Winchester SX4 vs Franchi



Kurtr

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Never shot the sx4 but so far no complaints with my franchi affinity 3
 

eyexer

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I actually debated between the two last year. Went with the affinity. Bolt action was far smoother and looked to be much better built.
 

dakotaeye29

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Bought the kid an affinity 3 20 gauge last year, no complaints about it. The other boy wants one now.
 

KDM

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The scarcity of ammo and/or the price of ammo would probably lead me to just flip a coin instead of trying to do an actual comparison.
 


Sum1

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My boy has the sx4 and it’s been a great gun. Shoots everything from 3 1/2ers to the lighter dove and trap loads with nary a hiccup yet. It’s been a great gun so far.
 

Kurtr

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Today was the first time I ran dove loads through the franchi and it ate them up with no problems. Other than me missing haha
 

Allen

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To me. Franchi is way too close in spelljng to France,


That alone will keep me from ever buying one of those things. It's like a person should surrender upon purchase.
 


bigv

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Ive been shooting beretta xrema 2s. I have 2 of them. Love them for my waterfowl hunts. Have put a ton a rounds through each especially in goose season. But I guess Im getting old cuz they're starting to feel heavy. I just bought a Franchi affinity 3. Took it goose hunting this weekend. Couldn't hit sheet! I realized it doesn't fit me right. The line of sight is off for me. The barrel seems to rise when I shoulder it. Guess I need to figure how to shim it? Otherwise it worked very well and is very light. Handles nicely. Love the extra large bolt and button on it.
 

snow1

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Ive been shooting beretta xrema 2s. I have 2 of them. Love them for my waterfowl hunts. Have put a ton a rounds through each especially in goose season. But I guess Im getting old cuz they're starting to feel heavy. I just bought a Franchi affinity 3. Took it goose hunting this weekend. Couldn't hit sheet! I realized it doesn't fit me right. The line of sight is off for me. The barrel seems to rise when I shoulder it. Guess I need to figure how to shim it? Otherwise it worked very well and is very light. Handles nicely. Love the extra large bolt and button on it.

BV, a trip to the pattern board should be on your things to do list,if franchi is anything like benelli SBE3 as ppl say your new toy shoots 100% high(poi,or point of impact at 30yds) the board will also give you a visual of your hunting loads with the chokes you use as well,very important before you start tweaking for gun fit,factory chokes that come with our shotguns are so-so,after all these manufacturer's build shotgun's not in the choke business like briley or carlson,even the big name but so-so chokes from pattern master are nothing more than a I/C (.015 miked out) constriction built to enhance large diameter steel shot patterns.,save $80 and pattern your shot charge with your factory chokes,then if you feel your shot patterns need better consistency consider upgrading to a specialty choke,carlson will let you test drive they're chokes and return them if your not satisfied or exchange for a different constriction.

PS~ keep in mind your beretta extrema2 is a flat shooting field shotgun,they shoot 50/50 at 30 yards.I had a A400 xtreme same POI I couldn't get use to coming off my benelli SBE1 and SBE2 both shot high like my trap gun,not 100% high but 70/30 which is great for rising targets,50/50 one needs to cover the rising target then pull the trigger.

FYI.
 
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bigv

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Snow...this gun came with 3 after market chokes from Trulock I think? All they say is close, mid, and long. They are extended tubes. I assume similar to imp, mod and full? And actually yes, I was worried about the chokes after shooting so poorly so I patterned them yesterday at about 25 yds. They seem to be good. I used the "close" when I was deke hunting. I thought originally it was the chokes but I feel it was me. I have to really bear down on the gun to level my eye with barrel/bead. I suspect when shooting geese the natural sight line for me is off. Where as my beretta lines with my eye perfectly. See no barrel. On the franchi I see all barrel. I prefer improved chokes for all my hunting and feel it is good enough with the rounds I shoot. I think I may buy a benelle/franchi flush improved choke?
 

