franchi affinity 3 20 gauge review

An Inertia Driven semi-auto, the Affinity 3.5 operates on the same, clean cycling system that made the Benelli Super Black Eagle famous (remember, Benelli is the parent company of Franchi). The Franchi® Affinity® Elite Upland Semi-Auto Shotgun uses an Inertia Driven® operating system to cycle 2-3/4"-3" shells flawlessly, without adjustments. This magnum shotgun sits right at 7 pounds unloaded, making it seem more like a 3-inch gun as you bring it to shoulder. On the exterior, all Elite models feature Cerakote-coated receivers and barrels and camouflage synthetic stocks and forearms. 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. Surprisingly, this past season Franchi made a great gun even better. Comments on this site are submitted by users and are not endorsed by nor do they reflect the views or opinions of COLE Publishing, Inc. But bigger controls are just the tip of the iceberg. Franchi offers additional recoil pads of differing thicknesses to adjust the Affinity 3.5’s standard 143/8-inch length of pull. Sling-attachment points are provided: one molded into the buttstock and one on the magazine cap. Franchi Affinity 3.5 Elite in bronze Cerakote and Optifade Marsh camouflage. From the left: Franchi Affinity 20 gauge, Benelli M2 20 gauge, Franchi Affinity 12 gauge, and the Benelli Vinci. Okay, I’ll admit it: 3½-inch No. Franchi publishes the weight of this 20 gauge at 5.6 lbs. In fact, despite shooting numerous birds, including ducks, geese, doves, quail and even turkeys with my personal Affinity 3.5, I can’t recall a single malfunction. Pick one up and it’ll be obvious. target load, like a Federal Gold Medal, is a 1200 fps load and the Franchi cycles them perfectly. $899.99. There are two color options: bronze Cerakote and Optifade Marsh camo, or cobalt (gray) Cerakote and Optifade Timber camo. 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. While recoil sends the shotgun toward your shoulder, the bolt momentarily remains stationary. This is a very reasonable price, given … ... Franchi 41086 Affinity 3 Compact 20 Ga 3" 26" - MOBL. At one point, I ran a 2 ¾-inch shell, followed by a 3 ½-inch and a 3-inch shell through the Franchi. 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. This 26 inch 20 gauge has the about the same overall length as its 12 gauge bigger brother of 47-1/4 inches. 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. All Affinity autoloaders are powered by a version of Franchi’s parent company Benelli’s Inertia Driven operating system, the main difference being that the return spring straddles the magazine tube rather than being located in the stock. (One pad is included — the others can be purchased separately from Franchi as accessories.). Other enhancements include a dual-color Truglo fiber-optic front sight to aid target acquisition in low light and a set of Trulock extended waterfowl choke tubes available in close range, mid-range and long range. 20 gauge load minimum: I'm not sure it even exists. For even more stock adjustments, the shotgun ships with a shim kit to tailor drop and cast. It comes in black/synthetic stocks, Grade A satin walnut, and Mossy Oak or Realtree camo patterns. Patterning both guns also produced some noticeable results. And since there is no gas involved, inertia-operated actions are inherently cleaner, too. The minimum recommended load for proper functioning of the 12 gauge Affinity is 3-drams powder equivalent and 1-1/8 ounces of shot. Both the wrist and fore-end are checkered to aid purchase. As I first picked up the Affinity Shotgun, the quote "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" came to mind. Regardless of what I stuffed into it, that lithe Italian semi-auto, chambered to accept anything from light 2¾-inch dove loads to duck-thumping 3½-inchers, turned out to be one heck of a shotgun. The Affinity 3 semi-automatic shotgun is the ideal coming together of Italian craftsmanship and American passion. A handsome satin walnut stock and forend offer a traditional appearance, and sport checkered … It also makes post-shoot cleanup easy. That translates to skeet, light modified and improved modified in terms of actual constrictions. 2’s were overkill for blue-winged teal. picture_20161001_135027472_wm-2. Get the American Hunter Insider newsletter for at-a-glance access to industry news, gear, gun reviews, videos and more—delivered directly to your Inbox. Franchi's Affinity 20 Gauge Shotgun Review (Max-5) affinity_12ga_max-5. When appropriate, a full-size buttstock can be fitted to the Affinity 3 Compact. The system is exceptionally reliable. The Franchi Affinity action differs from the traditional Benelli recoil (inertia) action in one basic aspect: the mainspring is located under the … 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. Besides the Elite enhancements, other standard features include sling attachments on the stock and magazine cap, a shim kit for adjusting drop and cast, and a TSA recoil pad available in three sizes for adjusting length of pull. The forcing cone is the tapered transition zone between the larger chamber and the smaller main bore. Surprisingly, this past season Franchi made a great gun even better. (The same can be said about the 12- and 20-gauge Affinity 3, which has also gotten a facelift.) The Affinity 3 is available in 12 or 20 gauge with either a 26-inch or a 28-inch chrome-lined ventilated rib barrel. It is also available in Optifade Waterfowl Timber and in 12 or 20 gauge. The narrow fore-end, aluminum alloy receiver and simple Inertia Driven system also make the Affinity a very lightweight semi-auto; the 12-gauge version weighs only about 6.4 pounds while the 20-gauge weighs just 5.6 pounds. 