Are they worth the money? How adjustable is the rib on the unsingle? Is the 725 with an unsingle barrel close to a Bt-99? How much should I expect to pay for a used combo? Thanks
Mr. Pump Gun
Browning 725 trap combo opinions?
A unsingle is completely different than a top single. I shoot a 99 and tried a guys unsingle a year ago and it was completely different. I bury my head in the gun and that high rib felt unnatural. I think the only place that sells the combo is Guns Unlimited. Rib is adjustable from 50/50 to 90/10 on the 725. I don't think the 2 guns are that comparable.
I am considering this gun as well. Guns unlimited quotes me a new one at $4195, add 175 for adjustable comb and another 325 for a recoil. Browning has a 10% rebate so that is a big discount on a gun in that range.
They offer both left and right hand so that helps me (I shoot lefty). Would like to shoot one first, but I'm still thinking hard about it.
They offer both left and right hand so that helps me (I shoot lefty). Would like to shoot one first, but I'm still thinking hard about it.
I bought the combo from GU last June and really like it. The gra-coil and adj. comb really help fit the gun to you. I have a couple Browning trap guns and the 725 has a shorter and thinner forearm. Plenty of adj. in the single barrel. Paid $4,695 shipped after $100.00 rebate from Browning. Price of used is really dependent on condition and your desire to pay. Left hand palm swell seals the deal for me.
I am also interested in seeing one, I own a Browning CX I bought two years ago for sporting clays, and I love that gun. I am upgrading my current trap gun, selling my beretta 682 x trap combo set, looking at a FabArm axis ROs 12, Caesar guerini summit combos. But I won't buy unless I can shoot it first. Why does Browning only let Guns Unlimited have the 725 combo sets? HiGrade sells Browning, but can't get the 725 combo. I am definitely buying from HiGrade, they are good and take care of me.
Rib height difference depends on what model 99 you have. The old plus, new plus, max, AR, GU 80/20 all have much higher ribs and the visual rib height is pretty close between those models and the 725 trap. We are talking VISUAL rib height, not TOTAL rib height. The ramp on the back of the rib on those models of 99's is actually just a tad higher than the ramp on the 725. All those models are much higher than a standard 99.
The visual on an unsingle is totally different than any top single though. If your eye uses the barrel in your peripheral vision at all, it will take some getting used to.
The visual on an unsingle is totally different than any top single though. If your eye uses the barrel in your peripheral vision at all, it will take some getting used to.
I have a LH 725 combo. The one down side for me is that you can't have two different POIs on the double barrel (hangers), which is desirable to some who shoot trap doubles. For this reason I am considering a Kolar.
Why buy a combo when you can just buy a doubles gun. At least then you have a backup gun for singles and caps too. Save lots of cash by buying it used as an O/U only. The rib doesn’t adjust at all on the combo O/U anyway and shoots pretty flat. Combo’s are way over rated and unsingles aren’t for everyone.
I'm currently shooting my Bt pretty well. I think I might just look into buying a 725 trap. I did the math, I can buy a used 725 trap and have adjustable rib put on for less than the price of a combo.
I just bought one. I don't shoot it any better than my XT or 870, but it sure looks cool. When it warms up, I will find out if I shoot it any better. I would say the the ou bottom barrel shoots about 5" high at 30 yards.
Here's my two cents. I shoot a standard BT-99 and a Browning 725 High Rib adjustable comb Sporting. I love them both, but I shoot the 725 much better than the BT. I've spent the last 8 months shooting every type of gun that I could and I ended up ordering a 725 Trap Combo from GU two days ago. It will be here next week. I have shot two 725 Combo's and a XT top single Combo. While I really liked the XT Combo top single because it feels so much like my BT-99, I'm really more impressed with the 725 Under Single. The sight picture looking down the rib is different but it only took me about 3 shots to get used to it. Some say the advantage of a high ribbed Under Single is being able to hold a higher aim point while still being able to see the clay fly out of the house. I don't have enough experience to verify this - all I know is that when I borrowed my friends 725 Under single, he had to pry it out of my hands to get it back!