riverview

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BV, a trip to the pattern board should be on your things to do list,if franchi is anything like benelli SBE3 as ppl say your new toy shoots 100% high(poi,or point of impact at 30yds) the board will also give you a visual of your hunting loads with the chokes you use as well,very important before you start tweaking for gun fit,factory chokes that come with our shotguns are so-so,after all these manufacturer's build shotgun's not in the choke business like briley or carlson,even the big name but so-so chokes from pattern master are nothing more than a I/C (.015 miked out) constriction built to enhance large diameter steel shot patterns.,save $80 and pattern your shot charge with your factory chokes,then if you feel your shot patterns need better consistency consider upgrading to a specialty choke,carlson will let you test drive they're chokes and return them if your not satisfied or exchange for a different constriction.

PS~ keep in mind your beretta extrema2 is a flat shooting field shotgun,they shoot 50/50 at 30 yards.I had a A400 xtreme same POI I couldn't get use to coming off my benelli SBE1 and SBE2 both shot high like my trap gun,not 100% high but 70/30 which is great for rising targets,50/50 one needs to cover the rising target then pull the trigger.

FYI.
That p/s just confused the shat out of me, what is a Benelli ultra lite barrel?
 

Kurtr

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my affinity felt just like pulling up the wingmaster . went and patterned with the pattern master code black and some 2 shot black cloud and at 30 its nice a tight. Im used to the 28" tube on the wingmaster with a full choke so the switch over has went well. I had a single that went to the side and no back up (pressure was on with 8 people watching) this weekend and dumped it one shot at about 30 your could hear the crunch.
 


snow1

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BV your shooting situation sounds like you might be cross eyed dominant,have you checked?,also sounds like your aiming rather than pointing as you are seeing the barrel,just a guess....

at 25yds where was your pattern off dead center? this is important and most likely part of your issue,I'm guessing your pattern was high.

not sure what franchi means by close ,medium etc,close is most likely skeet or .005 constriction med I/C .015,and long could be anything from improved modified or just modified .020 to lite full.025 as most factory chokes built for steel shot these days,most chokes companies and gun makers donot recommend using full chokes/steel shot combo,some folks still do but its risky,I've seen barrel buldge and barrel breches from ppl shooting waterfowl loads and full choke constriction,even seen one remington blow up when a feller shot some old steel duck loads he had in his rain pants from the prior year,we figured his ammo got wet in his rain suit and the steel shot fused/rusted together making a giant steel wad that blew open his full choke,luckly no one was hurt.
 

bigv

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Im not cross eyed dominant. All three of these chokes shot very well and dead center of target at 25. I bought the franchi affinity 3 EL which I think stands for Elite. These chokes came with which are suppose to be designed for waterfowl hunters in mind I guess. I'm quite sure it is the rise of barrel as my berrettas don't do what this gun does. I do know the how the rise of the comb fits a person is crucial. I had a dealer in a store years ago watch me shoulder a super black eagle and then yelled "freeze!" He said right away that the gun doesn't fit me right. He asked if I could see barrel and I said yes even kind of two of them. He said comb is wrong for me. I either need to shim it and or shoot way more to get use to putting my nose even further down. Which isn't most comfortable. He had mentioned when shouldering a gun you shouldn't see barrel just bead at end. Thats how my extrema's are. I am only going off what this fella showed me and it makes sense. When you practice pulling up and freezing at a point where you're ready to shoot. See where barrel is. On this franchi the barrel seems to rise up off my nose if that makes sense? Where as my berretta goes straight out. We had birds come it toe nails down this weekend. Killed with first shot and swung on a second bird. It was 20yd. I shot twice and never drew a feather. Did this two times. I think I was shooting right over bird? Gave that gun to my son to try and took back old berretta and pounded the next few that skirted by no issues. Just has to be fit?? I suspect it may matter that I'm 6'6 and well over 200lbs? Long limbs etc.
 