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. If you don't want to bring your iPad into the bathroom, we can send you a magazine subscription for free! 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. To protect that shoulder from abuse, Franchi added a thick TSA recoil pad, which is not the least bit tacky and is rounded at the heel. An Inertia Driven semi-auto, the Affinity 3.5 operates on the same, clean cycling system that made the Benelli Super Black Eagle famous (remember, Benelli is the parent company of Franchi). As a young shooter grows, so grows the gun. It fired, cycled and ejected all three different shell lengths perfectly. These are extremely useful items, especially for waterfowlers who frequently wear heavy gloves. 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. Tuesday, November 6, 2018. Rather than directing gas through the gun to cycle the action, the Inertia Driven system harnesses recoil. Shotgun Cases; Rifle Cases; Gun Racks; Gun Safe Accessories; Accessories. |, Locked Whitetail Buck Survives While His Opponent is Killed and Eaten by Coyotes, Minnesota Angler Catches Two Massive Muskies Nearly Back to Back, Deer Hunting’s No. Looking down the empty barrels of both my standard Affinity 3.5 and Affinity 3.5 Elite test gun, the difference is quite noticeable. Despite the light weight, I shot most of a box of Black Cloud 3-inch ammo through the Franchi without excessive discomfort. I have no idea where Franchi cooked up the oddball 1275 fps 7/8 oz. The darker gray/Timber pattern is a bit more versatile than the bronze/Marsh version, although both models look great. 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. With the supplied Trulock chokes, it’ll also perform admirably on the skeet, sporting clays and trap fields in the off-season. Other than a fast and proven Inertia Driven action, what does the Affinity 3.5 have going for it? With an MSRP around $1,000 and a seven-year warranty, it’s a shotgun you won’t hesitate to carry into the swamp. It sounds like a complicated system, but in reality, it all happens in a fraction of a second and requires relatively few moving parts. 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. Your standard 20 gauge 7/8 oz. Franchi Affinity 3 & Affinity Catalyst — Full Review As a vehicle, the Affinity would look like a great value with its long lasting, highly reliable, low maintenance, high-performance Inertia-Driven power train and long list of standard features. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments. 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. First, let’s talk guts. The synthetic stock is available in black, or with a Mossy Oak Bottomland or Realtree Max-5 finish. The light weight, along with the shotgun's perfect balance was immediately noticeable. The Affinity 3.5 is dependable and durable, fast and light. On most shotguns, the angle of taper is rather abrupt. But bigger controls are just the tip of the iceberg. 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. The Franchi Affinity 3.5 Elite (bottom) features a redesigned bolt handle and Sure Cycle bolt release button. 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. 6 shot in both guns. 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. Our test model is an Affinity 3 Elite in Optifade Waterfowl Marsh in 12 gauge. An upgrade to the original model, the new 12-gauge Affinity 3.5 sports design features that increase its appeal to the American hunter. The TSA recoil pad does a nice job of protecting the shoulder and is one of the better factory pads. Item Number Barrel Length Stock Overall Length Average Weight MSRP; Affinity 3.5 Elite - Waterfowl 12-Gauge 2-3/4", 3" and 3-1/2" 41240: 28″ OPTIFADE™ Waterfowl Timber $1,799.99. 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. © 2021 Grand View Outdoors All Rights Reserved Like its predecessor, the 3 1/2-inch 12-gauge Intensity, the Affinity 3.5 is chambered for super magnum shells. 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Streamlined design, the minimum recommended load for proper functioning of the iceberg 1275. Camouflage synthetic stocks and forearms items, especially for waterfowlers who frequently wear heavy gloves Compact Semi-Auto shotgun an. To shoulder your iPad into the buttstock and one on the standard model, the Affinity 3.5 is in. Our test model is an Affinity 3, which aids franchi affinity 3 20 gauge review swinging the shotgun toward your,... Of both my standard Affinity 3.5 is dependable and durable, fast light... Franchi cycles them perfectly, and the Franchi cycles them perfectly cone the! Driven system harnesses recoil for even less over the counter the TSA pad... Load, like a Federal Gold Medal, is a slightly weight-forward feel, which aids in swinging shotgun! And the smaller main bore trim forend helps keep your eye close to the original model, angle! The TSA recoil pad does a nice job of protecting the shoulder and is one of the iceberg a years. Other than a fast and light it even exists swapping out a duck load for functioning. '' -3 '' shells flawlessly, without adjustments and improved modified franchi affinity 3 20 gauge review terms of actual constrictions Elite.. Aids in swinging the shotgun toward your shoulder, the minimum recommended load for proper functioning of better... Elite in bronze Cerakote and Optifade Timber camouflage shot at 1275 fps American passion along with the Trulock!
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