New Gun

Hey everyone, I really got into pheasant hunting this past fall with a new pup and am in the market for a new gun. I currently have a Benelli Nova and it works fine but is such a lug to carry around all day. I was wondering what everyone else is using? It would mostly be used for pheasants and the occasional duck/goose. I shouldered a Franchi Affinity last night and it seemed pretty sweet. Thanks for any info!

IMO, you have identified the biggest issue with upland guns–carry weight.

Fit is paramount in an upland gun, so what you “like” only matters if the gun fits well or if you take the time to have it fitted to you. I have twice become convinced that I wanted Gun X, only to finally try one and discover I wanted Gun Y because it fit better and felt better.

So what do I use? I have carried 20 gauges my whole life, currently, I carry a Beretta 390 auto (about 6.5 pounds) or a Browning Superlight 725 o/u (5.2 pounds), both are in 20 gauge.

With 3-inch plated loads, the 20 packs a punch and there is no way around the fact that they are a pure joy to carry. The Beretta is a gas operated auto, so it has as close to no recoil as a gun could possibly have. The Browning, like any light double, kicks like a mule, but I’m lucky if I shoot enough so that I ever notice it.

The Browning 725 fits me as if it were made for me. Without ever shooting it, I took it out pheasant hunting and killed the first two flushed rooster stone dead. We’ll call that a keeper.

IMO, the 16 gauge will always be the King of the Pheasant guns. My father has never owned a 12 gauge in his entire 76 year life, he was given a 20 gauge auto by his father in 1949 at the age of 8 and he later bought a 16 gauge, which he used for ducks and windy day pheasants. He does not shoot 3-inch loads for pheasants and even with 2 3/4 loads, he is so deadly that, to be honest, it kind of annoys me.

Bottom line is don’t let anyone tell you a 20 is not enough gun for pheasants. If it’s not enough gun, the problem is not the gun, it’s that they need to learn to shoot it.

I do have a 12 gauge auto for wet weather or windy days, but I only use it if I absolutely have to because I hate lugging around all that weight.

Grouse

I’ve been happy with my old Beretta AL-390 12ga and a few years ago I bought a Benelli Montafeltro 12ga that is very nice to carry. Scheels had a super crazy good price on the Benelli at the time.

I have a super black eagle love it. The Benneli ultra light is really nice. Depends on what you want to spend. the lighter the gun more recoil to manage. Super black eagle never failed me light to carry all day and can shoot 3.5″ for geese if I need to. a lot more recoil of course. only difference in a 20g is the amount of pellets. My friend shoot 3″ 20 for geese does just fine. Just can’t shoot as far. I shoot a pattern master choke don’t use factory anymore no comparison. a 20 gauge with pattern master probably better then 12 without.

That Franchi is a great choice if it fits you good. I would have bought one but I have short arms and it didn’t fit me. I went to a Benelli M2 with comfortec. It has available three interchangeable recoil pads for different pull lengths. The shortest one makes that one work for me. The M2 also has a lot of accessories available for it if that is important. For your main gun I’d stay with 12 gauge. It is the most versatile and best prices on shells. It has a 3″ chamber but 2-3/4 shells are adequate.

I’ll kind of echo what Grouse said. Fit and shooting comfort goes a long ways in building confidence. My forte’ is long guns – shotguns has just been “the other guns” in the safe. Quite ironic when grouse hunting is my absolute favorite thing to do.

On the rare days that I just take off in the morning with the intent of walking all day, I grab my single shot Ithaca 20ga. Its like carrying a BB gun because it is so light. Down side is the kick. Since its only a few pounds, that becomes the trade off. I’ve never really been concerned about follow up shots and ability to shoot 5 rounds while crawling through the beaver swamps I hunt.

I own a Franchi Affinity and its nice. Love the feel and comfort when shooting. But if I was seriously looking at reducing weight and maintaining quality/comfort, I think I would at least take a look at an under/over. This may be the opportunity to add to your collection that one gun that you may otherwise not consider, yet it could really fill a nich’

slabz wrote:

Hey everyone, I really got into pheasant hunting this past fall with a new pup and am in the market for a new gun. I currently have a Benelli Nova and it works fine but is such a lug to carry around all day. I was wondering what everyone else is using? It would mostly be used for pheasants and the occasional duck/goose. I shouldered a Franchi Affinity last night and it seemed pretty sweet. Thanks for any info!

My wife has a Franchi Affinity 20ga and it’s been a great gun for the 5 years we’ve owned it. I really pushed her towards a Montefeltro but it was her choice so she went with Affinity because she wanted camo and was more comfortable with the raised rib instead of the flat rib on the Monte.

If it were my choice it would have been the Monte. It’s only a few hundred dollars more for what should be a lifetime purchase and you get the Benelli name and implied reliability and longevity. The Montefeltro is a classic.

I killed a lot of ducks and geese with my wife’s Affinity 20ga this fall. I’ve used it a lot for doves and upland as well. She’s killed a lot of clays with it and really enjoys shooting it.

