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I love Benelli shotguns. Always have. I own three different semi-auto models; they're the only shotguns I've owned...until yesterday.
I saw a local ad for an all-black Franchi Intensity for $500 and could not pass up the opportunity to contact the seller. I wondered if it was a fake ad, since the price was insanely low; but we agreed to meet in the a.m.
Looked it over—mint. He said he used it last season of waterfowling a couple of times and it showed. Just a beautiful shotgun.
I've read many forums about guys who own both and still say pay the extra for a Benelli because it is just built better, nicer, etc. Side-by-side, I cannot agree. To me, after breaking them down, their fit-n-finish seems about as comparable as it gets, designs aside. So, not certain what those guys are referring to, in all honesty.
Anyway, I took it out and fired all types of loads through the Improved Cylinder only: light-to-medium Target loads, Royal buckshot and Federal slugs; each went off without a hitch. Now here's the odd thing, I feel like the Franchi handled recoil from the buckshot and slugs every bit as good, if not maybe slightly better, than the SBE2's ComforTech stock. My shoulder today feels just fine (was shooting wearing nothing but a tee-shirt). Admittedly, I only shot a few rounds through the Benelli for comparison, but I loaded them up together and shot one after the other with the more brutal loads. After that, it was all Franchi.
I never thought I'd say this, but I think I like shooting the Franchi better. It is one hell of a shotgun. I know the Affinity has received accolades for years; and rightly so. I guess the Franchi just really took me by surprise at just how good it really is—and for a non-sale MSRP of about $700 less between the two aforementioned models in similar finishes.
Franchi has me sold. A terrific performing scatter gun. Great buy!
I saw a local ad for an all-black Franchi Intensity for $500 and could not pass up the opportunity to contact the seller. I wondered if it was a fake ad, since the price was insanely low; but we agreed to meet in the a.m.
Looked it over—mint. He said he used it last season of waterfowling a couple of times and it showed. Just a beautiful shotgun.
I've read many forums about guys who own both and still say pay the extra for a Benelli because it is just built better, nicer, etc. Side-by-side, I cannot agree. To me, after breaking them down, their fit-n-finish seems about as comparable as it gets, designs aside. So, not certain what those guys are referring to, in all honesty.
Anyway, I took it out and fired all types of loads through the Improved Cylinder only: light-to-medium Target loads, Royal buckshot and Federal slugs; each went off without a hitch. Now here's the odd thing, I feel like the Franchi handled recoil from the buckshot and slugs every bit as good, if not maybe slightly better, than the SBE2's ComforTech stock. My shoulder today feels just fine (was shooting wearing nothing but a tee-shirt). Admittedly, I only shot a few rounds through the Benelli for comparison, but I loaded them up together and shot one after the other with the more brutal loads. After that, it was all Franchi.
I never thought I'd say this, but I think I like shooting the Franchi better. It is one hell of a shotgun. I know the Affinity has received accolades for years; and rightly so. I guess the Franchi just really took me by surprise at just how good it really is—and for a non-sale MSRP of about $700 less between the two aforementioned models in similar finishes.
Franchi has me sold. A terrific performing scatter gun. Great buy!
