I got a new Browning 725 feather 20g O/U for dove this year. I guess i'm shooting pretty good cause my top barrel almost never gets shot. I'm wearing the dove out with that bottom though! Question: should I alternate the barrels to even things out a bit or is this no concern? Seems like I'm going to wear out that bottom barrel over the years if the ratio stays the way it is now.

In the midst of your best Rick Flair, just go ahead and empty that top barrel in celebration of your one shot drop . Sticking to the bag limit, you're not going to wear out a 725 barrel in a season or 20. How many folks you know that melt a semi, dove hunting in TX?

no concern, keep shooting

You'll never wear it out. If you do sell it one day you can use it as a selling point. Bottom barrel is used and abused but the top barrel is practically new.

If it bothers you as it would me, simply change primary barrels each year: under for even years, over for odd years.

Sure, it's unnecessary, but it makes me feel better.

Beretta gunsmith told me that most quality O/U's are designed for anywhere from 150,000 - 250,000 rounds before the shoulders need to be replaced (that's the area the pivot on the barrel rests as well as the portion of the locking lug passes through)
I shot an older Beretta at a range in Virginia that according to the range had over 250k rounds through it. Upon the shot, it would drop open.

dang i

dang...... glad i'm not the ONLY anal person on here!!

i'm with you syncerus

Sounds like a great gun and good problem to have.

I have shot 8 limits of dove with it so far this year. (with another 8 in waiting ) The top barrel has about 5 kills. I'm averaging about 1 box of shells per limit with my last 2 limits about 21 shells. It just seems weird to be shooting that bottom barrel so much. I feel like I don't even need to clean the top barrel when I get home.