A review of my Franchi Affinity 3 shotgun has been long overdue so it’s time to cover everything I’ve learned about this workhorse through five years of use! I tried to keep it relatively short while covering the performance, patterning, and appearance and specifically touching on the reliability. If there’s anything I missed, drop your questions in the comments section and I’ll be sure to get back to you. Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoy!
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34 Comments
Good video man. I love my Affinity 20 gauge! Keep them coming buddy. Love your stuff.
Not really a question related to the gun, but instead the Kent shells. I hunt a lot of salt marshes later in the season, and my shell casing inevitably get rusty between hunts. I just got some Kent ammo for this year, and am curious how corrosion resistant they actually are?
Before watching this, all I ever heard was you complain about how it freezes up
You in Minnesota again this fall?
I own one of them but in the best gauge the 10 gauge 3 1/2inch mag number 2 shot in a 6inch extra full choke tight pater that I lasered a nickname on it and I called the violent choke
I’ve had an Affinity 3 for 6 years and have only had one malfunction, which was when I had a cattail stuck in my receiver! It is the most reliable semi-auto that I’ve ever seen, and I hunt with guys that have Benelli’s, Browning’s, and Beretta’s.
I have the first one which is only franchi affinity and thats it. Any way its been runing almoust no issues by this far, only fuew times some issue maybe dont remember good but the skeet or trap shooting shots i think and nothing else. It was 695€ when i get it 8 years ago and if i think now days that gun i will say that.. or lets say this way, if that gun price now days 1500€ in market, i will get it and smile agan same smile when i bought it 8years ago. That good is franchi affinity. And ou boy its a good.😊
We actually call it the Thomas click
Good old 870. Goes bang every time. Even with deliberate torture
Going on year 4 with my Affinity 3. Have really enjoyed shooting it and it cycles in the cold, when its raining, when I've dropped it in the marsh haha. Great semi for the price.
Operator headspace and timing on maintenance of weapon when failure to fire happens FYI IMHO
I just bought an affinity three a few months ago and so far I’ve been really impressed just like you I’ve only had 1 small hiccup with a shell not loading and I decided to put that off as it being brand new because it happened within the first 10 shots put through it
How’s the recoil on your Affinity? My Affinity kicks hard with 3” loads.
love my 20ga affinity 3. Never had a jam but it does shoot high. other than that i’ve taken it everywhere. frozen, muddy, saltwater and full of sticks. so much lighter than my 12ga.
Probably the most honest review I've seen. Way more relatable to the average user than the guys who have 1000s of guns they test once and never use again.
Glad to see the update. Im horrible about cleaning my stoeger 3500. Did great the first couple of seasons but then got to where I hunted a season and a half without cleaning it. But like you said, sand and salt,…. I clean it up well after those hunts.
Like I said, glad you did this video. Looking at getting a new 20 this year before season
do you think this is better than a sbe3 for the money and value or no
Nice review Thomas! Ive been thinking about getting an affinity for this season. Everyone that ive known that's had it has only had good things to say.
Favorite state to hunt?
What a masterpiece! This shotgun has been a staple in most of your videos for the past 5 years. It truly inspired me to get one just like it, and it has been amazing
That bolt is the exact reason I went with the sx4 and I’m glad I did
I tested many shotguns but when I got the Affinity 3 waterfowl elite and that carlsons LM choke I was a killing machine. I want to put a mid bead on it and try that out also
Switched to the apex s3 with my a5 and jebs choke. Lethal lethal combo
👍
I have a gun that looks like that….well used….we say "It's just a boat paddle"
this will be my 3rd season with mine. First season took it straight out of the package and ran it the 2 months down here in the florida swamp. hunted 20 days and didnt clean it until the following season. Come last years season, cleaned it once back in septemeber, hunted another 20 days and its sitting in my case untouched since the last day of season. has had 1 misfire and it was a rusted shell. its been under water countless times, in mud, hydrilla, once i fell in the mud with an open chmaber, through 2 bullets in and shot at birds. shot a ton of mud and grass out of the gun. cycled and fired the rest of the day without a hiccup. took it to a hose when i got home, let it air dry and kept running her. most shes gotten is some rem oil spray. ive been trying to break mine and i cant, couldnt be more impressed.
My f…king franchi shoots very high.. poi very high about 15 cm
Cleaning the trigger group is probably the most important part and is easily looked over. The only issues I’ve ever had with mine was trigger parts building up some rust and it became a single shot. After taking it apart and cleaning it throughly, it’s been flawless since. Other than needing a bold handle, action spring, and having a seized choke it’s been a great gun. Every issue is my fault for not cleaning it enough. Basically stayed in my truck for all of waterfowl season for 3 months straight.
I feel like I just asked the choke question at the EXPO 🤣 hope had a good trip back man good luck this season hope to see you soon!
I shot competitively for years, I ran a sporting clays course for 2 years, I have put thousands of shells through every major brand of shotgun. I pretty much tell people "you get what you pay for" with shotguns, there's a reason the Beretta, Benelli and Browning have been around for so long. With that being said, I absolutely love my Franchi Affinity 3 20 gauge, I wanted to switch over from using my SBE3 (which had been nothing but issues for years) and didn't feel like spending the extra money for a M2 (which I now have anyways). I have beat the hell out of this gun for 3 years now, from Canada to Oklahoma to Chesapeake Bay, never an issue. Doves, ducks, geese and a turkey.
Have you tried the kick’s high flyer
I’ve been watching for awhile and love your content. You recommended the Carlson Cremator to me in a previous comment on a video.
Question though, would you ever post any duck calling tutorials and how to’s? I’d love to get your input with single reeds and double reeds. Love the content, stay safe out there 👍
Well done sir.
Use Lucas extreme duty gun oil. It's rated for -55 degrees F. My franchi used to freeze up before I started using that. Also the latch on your bolt release button could be bent out a little too much, watch a video on how to fix it.