Browning 525 or Silver Pigeon

[urban]

I have both a 525 and a Silver Pigeon. The 525 is really my son's gun. Both are great, but as loads of people have said, they feel significantly different in the hand. The browning has a taller/deeper action. I wouldn't say that one is better than the other - they're just different.

Here are a couple of weird things though...

The Browning barrels come clean with FAR less effort than the Beretta. The Browning is like a mirror after a quick spray with ballistol and a couple of patches. The Beretta needs a good brushing to get the muck off just in front of the chambers.

On the other hand, an oily cloth wiped over the browning always comes away a little brown - like there's very, very light rust on it. The beretta doesn't. The browning's blueing (!) is perfect and unmarked so it's not actually rusting. Strange.

 

[Malxwal]

I have both a 525 and a Silver Pigeon. The 525 is really my son's gun. Both are great, but as loads of people have said, they feel significantly different in the hand. The browning has a taller/deeper action. I wouldn't say that one is better than the other - they're just different.

Here are a couple of weird things though...

The Browning barrels come clean with FAR less effort than the Beretta. The Browning is like a mirror after a quick spray with ballistol and a couple of patches. The Beretta needs a good brushing to get the muck off just in front of the chambers.

On the other hand, an oily cloth wiped over the browning always comes away a little brown - like there's very, very light rust on it. The beretta doesn't. The browning's blueing (!) is perfect and unmarked so it's not actually rusting. Strange.

Beretta "Steelium" barrels ? Had a 692, which was lovely to shoot, but was a nightmare to clean the bores.

 

[Tikkat1x]

another little tale, that goes to show just handling them in a shop is ok but not to be trusted, when the new browning XS pro came out i bought one, felt nice in the shop but i knew i could sei it up better, so got it balanced with the stock weights, and the LOP, comb raised to right, felt an absolute dream, came up and absolute treat, first outing it quickly became the worst gun id ever shot with, the kick was vile, it was jumping out of my shoulder, bumping against my cheek bone and the chequring on the forend was so sharp it took the skin off on finger, ended up with a sore face and a headache, never happened before or again with any gun, it was sold the next day

 

[mike243]

I have owned several Brownings including a couple of B25'S and a 325 and a few Miroku's, a 7000 and an Mk70 over the years but only one Beretta, a Silver Pigeon 3, there is no comparison, Beretta every time, they dont rust, parts are interchangeable it's a no brainer imo

 

[Malxwal]

I have owned several Brownings including a couple of B25'S and a 325 and a few Miroku's, a 7000 and an Mk70 over the years but only one Beretta, a Silver Pigeon 3, there is no comparison, Beretta every time, they dont rust, parts are interchangeable it's a no brainer imo

Entirely the opposite experience we (my old boy and myself) had with a 687EELL. Wasn't a few hours back in the house after a wet day out and the gun was blooming on the breech and the sideplates. This was circa fifteen years ago, when I think generally guns were made better.
There's no substitute for actually shooting both/the three/ all other marques before deciding if you at all can. Given the general quality of steel these days, I'd pay attention to maintenance, as I doubt the more recent products would be very forgiving to any negligence.

 

[Donkey Basher]

I have a 12g Browning 425 (replaced a high grade 325 I stupidly sold) & a 12g Beretta 686S (pre the name change to xxxx Pigeon). They are very different guns!

My first suggestion is find & visit a shooting school that is able to properly measure you up for gun fit & has 'try guns' you can shoot. They will the tell you which of the two guns best suits your physical needs. This should be the basis for your decision not how the gun looks.

I remember buying my first shotgun with a budget of £300. The gun cost me £125, it cost me £150 to have it fitted & I got a slip, cartridge bag & some cartridges with the other £25. I was aghast at spending more than the gun cost to have it fitted but the old boy who took me to the gunsmith was insistent I do it despite me wanting to blow all £300 on a nice flash looking sidlelock ejector instead of the boring boxlock I'd been steered towards. It was money well spent & even when crossing over to OU I could still take that old S/S out & hit clays or pheasants just as well.

Imagine you spend £000s on your new pride & joy & then you can't hit a thing with it & to add insult to injury it bruises your cheek etc. you'd be gutted.

Do some due diligence first & make sure you spend the money on something that'll actually deliver what you expect.

My advice - your choice.

 

[maxtheflyinghorse]

I have a 525 which I bought brand new in 2016 absolutely love this gun. I added an adjustable comb and now it’s perfect. Was thinking about upgrading but then decided not to. Thousands of rounds through the gun and it still tight as new. I tried the silver pigeon but didn’t like how it felt. 525 was spot on. Only issue I ever had was using fiocci cartridges. I had 3-5 misfires from a box.they fired a second time thoigh. It was just that brand of shells. Every other brand went through it without any hiccups.

 

[chriswjx]

I have a 525 which I bought brand new in 2016 absolutely love this gun. I added an adjustable comb and now it’s perfect. Was thinking about upgrading but then decided not to. Thousands of rounds through the gun and it still tight as new. I tried the silver pigeon but didn’t like how it felt. 525 was spot on. Only issue I ever had was using fiocci cartridges. I had 3-5 misfires from a box.they fired a second time thoigh. It was just that brand of shells. Every other brand went through it without any hiccups.

That's interesting, which range of Fiocchis were you shooting?

