Franchi Affinity 3 Upland Elite 20 Gauge

Labs

Labs

Well-known member
Picked up a Franchi Affinity 3 Upland Elite in 20 gauge. Where has this shotgun been my entire life? It's well under 6 lbs and fits like it was made for me. Shot a couple hundred rounds on clays (the Benelli Rep recommended 4 boxes of the heaviest loads I could get to break it in) and fell in love with how alive it felt in the hands and how quick it was on the bird. I was pleasantly surprised to find this is also the easiest shotgun to take apart for cleaning this side of an 870. Got out for a quick hunt yesterday afternoon a couple minutes from the house. In short order the Wrecking Crew & I had 2 roosters. I used Winchester Super Pheasant 3" 1-1/4 oz of 5's and those birds practically came down in flames. Going out again this morning (before the NR invasion begins Sat), going to try Super Pheasant 2-3/4" 1 oz 5's. I'm thinking even my Citori Featherweight 12 gauge is going to be spending a lot more time in a safe, at least until late seaon when they're flushing wild...
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Those are sweet guns. I havent handled the 20, but ive played with a 12 in the store. I think id get one of these over a Benelli UL. Theyre definitely prettier.
My 2 Franchis are older but I love them- sweet little 620 vs and a 48 al. Both feel like they were built for me.
 
Had the Affinity 3 in 20 gauge, bought it for my grand daughter to use pheasant hunting with us. She had trouble loading it all the time so I sold it to her boyfriend (who loves it) and picked up a 20 gauge Weatherby Orion for her to use. That comes in at 6.15 lbs and she loves it and states much easier to load. Those Affinity 3's are very nice guns.
 
Meant to put this in the Guns & Ammo Forum. Mod, feel free ro move it.

Yes, for reasons I don't readily see, the mag spring seems way stronger than needed so loading is a bit of a test. I don't have another pump or auto that is remotely as difficult. My wife loves her camo Affinity 3 20 gauge but struggles to load it. She refuses to trade it on something easier to load like an SX4. Found a Youtube video of a method to load the Affinity that helps somewhat.

The other quirk it has is this particular shotgun doesn't like Fiocchi Golden Pheasant. I ran 2 boxes of 3" and half a box 2-3/4" through while breaking in. The 3" failed to eject/cycle every 3-5 rounds, the 2-3/4" failed 3 rounds out of 15. Every other make from trap loads to 3", no issue. As Fiocchi is rarely found on the shelf in SW ND this no big deal. Maybe I'll get a box after I've put another 500 rounds through it and try it again.
 
It probably has something to do with keeping it in time with the rotary bolt on the inertia system. I don’t think it needs to be that stiff , I have one, if anything I think the cycling spring on the bolt could stand to be a little stiffer.
 
Bought my son one last year and during dove season his thumb was getting torn up from loading it. He loves the gun but didn't like loading it. Took it to a gunsmith and he fixed the problem. If I remember right he shortened the mag spring and now it's not so difficult to push the shells in.
 
You'll love the Montifeltro! I bought myself one last year after shooting O/U for many years and I love that gun, slick little shooter and loads easy.
 
It came out of the box with a cast off (right handed shim) installed and I could tell the comb was a touch high. It came with several shims to adjust both cast off & on and comb height, so the other day when it was too hot to run the dogs, I experimented a bit. It was dirt simple to try different shims, just required a medium phillips screwdriver, a 15MM socket with extension, and a 12" forceps (or skinny tongs would do), to put the washers back on the stock bolt). The shims are marked "R" and "L", so there's no guessing if it's cast on or off. I'm left handed and found the next lower shim with cast on (for a left hand shooter) was perfect for me, and I mean like it was fitted.

I've been shooting a left hand SX4 12 gauge for the last 5 years, I'm thinking that might get traded in for an Affinity 3 in 12 gauge after the season is over...
 
Beautiful gun. Do you have a link to that particular gun? The Affinity 3 Upland Elites I see are all just cerakoted gray barrels and recievers. Found a "Select" on Scheels website that is similar, but not the same as yours.
 
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