Doctor Lecter
Well-known member
anyone shoot the above gun ? impressions please ,
ultra xs pro
- Thread starter Doctor Lecter
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Not the Pro but I have shot the XS Titanium in 32". I liked the weight at 8lb 3oz and it shot pretty well too. A good package that handles well and IMO it's much the best Browning for sporting clays. If I had to have a Browning it would definitely be an Ultra XS.
Doug Pinnegar
Well-known member
Doctor Lecter
Well-known member
the 725 has a more shallow action , i prefer the taller 525 action , but the ds chokes on the 725 are the best in my book !! the pro sport is a heavy lump .
I have the Pro sport and a Ultra XS exquiste 2, very similar stock to the Prosport, the XS Pro can be made as heavy as the Prosport Within a few ounces, or the Prosport can to made as light as the XS if you take off the weights, thats the beauty of the balancing system you get in the newer guns nowadays.
The 725 action is shallower than the 525, but when I laid my 725 over the 525 the difference is hardly noticeable hight wise, but the width in the forend is, the 525 a bit wider
The 725 action is shallower than the 525, but when I laid my 725 over the 525 the difference is hardly noticeable hight wise, but the width in the forend is, the 525 a bit wider
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Due to circumstances beyond my control, I was forced to sell my 725 Black. I had some work done on the stock and it was just right after some 4 years of use. I ended up with a 525 XS Pro. I stuck that gun for just under 3 months and tried everything to improve it's handling. Suffice it to say that it is now residing on the shelf of the Gun shop and I have a 725 Pro-Sport in my cabinet. I took to the ProSport straight away and my scores went back up to my 75% average on skeet and sporting. I can not say exactly why the 525 was so bad both in 'feel' and handling, it just was awful (for me). The 725 in my opinion, is the far better gun. I have no doubt that many will find the XS Pro to be a great gun (and it probably is), it was just not for me. I was unable to try the 525 before purchase, but it was different with the 725. I was able to put a box of 25 through it, OK, the targets were not difficult, but I missed 1/25. The only downside to the ProSport is having only 2 thicknesses of recoil pad to choose from, both being too long for me. I have ended up with the 12mm pad off a 725 Black model. The pad is not the best of fitment BUT it gets the stock down to my 14 1/2" LoP.
Did you have work done around the pistol grip area and cheek piece Westley as the 725 Prosport isn't the same as the early 725, the new 2020 725 have the Prosport stock on them, without the balance weights, one reason I went for the 525 I have, very similar stock to the 725 Prosport
Sorry for the delay in replying, I have been away all week. Regarding the stock work on the earlier 725, I had 1/2" lopped off the back and the palm swell reduced, that made it a totally different gun. The 525XS Pro., nothing wrong with the grip area of the stock, I did find the forend a bit of a handful and kept moving my front hand around trying to get a comfortable grip. ( I am one of the straight left index finger brigade, a carry on from side by sides). I just do not know what the problem was with the 525, but it most certainly was NOT the gun for me. It reminded me of a dalliance that I had with a Perazzi a few years back, I just could not shoot that gun. ( BUT, then neither could it's next two owners either ! ). The Pro Sport is a completely different experience though. I handled 3 Pro's before picking the one that I currently own. Straight away, I knew I was going to get on with the gun, it just 'felt' right. Just a few 'tweaks' to make it more usable (for ME). As the thinnest pad for the gun is 18mm., giving a L.o.P. of 14 3/4" and the rubber has more grip than a set of Michelin's. Every time I demounted the gun, it ripped my skeet vest off ? I now have a 12mm pad of the 'Incest' type off a 725 Sporter, although not the best of fits, with a 2mm plastic spacer, ground to fit the Pro and then the slightly smaller 12mm pad, the L.o.P is bang on 14 1/2", which is right for me. The forend of the Pro is slimmer than the XS and just feels nicer as a result. IF I have any niggles about the Pro, it would be the trigger position really. Even with the trigger at the most forward point, I would prefer a straighter trigger finger, it does feel as though my finger is slightly bent, rather than 'reaching' for the trigger, to get the pad of my finger in contact with the trigger. Picky, maybe, but in a perfect world..................? Oh, I did have a slight problem with one of the barrel weights, it broke in half during shooting and was swiftly sorted by Malmo Guns. Other than that, I do enjoy shooting the Pro Sport and can not see me changing it any time soon.
Adam17
Well-known member
I've had the Ultra XS Pro Since 2 days before lockdown...
It sat in the safe from 14th March to the 17th May when I finally got to take it out for its first round of clays...
I must say, I love everything about it! And the only 'issue' I've had is pitting in the firing pin (after only 400 rounds, but it still fires every shot & is a common issue on Browning's) and the odd sticky top lever...
Recoil system is excellent! - I shot 100 rounds of an old Breda, & my old Rizzini 1 week, a fortnight later went out with the Browning, and the difference is incredible! I prefer the grip too, without the palm swell.
Having the 'fitted' to me by the gunsmith with the adjustable butt plates, trigger etc. has made an improvement to my scores too. Although I still cant hit crossing targets
Its just as well I shoot for fun and not competitions...