I currently have about 4 or 5 slabs of the FBlack Sportings (they were the cheapest offerings at my local club at the time, as the Fiocchi price rise hadn't kicked in!). Never had an issue with them (or the TT21s that I used for a couple of simulated days), except for when I had an issue with the spring for the safety catch, which meant I was getting light strikes on the top barrel. Quick trip into the shop cured it, but never had any issues since (granted I've certainly not put thousands to the test, but would not be surprised if it was more than 1k just of Fiocchi in the last 12 months).

 

[maxtheflyinghorse]

That's interesting, which range of Fiocchis were you shooting?

I currently have about 4 or 5 slabs of the FBlack Sportings (they were the cheapest offerings at my local club at the time, as the Fiocchi price rise hadn't kicked in!). Never had an issue with them (or the TT21s that I used for a couple of simulated days), except for when I had an issue with the spring for the safety catch, which meant I was getting light strikes on the top barrel. Quick trip into the shop cured it, but never had any issues since (granted I've certainly not put thousands to the test, but would not be surprised if it was more than 1k just of Fiocchi in the last 12 months).

I’m guessing it was TT. It was ages ago never used them after. Primer had light strikes on them ones but like I said it did fire on the next time. I never used it after. But every other brands had no issues

 

[Seafarer]

The important thing is gun-fit.
Without an adjustable combe, you are likely to find that one of the two fits you very poorly.
I had my heart set on a Silver Pidgeon... tried it, and could not get the correct view of the rib (should see it as a ramp going away from you).
While dissapointed, I realised I had been save from purchasing a poorly fitting gun.
On trying a s/h Browning, I found the fit was near-perfect. Lucky me.
Try (for gun-fit) before you buy.

 

[NullMac]

I think you are either a Beretta person, or a Browning person…

Spot on. And its not a fashion thing.

People tend to be able to shoot better with one or the other. Dunno why, personal build I suspect. Beretta for me but that means nothing.

I think the MK38 grade 5 teagued sporter is the best value for money out there.

You are obviously a man who knows his onions. Grade 5 specifically

 

[NullMac]

The important thing is gun-fit.
Without an adjustable combe, you are likely to find that one of the two fits you very poorly.

Equally important are gun dynamics for your physique. The gun trade can't sell you after market services for that so you never hear about it funnily enough.

You don't want something that feels like a fly rod to you, nor the mythical concrete fence post.

I tell everybody to buy a gun with an adjustable stock, get a proper coach to set it up then leave it alone. Wasting time and money without one really.

 

[Seafarer]

Equally important are gun dynamics for your physique. The gun trade can't sell you after market services for that so you never hear about it funnily enough.

You don't want something that feels like a fly rod to you, nor the mythical concrete fence post.

I tell everybody to buy a gun with an adjustable stock, get a proper coach to set it up then leave it alone. Wasting time and money without one really.

Spot on.
The sales-folk in the gun room may not be qualified to help you with this and gun-fit.
Find a friend who knows how to assess gun fit, or pay a CPSA L-1 instructor (we're cheap) or Coach to help you.

 

[Tikkat1x]

berettas are for girls, buy a miroku or forever regret it.

 

[TheCornishman]

It's an individual thing. Best is to try and get to a shop with a ground that can let you shoot both. And try Miroku too.

It all come down to the fit… I’m a browning kinda guy but Baretta dominates the pegs around my part of the world

 

[Tikkat1x]

berettas are for girls, buy a miroku or forever regret it.

saying that, i did shoot a DT10 for a few years and that was the best gun i ever owned iv also had a DT11, my first ever gun was a beretta 686E and iv had 4 beretta semi's,
to be fair there a hell of a gun, i just hate the SP with a passion, its up there with the browning cynergy,

 

[JH83]

Spot on. And its not a fashion thing.

People tend to be able to shoot better with one or the other. Dunno why, personal build I suspect. Beretta for me but that means nothing.

You are obviously a man who knows his onions. Grade 5 specifically

 

[Foxyboy43]

berettas are for girls, buy a miroku or forever regret it.

Correct T - 45 years or more ago I debated whether to buy a Miroku 3700 o/u or the new Beretta - both of which were nudging on £300 which really was a lot of money then. I dry-mounted each in the RFD’s on a number of occasions before deciding on the Miroku which felt much better in the hand, mounted like a dream and just looked to be a superior quality build all round. My thoughts were confirmed from day one and all those years and very many cartridges later it still is as tight as a drum and unlike it’s owner still looks great.

 

[Domer]

I own a B525 Sporter in 12 gauge and a beretta SP field in 20 gauge.

The beretta is a beautiful little gun but very light in 20 gauge and hard to master, being a bit of a wand.It’s operation is smooth and has little recoil up to 24 g carts.

The browning is a machine but positive/crisp in operation . Recoil is low, even with game loads, and the patterns are good As is the balance.

I have used a Beretta SP in a 12 gauge Sporter format and they are good but with, in my opinion, more recoil and less better balanced than the Browning.

As has been said it will come down to fit although it will probably come down to which one you like the feel and look of the best ,don’t worry about that as you can maneuver most guns to fit until you get around to getting it fitted. However try and get as close as you can.

Fit wise the browning is higher in the combe and straighter in the stock, with the berettas having a noticable bias for left or right handed and versions.

 

[Heym SR20]

I have thought about it a bit more. I took my over and under out the other day. It felt like a plank - but I used to shoot very well with it.

I have been shooting a lot more with a good side by side and just love the way they move and handle. Perhaps an over and under is a little more efficient, but a good side by side … well you either understand or you do not.