Introduced at the 2012 SHOT Show, the Franchi Affinity occupies the mid-priced tier of inertia semiautos under the Benelli umbrella. The Stoeger 3000 is the low-priced gun—the Chevy, if you will. Benelli semiautos are the Cadillacs, making Franchi Affinities the Buicks of the lineup. Inside, all three guns use the now-very-familiar inertia design, which delivers clean, reliable operation. There are some differences between the Benelli design and the Franchi and Stoeger designs, primarily that Benellis have their action spring in the stock, while Stoegers and Franchis use action springs that slide over the magazine tube. The design adds a little bulk to the forend, but also puts the action spring in a good place to inspect and clean. Franchi advertises its new Affinity 3 Elite Upland as a gun for following bird dogs. I had the chance to test it at my local range and get a feel for how it might perform in the field. Here is my full review.
Quick Overview
Specs
- Chambering: 3-inch 12-gauge (tested), 3-inch 20-gauge
- Length: 49 inches with 28-inch barrel
- Weight: 6 pounds, 10 ounces, 12-gauge with 28-inch barrel
- Barrel: 28 inches (12-gauge), 26 inches 20-gauge; stepped rib, green-orange fiber-optic bead
- Extended chokes: Close, Mid-, Long-range, plus flush-mounted IC
- Capacity: 4+1
- Action: Inertia semiauto
- Trigger: 5 pounds
- Finish: Matte walnut, grayed Cerakote metal
- Price: $1579
Pros
- Lightweight
- Reliable operation
- 50/50 POI
Cons
- Tiny safety button
- Shape of TSA pad makes custom length of pull alterations difficult
While inertia guns rose to prominence in duck blinds, their light weight makes them very well suited to upland hunting, too. This brings us to the Elite Upland. The gun comes in 12-gauge with a 28-inch barrel or in 20-gauge with a 26-inch barrel. Matte-finished walnut furniture has a laser-cut scaling pattern in place of checkering, as well as accent lines and the name “Franchi” on the forend. The pistol-grip stock bears Franchi’s signature “TSA” recoil pad. The barrel and alloy receiver have a Cerakote finish Franchi calls “gumetal,” but I would say it is more “French Gray.” The barrel has a stepped rib and a long, orange-and-green Truglo bead. The receiver has a shiny silver extended charging handle, and a black slammer button to close the bolt. The trigger guard is plastic, with a safety button at the rear of the trigger guard.
Test Results
The first pleasant surprise of the Affinity 3 Elite Upland came when I set it on a scale. Franchi lists the 12-gauge at 7.1 pounds. Mine weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces—about ideal for an upland 12-gauge. The second pleasant surprise came when I put the gun in a rest for POI testing. It shot absolutely flat, 50/50 patterns. While I can do fine with high-shooting guns, I gain a lot of confidence when I know a gun shoots flat and exactly where I point it.
It was no surprise, but pleasant nonetheless, that the Affinity cycled shells perfectly right out of the box. I started with heavy 1200 fps, 1 1/8-ounce target loads, then dropped down to 1-ounce, 1160 fps ammo. The lighter shells didn’t eject as far—I didn’t expect them to—but they cycled perfectly every time. I hardly felt the gun go off with the light loads, and the TSA pad did a nice job of mitigating the recoil of the heavier shells, too. The trigger broke at an even, consistent five pounds. While I shot my targets with the safety off before I called for the clay, in the way of clay shooters, I still noticed that the safety button is quite small for my taste. The gun felt heavier than its 6 pounds, 10 ounces in hand, which is what you want: a gun that carries light and swings heavy.
Since the gun has “Upland” right there in its name, I patterned it at a typical upland range of 25 yards in place of the usual 40. The chokes are labeled “Close Range,” “Mid-Range,” and “Long Range,” although the constrictions fairly closely match IC, Modified, and Full. I tried the “Close Range” choke at 25 yards with the Winchester USA Valor 1 1/8-ounce loads of 7 ½-shot. They shot very efficiently at that distance, putting 85 percent of the payload into a 30-inch circle, which translates to almost 350 hits. That’s more than enough density for even small upland birds at that distance.
Final Thoughts
The Affinity 3 Elite Upland has a lot to recommend it. It’s light, straight-shooting, and reliable, but it is not perfect. While effective, the TSA recoil pad is shaped so that a gunsmith would have a very hard time shortening or lengthening the stock, though spacers are available, so you should be able to make it fit. It lacks the Easy Locking bolt of Benellis, which protects against out-of-battery misfires. This isn’t a big deal either, as the only times I have seen inertia guns bumped out of battery have been while waterfowling, not upland hunting. That leaves only the little safety button for me to dislike, and I do. Otherwise, this gun in 12- or 20-gauge would make a fine choice for the upland hunter who wants to shoot an inertia gun.
Why Trust Us
For more than 125 years, Field & Stream has been providing readers with honest and authentic coverage of outdoor gear. Our writers and editors eat, sleep, and breathe the outdoors, and that passion comes through in our product reviews. You can count on F&S to keep you up to date on the best new gear. And when we write about a product—whether it’s a bass lure or a backpack—we cover the good and the bad, so you know exactly what to expect before you decide to make a purchase.
content_uncategorized
Recommended Products
Read the full article here
