and predictable. The mechanical trigger is utterly reliable. The fit and finish are what you expect from Browning at this price: excellent. The 26-inch barrels and VectorPro rib make it a specialist for fast, close-to-mid range work.
Cons: That gloss walnut stock is beautiful, but it can show scratches in the field more than an oil finish. The 26-inch barrels might feel short for some shooters on long crossing shots in sporting clays or waterfowl hunting. And at over eighteen hundred dollars, it’s a serious investment.
Who Is This Shotgun For?
This is for the upland hunter who covers miles of ground and needs a quick, lively companion. It’s for the sporting clays shooter who focuses on five-stand and skeet, where fast acquisition matters. It’s not a waterfowl specialist or a trap gun meant for breaking 100-yard targets. It’s a specialist tool for dynamic shooting, built with a quality that says it’ll be passed down. If you appreciate classic craftsmanship but demand modern performance, this Citori configuration deserves your attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the single trigger selective, and how does it work?
A: Yes, it’s a single selective mechanical trigger. A small slide on the top tang, right behind the safety, lets you choose whether the top or bottom barrel fires first. It’s a positive, simple system that works regardless of recoil.
Q: What choke system does it use?
A: It uses Browning’s Invector-DS choke tubes. Three tubes (Improved Cylinder, Modified, Full) are included. This system is common and offers a wide range of aftermarket tube options from brands like Briley and Carlson’s for specialized patterning.
Q: What’s the difference between this and a standard Citori?
A: The “Lightning” refers to the shorter, faster-handling barrel set (26″ vs. the common 28″ or 30″). The “VectorPro” is the specific flat, wide rib design for a clean sight picture. This combo makes it more agile than a standard field model.
If the idea of a responsive, beautifully crafted over-under that excels in the field speaks to you, this Browning Citori Lightning Vectorpro is available at firearms-missouri.com for Missouri residents and nationwide.
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