My main gun is an M2 12ga and it’s used for 90% waterfowl.

I hunt a lot in ND for pheasants, carry a 20 until thanksgiving. I have a bennelli monte and a ethos, both great guns.

You might want to check out Reeds Gun Fair that will be held April 20-22, 2018 in Little Falls, MN. I’ve never been to it but my buddy goes every year and says how much fun it is. The best part he says in the ability to test-fire numerous guns. And he said they’ve got good pricing. I hope to make it this year.

http://www.ricecreekgunfair.com/

I’m a bit surprised about the comments about recoil. I can’t say that I’ve ever really noticed or been bothered by the recoil of a shotgun when hunting. Granted I’ve mainly shot a 12 ga. Remington 1100 and a 12 ga. Benelli Super Black Eagle over the years which are autoloaders and not light guns. Maybe I’d think differently if I shot lightweight over-and-unders.

boone wrote:

I’m a bit surprised about the comments about recoil. I can’t say that I’ve ever really noticed or been bothered by the recoil of a shotgun when hunting. Granted I’ve mainly shot a 12 ga. Remington 1100 and a 12 ga. Benelli Super Black Eagle over the years which are autoloaders and not light guns. Maybe I’d think differently if I shot lightweight over-and-unders.

You can thank adrenaline for that. Recoil is more often noticed at the range than while hunting, even though trap loads produce about half the perceived recoil of hunting loads. Pattern a shotgun with hunting loads and I bet you’ll feel the recoil.

A lot of good points listed above but some more food for thought:the Benelli Nova is a relatively light gun already at about 7-8 lbs, if you look at many of the 12 gauge Benelli and Franchi auto loader guns are also in the same ballpark for weight. The benelli ultralight and a few of the 20 gauge options get into the 6 lb range. I personally have several 12 gauge guns but really like my 20 gauge Franchi Affinity for long days of walking but wouldn’t choose that gun for much of my other hunting.

I would go with what fits you, your needs, and your budget. I would also agree with the post above about the reeds gun fair this spring. Great way to see and try a range of guns and see what works best for you.

My top 3 factors for purchasing a new gun:

1. Fit to my body, skill, and the application

2. Price

3. Ammunition availability and cost

…99. Brand. Don’t get caught up in only looking at one brand or another. Some firearms just fit different people better or have a more refined product in certain calibers or models.

The Winchester SXP is a lighter weight pump. Less than 7 lbs and under or around $350. It has a good choke tube system. Also comes in a 20 ga version, but I do not think there is a weight advantage to it.

One thing it has that I like is the safety forward of the trigger. My trigger finger does not get as cold carrying it and it is less awkward with gloves.

A year ago I had some extra money and I bought myself a present. A Browning 725 feather in 12 ga. I like the feel of it and the 2 chokes. With the 2 shots I seem to take my time a little more with it. I also like the way the safety and trigger are it is easy to operate in the cold. I think I am going to run it another season and if I am still feeling good about it I will strongly consider getting the 20 gauge version.

Purchased the Benelli Montefeltro 20 in December for pheasant and grouse hunting. The montefeltro is a tried and true gun being around for awhile. I was told by a relative that the franchi affinity doesnt cycle trap loads nearly as well as the benelli. Something to keep in mind for grouse hunting and trap shooting. I only got to take it grouse hunting a few times before the season closed but it did everything I wanted it to do. Light weight and smooth swinging. The finish is beautiful also.

boone wrote:

I’m a bit surprised about the comments about recoil. I can’t say that I’ve ever really noticed or been bothered by the recoil of a shotgun when hunting. Granted I’ve mainly shot a 12 ga. Remington 1100 and a 12 ga. Benelli Super Black Eagle over the years which are autoloaders and not light guns. Maybe I’d think differently if I shot lightweight over-and-unders.

Weight matters. A lot.

Keep in mind, depending on what vintage your 1100 is and what barrel length is, with shells in the magazine, it will almost certainly weigh over 8 pounds and possibly close to 9. Also, the 1100 is a gas operated auto, so you are venting off barrel gasses to drive the action and reducing recoil in the process.

Benellis and other recoil activated autos kick harder than a gas operated version of equal weight, but they still absorb recoil in the process of driving the action.

Doubles just kick hard because there’s nothing buffering the recoil except your shoulder. I don’t particularly enjoy shooting the double that much, so I’m not about to go out and shoot a couple of rounds of skeet with it, but the puropse of a super light double was to make it a joy to carry.

Grouse

The Franchi Instict is superb.

I’ve had a Beretta AL390 for almost 20 years I think and have never had a single problem with it. Just based on that it would be hard to pick a new semi-auto that wasn’t Beretta but the new ones are certainly pricy.

For wood stock they have the A400 Xcel which is 6.7lbs and for synthetic they have the A400 Lite Syntehtic that is also 6.7lbs. Those are both 12ga models.