Franchi Affinity 3.5 Turkey? Any better options?

[Spark352]

I am looking at purchasing a dedicated turkey gun. Want this weapon to be drilled and tapped for a red dot, pistol grip, shorter barrel (~24"), and more than likely 3.5" chamber. These requirements have led me to the Franchi Affinity 3.5 turkey. Wondering if you guys have any better options around that $1000 price point or experience with this weapon?

I think the Franchi with a ScalarworksSync mount and a Sig Romeo 5 would be an awesome turkey rig. Any inputs would be much appreciated. Thanks

[Tom007]

Winchester makes a 12 gauge Semi Auto with a pistol grip called the Longbeard. My friend has one,Great gun, I believe it's in the 1100 dollar range. Might want to look at it...good luck...

[Spark352]

Looks like the Winchester SX3 Long Beard was discontinued a while ago and Winchester never made an SX4 to fill its spot. Was unable to find any used on gunbroker but thanks for the heads up, I'll keep an eye out for one.

[Tom007]

Wow, sorry about that.. my buddy loves his. Good looking gun. If you would go a bit more money, the Super Black Eagles are great guns. I have the steady grip Turkey model and the first Year wood stock Heckler & Koch Super Black Eagles. When I bought these, they were both sub $1000 dollars, tells you how long ago... I use both of them for Turkey. Light, pattern well, and flawless functionality......good luck....

[Spark352]

Yeah, I would love to find a used SBE with the steady grip but they are hard to come by. The Franchi Affinity 3.5 Turkey seems like the perfect fit but wanted to ask here to see if anyone has had any experience with it. Thanks for your thoughts and for bouncing some ideas my way. It helped in my gunbroker searches.

[Tom007]

Yeah, I would love to find a used SBE with the steady grip but they are hard to come by. The Franchi Affinity 3.5 Turkey seems like the perfect fit but wanted to ask here to see if anyone has had any experience with it. Thanks for your thoughts and for bouncing some ideas my way. It helped in my gunbroker searches.

From what I hear, you can't beat the Franchi's. Good luck...

[GuideGun]

For a 12 gauge, I have the SX4 NWTF. I wanted a gas gun for the big 3.5" hulls to handle the recoil a little bit better than the inertia guns.

But I did just pick up a Franchi Affinity 3 Elite waterfowl 20 gauge I'm making into a turkey gun. I will tell you that Scalarworks mount is the best thing going and fits the Franchi receiver perfectly. I just put mine on last night. Just waiting for my RMR to come in now. I chose the Franchi over a M2 and SBE3. I thought it was a lot better value than what you get for the Benellis, but seems to be just as well made. I also prefer the weight of the recoil spring under the forend on the Franchi, feels better balanced and a little forward weight swings good.

The turkey Franchi models seem nice, but I did not like the fact the sights are not removable. I run red dots and could care less about the sights. The waterfowl elite model with the sitka timber camo looks great anyway. The Franchi elite models also have lengthened forcing cones that the regular Affinity does not. Something else to consider there

[Spark352]

I've been toying around with the idea of a 20ga as well. I like the idea of having a 6lb gun vs an 8lb. There's something keeping me from accepting that a 20ga is more than enough for a 40yd gun though. I still have some reading up to do on it.

The Scalarworks mount is one of the slickest I've seen. If I end up with a Franchi or Benelli that'll be a must. I'm really between the Franchi Affinity 3.5 turkey or a 20ga setup. Too many decisions to make.

[jordanz7935]

Affinity Elite are a great turkey gun no doubt. In that price range id also look into the new mossberg 940 turkey model. Pretty slick gun, especially the 18.5" barrel. But id also highly recommend a 20 ga. I been hunting with 20 ga for yrs, way back before it was cool. With tss loads we have nowadays, 20 ga is all you need. 20 ga has been a solid 40 yard gun for 20 yrs now since hevishot and then Fed HW came out. Those original Fed HW 7s crush birds past 40 easily, and tss is better yet. I haven't hunted with my 3.5" 12 ga in 4 yrs since switching to tss in my 16 & 20ga.

[cpreeves]

If you're looking for a dedicated turkey gun you should really look into 20 gauges. The things you can do with TSS in a 20 gauge is amazing

[3chunter]

I have a franchi affinity 3.5 that I use exclusively for turkey.  It's a killer.  The gun is light but doesn't kick bad. Point of impact is perfect. Shoot some tss and your in business. It is drilled and all but I use the bead.  I shoot 12 gauge and walk a lot.  This gun is no problem as it is light.

[lowoctane]

 
Need to hijack this post...
I've never been an advocate of TSS. IMHO, with a 12 or 20ga that's properly set up the current lead and/or hevi loads will crush any bird out there within a forty yard area. What I'm seeing in this industry sickens me as hunting is being replaced with shooting now. There are so many gizmos and gadgets for sale and being promoted on so called hunting videos on YouTube and the like that entry level and even some more seasoned hunters are falling into this expensive trap. What challenge is there to being able to shoot a target at 60-80 yards? What ever happened to woodsmanship skills and calling in that bird within  20 or so yards? That's where you can see and hear his show as he struts his stuff for his new sweetheart. Remember, we have to be able to break his natural instincts and make him curious enough to hunt us. Therein lies the challenge, not shooting him while he starts his hunt for us. I have been honored to have harvested many turkeys with 2.75" x 12ga #4's back when that's all there was and those hunts are my most memorable ones. Well inside 20 yards. I could see and hear the old boy doing what he could to get his love partner to come out to him...sorry about the hijack brother. 

[Spark352]

Nothing wrong with that at all! I think that's what brings us back to turkey hunting each year. The show and excitement of working that bird in close. TSS has sprung my interest because I like the idea of having a looser pattern up close while still having enough density to shoot out to 40yds. Having missed a bird or two up close, this is big for me. I think the vast majority of people on here using TSS are not using it for extending their range. I think it's being used to open their pattern up close while still having enough pellets at 40yds. I personally don't even pattern past 40yds because that is the upper limits of my shooting. An added benefit is that TSS has opened the turkey hunting world up to the use of Sub gauges! I personally have landed on a Stevens 301T .410 for this season. It's going to be a pleasure carrying around a 5lb weapon this year!

Back to the original topic, after much reading and browsing on this forum, I have decided to hold off on a 3.5" 12ga as a dedicated turkey gun. Looking to find a good deal on a Franchi Affinity 3 20ga Compact for next season!! The lightweight and lessened recoil seem like the ticket! And with TSS we know it'll be a killer!

[lowoctane]

I plan on using the old NEF single 20ga that I bought my son some 30 years ago as I taught him how to hunt squirrels, rabbits, turkey and deer. I have found that Long Beard 3"x6 in 20 ga patterns well enough to kill any turkey up to 35 yds. So I plan on using my old Lynch 101 and finding a good spot in the middle of some roosted Toms and sitting down by an old big tree all brushed in and talking turkey! Hopefully I'll do it well enough to bring him home...