Shotguns; Rifles; Handguns; Black Powder; Storage. For even more stock adjustments, the shotgun ships with a shim kit to tailor drop and cast. The Franchi Affinity action differs from the traditional Benelli recoil (inertia) action in one basic aspect: the mainspring is located under the … Along with a little help from its 3-inch-chambered Affinity 3 kin, the Franchi Affinity 3.5 put more than a few teal, pintails and one stud of a canvasback into the gumbo pot during a December hunt in Venice, La. The trim forend helps keep your eye close to the bore axis, meaning quicker and more intuitive pointing. (One pad is included — the others can be purchased separately from Franchi as accessories.). Franchi 41140 Instinct Sporting II 12 Ga 3" 30" Satin Walnut. It also makes post-shoot cleanup easy. The result is a slightly weight-forward feel, which aids in swinging the shotgun. Review: Franchi Affinity 12ga Shotgun. The rotating bolt head is pressed even tighter into the barrel extension as the shotgun moves rearward, and the heavy inertia spring located in the bolt body is compressed. © 2021 Grand View Outdoors All Rights Reserved My test gun also came with a weight that can be screwed onto the stock bolt inside the stock to help absorb recoil. You’ll find a red fiber-optic sight out front, and the receiver of the Affinity 3.5 (as well as the Affinity 3) is conveniently drilled and tapped to accept optics. Without the stock weight installed, the Affinity 3.5 Elite with a 28-inch barrel is listed at exactly 7-pounds, although the gun feels much lighter and was a pleasure to carry while hunting upland birds. A handsome satin walnut stock and forend offer a traditional appearance, and sport checkered … This 26 inch 20 gauge has the about the same overall length as its 12 gauge bigger brother of 47-1/4 inches. The TSA recoil pad does a nice job of protecting the shoulder and is one of the better factory pads. It fired, cycled and ejected all three different shell lengths perfectly. What I experienced with the Franchi Affinity 3.5 was flawless operation, natural swinging ergonomics, and despite its light weight, a shotgun that didn’t leave my shoulder black and blue at the end of the hunt. Surprisingly, this past season Franchi made a great gun even better. Our test model is an Affinity 3 Elite in Optifade Waterfowl Marsh in 12 gauge. Franchi Affinity 3.5 Elite in cobalt Cerakote and Optifade Timber camouflage. Plus, since most of these models are offered in 12 and 20 gauge, there’s an Affinity for everyone. Other than a fast and proven Inertia Driven action, what does the Affinity 3.5 have going for it? Franchi's Affinity 20 Gauge Shotgun Review (Max-5) affinity_12ga_max-5. Franchi publishes the weight of this 20 gauge at 5.6 lbs. The basics include the 12-gauge Affinity 3.5, chambered for 2¾-, 3-, and 31/2-inch shells and the Affinity 3 in 12 or 20 gauges, both with 2¾- and 3-inch chambers. At one point, I ran a 2 ¾-inch shell, followed by a 3 ½-inch and a 3-inch shell through the Franchi. Even better, the Elite’s pattern was more uniform and evenly distributed within that 10-inch circle, eliminating any gaps that might result in a miss. As a young shooter grows, so grows the gun. Okay, I’ll admit it: 3½-inch No. A sharp drop-off is visible on the standard model, while the taper is long and smooth on the Elite model. Franchi Affinity 3.5 Elite in bronze Cerakote and Optifade Marsh camouflage. The author’s father with the 12-gauge Franchi Affinity on a turkey hunt. Sling-attachment points are provided: one molded into the buttstock and one on the magazine cap. With the supplied Trulock chokes, it’ll also perform admirably on the skeet, sporting clays and trap fields in the off-season. Unlike previous Affinity and Intensity models, all new Affinity models feature oversized bolt handles and bolt release buttons as standard issue straight from the factory. Franchi 41160 Instinct LX 12 Ga 3" 28" Other test loads included Remington Gun Club 1 1/8-ounce 7 ½s, Winchester Super Dove 1-ounce 8s, Kent Elite Pro Target 1 1/8-ounce 8s (spreader load), Winchester AA Steel 1-ounce 7 ½s, Winchester Xpert 1-ounce steel 6s, 3-inch Kent Fasteel 2.0 1 ¼-ounce BBs, 3-inch Federal Speed Shok 1 1/8-ounce BBs, and 3 ½-inch Hevi-Steel 1 3/8-ounce BBs. George Thompson of Benelli talks about a few of the most attractive features that come standard on the new Franchi Affinity 3 in a 20 gauge. Once internal pressure drops, the compressed inertia spring expands, finally sending the bolt rearward to extract and eject the spent shell and re-cock the action. 