As far as used ones go - Good luck. There are not that many for sale and they seem to hold value very well. There's one for sale on Trapshooters for $3,995 and it looks like a fantastic gun. If you decide to buy new, the guys at Guns Unlimited were super patient with me. I bet I've called them two dozen times in the last 8 months and they have always been friendly and helpful. When I called them on Wednesday they had quite a few in stock but as the Trap season gets revved up, I'm sure those will be selling fast. Best of luck with your decision.
As far as used ones go - Good luck. There are not that many for sale and they seem to hold value very well. There's one for sale on Trapshooters for $3,995 and it looks like a fantastic gun. If you decide to buy new, the guys at Guns Unlimited were super patient with me. I bet I've called them two dozen times in the last 8 months and they have always been friendly and helpful. When I called them on Wednesday they had quite a few in stock but as the Trap season gets revved up, I'm sure those will be selling fast. Best of luck with your decision.
Definitely. I had a RAD system put on my 725 Sporting to tame it's recoil. And I've shot 725's combo's with and without a Gracoil and there is a definite difference. Also being able to adjust the LOP and drop and angle of the butt pad on the Gracoil is another advantage. You'll never miss the money you spent on it and at the end of a 600 round day, your shoulder will thank you.
The only Combo that Browning currently makes for sale through their retailers is the Cynergy. Guns Unlimited actually persuaded Browning to produce the 725 Combo for them, in exchange for buying a certain amount of them every year.
Here's a low res picture the guys at Guns Unlimited sent me of the gun I bought. This is of course before the adjustable comb is cut and the GraCoil installed, but it looks like a really nice piece of walnut for just a Grade 1 gun.
Attachments
I love the feel of the 725. I would buy Monte Carlo stock and have a much better adjustable comb put on by a good stock man.
I believe Browning's are top quality guns at an affordable price.
I believe Browning's are top quality guns at an affordable price.
If you get one, if possible, go to Omaha and pick it from their inventory. Ask for Dan. He treated me and my wife like we were his first cousins, and let me look at as many as I wanted to for wood selection. I must have looked at 15, and he was not irritated in the least. We stayed at Harrah's that night. It was the most enjoyable buying experience I have ever had. So far, I have yet to shoot any better with it than my XT, but it's winter and I have not really tinkered with the rib. Maybe I never will be more than a C shooter with it, but so far, I am quite happy with it so far. The only drawback to Browning IMO is that they won't fit new barrels. If you somehow wreck your barrel, your gun is toast.
Here's an update on my 725 Combo: I received mine from Gun Unlimited about 2 days before I had to leave for the Spring Grand. I only shot one round of singles with it before leaving for Tucson.
I didn't make any adjustments to the gun at all, I left the comb flat and centered.
The first day of competition, I shot a 93 in handicap and a 93 in doubles. The next day I shot a 98 in singles.
So being the idiot trap shooter that I am, I started adjusting the comb and rib on the under single and my scores plummeted! I spent hours at the patterning board trying to get the gun dialed in for me but to no avail.
Back home, I spent more time with it at the pattering board and got it to where I wanted it.
Next tournament, I must have bumped the rib on the under-single barrel as I wasn't hitting any targets in my first round of handicap shooting. I put the double barrel back on and my scores jumped back up to where I usually shoot.
When I got home, I closely inspected the under-single barrel and found that the hex nuts that hold the mid part of the bead had been bumped down and were consequently holding the rear bead lower that where I had set it with the adjustment screw. IMO this is a big potential problem for this gun as the rear part of the rib is held up against the adjustment screw by a spring, and if the mid part of the rib where the hex screws hold the rib in place get jolted or bumped out of alignment, it can ruin your POI settings. In my case I found that the gun was shooting about 10 inches to low at 13 yards! When I loosened the hex nuts, the rib sprang buck up to where I had previously set.