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Migrator Man

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Im not cross eyed dominant. All three of these chokes shot very well and dead center of target at 25. I bought the franchi affinity 3 EL which I think stands for Elite. These chokes came with which are suppose to be designed for waterfowl hunters in mind I guess. I'm quite sure it is the rise of barrel as my berrettas don't do what this gun does. I do know the how the rise of the comb fits a person is crucial. I had a dealer in a store years ago watch me shoulder a super black eagle and then yelled "freeze!" He said right away that the gun doesn't fit me right. He asked if I could see barrel and I said yes even kind of two of them. He said comb is wrong for me. I either need to shim it and or shoot way more to get use to putting my nose even further down. Which isn't most comfortable. He had mentioned when shouldering a gun you shouldn't see barrel just bead at end. Thats how my extrema's are. I am only going off what this fella showed me and it makes sense. When you practice pulling up and freezing at a point where you're ready to shoot. See where barrel is. On this franchi the barrel seems to rise up off my nose if that makes sense? Where as my berretta goes straight out. We had birds come it toe nails down this weekend. Killed with first shot and swung on a second bird. It was 20yd. I shot twice and never drew a feather. Did this two times. I think I was shooting right over bird? Gave that gun to my son to try and took back old berretta and pounded the next few that skirted by no issues. Just has to be fit?? I suspect it may matter that I'm 6'6 and well over 200lbs? Long limbs etc.
I’m not a big fan of how the Affinity points when I shoulder it. I wanted to buy one but just couldn’t get used to that awkward feel. I am used to shooting a raised vent rib and went to an a300 outlander. Took some time to get used to. I feel I should mess with the shims but haven’t messed with that yet. Get you affinity adjusted so all you see is the bead and not the barrel.

- - - Updated - - -

Chokes are probably not the problem as some brand/shot sizes just do not pattern well out of some guns. I have found one of the factory ones to work.
 

snow1

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BV first off bad habit to bead check,poor advice by gunshop guy...second if your seeing two barrels your eyes are focused on the bead then when you look down range it takes a few seconds for your eyes to re-focus on the target,but agreed your a big boy,taking a new gun off the rack and expect to have the perfect fit ain't happening, same goes for the average size guy,same shotgun 5'4 he'll have issues as well on fit.,Long arms will require about an inch or more added to your franchi stock butt plate,my benelli and beretta both have 14.5" length of pull(LOP) which is okay for average sized guyz you most likely need to add another 1" + otherwise your nose will touch the rec'ver you big galoot.

if you really like your new shotgun I suggest having it fitted rather than adding shim's and hope for the best,a good gunsmith that is a shooter is a great asset if you have one in your area,call your local gun range,they most often will recommend a good smith that shoot's registerd target's you can contact for gun fit,lot's of gunsmith's around the country,finding one that shoots is where you want to go for fit,not sure where you are located but one damn good smith here in spicer minnesota is Pat Laib,he's a specialist,also builds custom rifles...

Pat usually hits all the big trap shoots around the country,not only to shoot but sets up shop for shooter's having gun issue's,not sure if north dakota has any current shoots coming up this late in the season but look Pat up,try to connect with him before he heads to AZ for the winter (he shoots all winter down there)

Another specialty gunsmith that travels and shoots is Tom Larkin owner of the
"stock shop" one on the best gunfit specialist in the country,also an avid waterfowl hunter,field gun he shoots is benelli so he'll be in the know on your franchi, last time I chatted with him,he's located in kenyon minn but travels all over for big shoots but heads to AZ after duck season,just a few thoughts.

goodluck BV...

PS regarding shooting sports we all get in slumps,most often the remedy is a new shotgun,then we customize our new toy,shoot the hell out of it and yatzee no more slump,problem solved after spending $1000's scores often rise(because we are shooting more,it's not the shotgun,rather the indian shooting...so consider a pro for gunfit iffin your a serious shooter then hit the range for a few 100 rds to bond with your new toy.

Try this excersise mounting your shotgun at home,if you have a large mirror in one of your rooms,face the mirror with shotgun in hand,close your eyes and mount your shotgun as if your going to shoot,once gun is mounted open your eyes to view how your line of sight looks,make minor adjustments as needed,cast,cant etc,maybe a drop in your case,but a good smith will help ya out.
 
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