20 Gauge; 28 Gauge; 410 Gauge; Guns. But bigger controls are just the tip of the iceberg. The Affinity 3 is available in 12 or 20 gauge with either a 26-inch or a 28-inch chrome-lined ventilated rib barrel. The forcing cone is the tapered transition zone between the larger chamber and the smaller main bore. The Franchi Affinity 3 goes for $849 to $959 MSRP and you can buy it for even less over the counter. 20 gauge load minimum: I'm not sure it even exists. MSRP: 3.5-inch $1,419 (3-inch 12- and 20-gauge $1,249). This is a very reasonable price, given … 6 shot in both guns. For the sportsman or woman looking for a comfortable and easy-to-shoot gun that has a ton of versatility, reliability, and value, they should take a hard look at the Elite series of Franchi Affinity 3 or 3.5 shotguns. When you do need to clean the Affinity 3.5, the recoil spring’s location around the magazine tube, along with a drop-out trigger group, make it a simple task. Thanks to its streamlined design, the Affinity 3.5 has a surprisingly nimble feel. Perhaps Franchi’s most appreciated upgrades to the Affinity 3.5 are an oversized bolt handle, bolt release and an enlarged loading port—simple changes that make all the difference while hunting. pull weight• Safety: cross-bolt• Stock: synthetic, Realtree Max-5 finish; LOP 14⅜″, drop at comb 1½″, drop at heel adjustable 2″-2½″• Metal Finish: Realtree Max-5• Overall Length: 49.5″• Weight: 7 lbs.• Accessories: three flush choke tubes (IC, M, F), wrench, shim kit and balance weight• MSRP: $1,069; franchiusa.com, E-mail your comments/questions about this site to: EmediaHunter@nrahq.org, For questions/comments about American Hunter magazine, please e-mail:Publications@nrahq.org, You can contact the NRA via phone at: NRA Member Programs1-800-672-3888, To advertise on American Hunter, visit nramediakit.com for more information. I chose the latter, since my Affinity 3.5 Elite test gun will be used for turkeys come springtime. On the exterior, all Elite models feature Cerakote-coated receivers and barrels and camouflage synthetic stocks and forearms. The new Affinity Elite, also available in 3.5-inch 12-gauge and 3-inch 12- and 20-gauge, features an even larger bolt handle and Sure Cycle bolt release button. Franchi offers additional recoil pads of differing thicknesses to adjust the Affinity 3.5’s standard 143/8-inch length of pull. By lengthening the forcing cone, the taper is more gradual, resulting in less pellet deformation and hopefully better patterns. Franchi Affinity 3 Compact Semi-Auto Shotgun -The buttstock offers a 123/8-inch length-of-pull, to which, spacers can be added. But I had Franchi’s new Affinity 3.5 in my hands, and when it comes to sending shot at small ducks, more is better, right? target load, like a Federal Gold Medal, is a 1200 fps load and the Franchi cycles them perfectly. On most shotguns, the angle of taper is rather abrupt. With an MSRP around $1,000 and a seven-year warranty, it’s a shotgun you won’t hesitate to carry into the swamp. The Affinity 3.5 is dependable and durable, fast and light. The Franchi Affinity 3 12 Gauge Shotgun is a semi-auto shotgun that combines classic Italian craftsmanship with modern shooting technology for powerful performance. by Jon Draper -
In preparation for turkey season, I used a Cabela’s Black-Maxx turkey choke and Federal 3-inch Strut-Shok turkey load with 1 7/8 ounces of No. $899.99. Both happily digest a wide range of shotshells from light 2¾-inch loads on up. The Affinity 3.5 Elite cycled them all just fine. I have no idea where Franchi cooked up the oddball 1275 fps 7/8 oz. The minimum recommended load for proper functioning of the 12 gauge Affinity is 3-drams powder equivalent and 1-1/8 ounces of shot. With a 3 inch turkey round the Franchi Affinity certainly has a bark to it and my wife still prefers the old Remington Lt 20-Gauge 1100 as the recoil is far less even with 2 ¾ round comparison. The Affinity 3.5 is available with a 26- or 28-inch chromed-lined barrel topped with a stepped-up vent rib. It’s safe to say the Affinity 3.5 Elite will digest a variety of ammo, ranging from 1-ounce target loads up to super magnum goose loads, interchangeably and reliably. $1,799.99. 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