Working with my instructor, we got the comb and beads adjusted so that all the barrels shoot about 80-20. The gun is working well for me again as I just scored a 100 with it in singles and a good solid 94 in handicap during practice.
Overall I'm very happy with the gun. It's well balanced, and with the GraCoil system, it's extremely soft shooting and easy to adjust for shoulder alignment and length of pull. I'm glad I bought the 725 Combo. It's a huge value for the money spent.
I didn't make any adjustments to the gun at all, I left the comb flat and centered.
The first day of competition, I shot a 93 in handicap and a 93 in doubles. The next day I shot a 98 in singles.
So being the idiot trap shooter that I am, I started adjusting the comb and rib on the under single and my scores plummeted! I spent hours at the patterning board trying to get the gun dialed in for me but to no avail.
Back home, I spent more time with it at the pattering board and got it to where I wanted it.
Next tournament, I must have bumped the rib on the under-single barrel as I wasn't hitting any targets in my first round of handicap shooting. I put the double barrel back on and my scores jumped back up to where I usually shoot.
When I got home, I closely inspected the under-single barrel and found that the hex nuts that hold the mid part of the bead had been bumped down and were consequently holding the rear bead lower that where I had set it with the adjustment screw. IMO this is a big potential problem for this gun as the rear part of the rib is held up against the adjustment screw by a spring, and if the mid part of the rib where the hex screws hold the rib in place get jolted or bumped out of alignment, it can ruin your POI settings. In my case I found that the gun was shooting about 10 inches to low at 13 yards! When I loosened the hex nuts, the rib sprang buck up to where I had previously set.
Working with my instructor, we got the comb and beads adjusted so that all the barrels shoot about 80-20. The gun is working well for me again as I just scored a 100 with it in singles and a good solid 94 in handicap during practice.
Overall I'm very happy with the gun. It's well balanced, and with the GraCoil system, it's extremely soft shooting and easy to adjust for shoulder alignment and length of pull. I'm glad I bought the 725 Combo. It's a huge value for the money spent.
This is a great gun! I actually just had a friend of mine buy one and I got to shoot it yesterday. Absolutely smokeballed my first shot out of it.
This is not a high rib gun. It is very much like shooting an over and under that just simply doesn’t have the to barrel. Compared to the CG summit and Fabarm Axis RS12 combo’s id say one of the biggest selling points is the weight (seems light, swings nice) and the factory adjustable comb and gracoil just make it that much nicer. I’ve heard people talk about felt movement of the gun with the recoil reducers on them but it really didn’t seem to affect me. It could be different for other people and your head position on the stock. Best thing you can do is try one for yourself. Browsing goes to quite a few big shoots and I’m sure they have a demo gun to try. Last listed price I saw was $4,800 for the combo with the comb and gracoil system.
Good Luck!
This is not a high rib gun. It is very much like shooting an over and under that just simply doesn’t have the to barrel. Compared to the CG summit and Fabarm Axis RS12 combo’s id say one of the biggest selling points is the weight (seems light, swings nice) and the factory adjustable comb and gracoil just make it that much nicer. I’ve heard people talk about felt movement of the gun with the recoil reducers on them but it really didn’t seem to affect me. It could be different for other people and your head position on the stock. Best thing you can do is try one for yourself. Browsing goes to quite a few big shoots and I’m sure they have a demo gun to try. Last listed price I saw was $4,800 for the combo with the comb and gracoil system.
Good Luck!
Great shooting gun. I bought my 725 unsingle about 2.5 years ago from G.U, left hand with palm swell, grayco adjustable comb and adjustable recoil set up. Like everyone said, once you get it shoot where you want, leave it alone and enjoy it.
I have the 725 unsingle combo from guns unlimited. I got the Monte Carlo and had the comb cut when I put a soft touch on it. I have had it for a year now and love it. I use a briley improved modified choke and winchester AA shells and it really smokes the birds. +1 for Dan at guns unlimited. He sent me pics of the wood options so I could choose which one I liked best.
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