It sat in the safe from 14th March to the 17th May when I finally got to take it out for its first round of clays...I must say, I love everything about it! And the only 'issue' I've had is pitting in the firing pin (after only 400 rounds, but it still fires every shot & is a common issue on Browning's) and the odd sticky top lever...
Recoil system is excellent! - I shot 100 rounds of an old Breda, & my old Rizzini 1 week, a fortnight later went out with the Browning, and the difference is incredible! I prefer the grip too, without the palm swell.
Having the 'fitted' to me by the gunsmith with the adjustable butt plates, trigger etc. has made an improvement to my scores too. Although I still cant hit crossing targets
Its just as well I shoot for fun and not competitions...
G
Guest
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whats the differance between a titanium and a ultra xs ,apart from etching on action ? are barrels same weight ?
I thought that it was just the chokes that were 'Titanium' . The XS Pro having Titanium chokes of the Invector Plus variety. The 725 having the DS chokes.
The Ultra XS Prestige Titanium
They'll probably bring one out which has a titainium coated action just to confuse everyone, unless they already have
If you mean the Ultra XS Prestige Titanium, that has titainium chokes, but not the weight balancing system of the Ultra XS Pro, I think Browning like to muddy the waters so to speak, barrels are the same I believe
They'll probably bring one out which has a titainium coated action just to confuse everyone, unless they already have
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Typical Browning ! The XS Pro comes with 3 different recoil pads and 2 plastic spacers, so getting the L.O.P. close enough is quite simple. The ProSport and ProTrap come with just 2 recoil pads and nowt else, great except even the thinnest pad (18mm), still gives a L.O.P. of over 14 3/4" and the rubber has a grip that a Formula 1 team would be happy with. I have ended up with a 12mm pad off the basic 725 or XS Pro, which is NOT the best of fits, but gives me the 14 1/2" pull and smoother rubber that allows the gun to be mounted without any problems (so to speak !) WHY oh WHY ?
I swapped my Pro Sport for an XS Pro recently as the Sport weighed 8lb 12oz and was getting too heavy for me, I put a little bit of weight in the butt of the XS Pro and fitted the barrel weights, it now weighs 8lb 5oz and is much easier to shoot compared to the Pro Sport.
Westley, have you rounded off the edges of your recoil pad, that stops it sticking. Next time you go into Malmos ask Bryan if you can try my old Pro Sport as I made a slight alteration to the top of the grip, but what a difference it made to shooting it.
My name is Mike.
Westley, have you rounded off the edges of your recoil pad, that stops it sticking. Next time you go into Malmos ask Bryan if you can try my old Pro Sport as I made a slight alteration to the top of the grip, but what a difference it made to shooting it.
My name is Mike.
Veryoverworked
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Had an Ultra XS for the first 5 or 6 years of clay shooting and dragged my way up from 38% hit rate to 80% where I plateaued. I'm a great believed that you shouldn't swap a gun early on in your clay shooting career, as it will be technique that's at fault, not the gun. However, with increasing neck pain from a road traffic accident 20 years ago (oh yes, it left a mark) I though a move to a high rib gun might be better. I tried a few including a high rib DT10 - then I tried a CG Evo Sport. The difference in balance and handling was immediately obvious and scores went up immediately. Not by much, but noticeable.
I can't knock the XS for much, but I found the CG just so much sweeter in the swing, and that was before I put the balancing system in.
I still have the XS, and shoot in occasionally, and still do well, but it just doesn't handle (for me) anywhere near as well as the CG.
Frankly, it comes down to the individual. Chris Childerhouse makes a dent in the scores with his and I'm sure there are many that would never swap them.
I can't knock the XS for much, but I found the CG just so much sweeter in the swing, and that was before I put the balancing system in.
I still have the XS, and shoot in occasionally, and still do well, but it just doesn't handle (for me) anywhere near as well as the CG.
Frankly, it comes down to the individual. Chris Childerhouse makes a dent in the scores with his and I'm sure there are many that would never swap them.
The original Ultra XS from the early years this century was a B425 with adjustable comb and (I think) extended chokes. The 425 action is effectively identical to the 525 but the barrels are very different in that the extra weight out front made them sluggish and unbalanced compared with the favoured guns these days. The XS Pro and it's immediate predecessor with the lighter barrels and chokes are very different to shoot than the original.
Mike,
First of all I must apologize, I somehow missed your post. I bought what was, I believe their 'demo' gun. I did handle 3 Pro's all together and each felt different. I settled on a 30" model that seemed to balance the best. I shot it 'naked' but found the recoil pad was sticking when mounting or demounting the gun ( I pretty much shoot gun down). John at Malmo gave me a 12mm pad off a 725 sporter, that got the correct length and made gun mounting so much better. I have since added the barrel weights about 8" back from the muzzle and with no stock weights, the balance is just forward of the pin. I am back to shooting in the 80's (scores, not the era ! ) with which I am happy. My only gripe is my trigger finger is bent back towards the trigger. I would prefer the trigger to be further forward, thus straightening my trigger finger. The trigger is at it's extreme forward position.
