help with next shotgun, Looking at Franchi.

[foxtrotx1]

I currently have an A300 Oultander for informal clay shooting, as well as dove and quail. However, I am purchasing another gun for myself/if my father joins me for either clays/hunting.

I'm am pretty set on the Affinity line as I hear they are just as good value for the money as the A300.

Any reason not to get the 20 affinity the second time around vs. the 12 affinity? I'm several inches shorter than my father, so I won't mind the lighter weight, my concern is the reach and or fatigue busting clays with the lighter gun.

Thanks

[.46caliber]

Franchi uses an action that is closest to Stoeger where the carrier rides on an action bar that is driven forward by a spring around the mag tube. The Stoeger I have has been a pile of cow feces. Perhaps the increased price with the Franchi is due to better machining or better materials, but I would not risk it.

I would suggest looking at the Benelli Montefeltro in 12 and 20 for a couple hundred more than the Franchi or sticking with the A300.

20 gauge shells are not as widely available, at least in my local stores and are usually more expensive than 12. At least for good AA or Rem STS shells.

When you refer to busting clays are you talking skeet/trap, sporting clays or just throwing birds out of a mechanical thrower? Recoil will be sharper and stronger out of the Franchis and Benellis when compared to the A300. Just keep in mind you're looking at two totally different animals between the gas and inerta/recoil guns.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[foxtrotx1]

Just going out to the desert with a clay thrower. The A300 is already pretty good at that. The 7.25 pound Outlander isn't the most fun to haul around hunting north of Phoenix (it's all hills), so I was hoping a lighter 20 would save me a bit of fatigue after 7-8 hours in the field.

[platoonDaddy]

I have a 12ga 28" Franchi Instinct L, tipping the scale at 6.9lbs. Believe the 20ga 28" is just over 6 lbs.

Over 5K rounds downrange without any issues.

[Kain]

Have owned and used Franchi semi auto shotguns most of my life for hunting, and my father has been using them even longer, like 30+ years. Have never had an issue with them, other than one time out hunting my father's AL48 didn't want to reliably cycle, ended up being because it had not been cleaned or lubed in a while. If you are wanting a light weight 20 gauge for hunting the AL48 is hard to beat in my opinion and experience, though likely going to run you a bit if you are buying new. Used though you can generally find them for around the $400 mark going by what I have seen of them at gun shows because most people don't know much about Franchi. However, since it is a light weight gun, at one point I believe it was marketed as the lightest and fastest in the market, it WILL beat the shit out of you if you are running hundred of rounds through it in a day, or at least when I started shooting clays and ran my dad's for a day it did me, though I was younger at the time. That said, for a box or two, it might kick a little more, but it will be worth it when you are humping it in the field. But for hunting I really like them, and did I mention that they are light? They are really light. Like 5.5 pounds light.

[foxtrotx1]

Thanks for the replies guys. I thought about it, will likely get the 20 guage Franchi Affinity. I'm going to be MOSTLY walking with it, so I need to prioritize the weight. I have a decent clay gun already, so variety and versatility seems to be in order.

As for the 48AL, My friend has one that I have borrowed in the past for hunting. Sweet gun, no doubt, If i can find a nice one in phoenix before an Affinity, ill hit that up. The affinity is just under 6 pounds, so they are close.

Thanks guys!

[teutonicpolymer]

I really like the Beretta 1301 from what little time I got to spend with it and I would buy one in a heart beat if I had the funds

There are more classic styled shotguns like Caesar Guerini but I still like the 1301