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< 16ga. Guns ~ Franchi Instinct SL 16b |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:13 pm
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Joined: 05 Feb 2015
Posts: 267
Location: New Braunfels TX
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Just picked my SL from the FFL. Man!! is that sucker light. My Citori will be my back up gun from now on. |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:16 pm
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Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2126
Location: Hudson,Wy
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Let us know how you get along with it after a little shooting and how it feels. |
_________________ Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter... |
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Posted:
Mon Mar 26, 2018 6:40 pm
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Member
Joined: 10 Jul 2010
Posts: 356
Location: Ponchatoula, Louisiana
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I received an email from Reed's yesterday about a "Gun Fair" in the middle of April. In this email they mentioned that you would be able to try out the 16ga Franchi at this event. Little Falls, MN was were they said it would be, a bit too far for me from Louisiana.
Just a heads up, guys.
Best,
Chuck |
_________________ The reason I am awed by shotgun shooters is that most of them don’t know how in the hell they do what they do.
Charles F. Waterman, |
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Posted:
Mon Mar 26, 2018 8:42 pm
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Member
Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1257
Location: Nebraska
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Chuck, email Reed's back and ask if they'll take an SL to the 16ga shoot in mid-May!
Ray, are you going to change your handle to Ray-Instinct now? |
_________________ Bore, n. Shotgun enthusiast's synonym for "gauge" ; everybody else's synonym for "shotgun enthusiast." - Ed Zern |
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Posted:
Tue Mar 27, 2018 9:08 am
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Member
Joined: 30 Nov 2011
Posts: 1700
Location: Minnesota
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Posted:
Tue Mar 27, 2018 3:04 pm
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Joined: 05 Feb 2015
Posts: 267
Location: New Braunfels TX
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kgb wrote: |
Ray, are you going to change your handle to Ray-Instinct now
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No, for these reasons, #1 I still love my Browning 2 I have a feeling someone on this board would delete the "N" in my screen name |
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Posted:
Tue Mar 27, 2018 4:07 pm
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Joined: 14 Feb 2017
Posts: 401
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Not trying to hijack this post, but for anyone thinking of purchasing through Reeds/Northern Firearms, I can say they are great to work with. I purchased a Browning Gran Lightning 16 gauge thru them. Perfect gun and great pics of the specific gun. Excellent wood and just as pictured. Sent to my FFL painlessly. Thumbs up. |
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Posted:
Wed Mar 28, 2018 6:39 am
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Joined: 01 Dec 2012
Posts: 30
Location: Kansas
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As to the question of fit finish and wood. Wood to metal fit is nice all metal is clean with no tooling marks. The wood is plain and is picked for weight savings and not figure. Also forgot to mention in my previous post, the mechanical trigger is very light and crisp mine breaks just under 5 pounds. It fits me almost exactly ( exception length of pull) as my F. A. I. R 500 as matter fact chokes for these 2 interchange and when you look at the action and ejector assemblies they are one in the same. So while bettinsoli may make the 12 and 20 instincts for franchi, I believe the 16 to be the same platform as the F. A. I. R Xlight. |
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Posted:
Wed Mar 28, 2018 6:54 am
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Member
Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1257
Location: Nebraska
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Ray-citori wrote: |
kgb wrote: |
Ray, are you going to change your handle to Ray-Instinct now
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No, for these reasons, #1 I still love my Browning 2 I have a feeling someone on this board would delete the "N" in my screen name
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That would be a concern! |
_________________ Bore, n. Shotgun enthusiast's synonym for "gauge" ; everybody else's synonym for "shotgun enthusiast." - Ed Zern |
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Posted:
Mon Apr 02, 2018 12:46 pm
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Joined: 01 Dec 2012
Posts: 30
Location: Kansas
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Spent an hour and a half at gunsmith today ( so nice to have a talented individual like this as good friend) taking apart the franchi sl and F. A. I. R. . Conclusion, same gun with minor metal shaping differences on the outside of reciever. For anyone who wishes it and can find a fair Rizzini stock set it can be fit to the franch sl. However that is not my intent, I did have him fit a kickeez recoil pad without cutting th stock so I can put the origanal cervatelli pad back on anytime. I did this for function and let me tell you I’m a self proclaimed weight weanie! To balance out the the gun which weighed with original pad pad 5#s 6 ozs. Now with new pad it’s 5#s 9ozs. But it now balances more like a weight between the hands steel reciever gun but is still not suitable for a target gun but in my opinion perect as a field gun. I’m very happy to have it and will have no plans of selling it!! For your information if you love light weight and F. A. I. R you can get this same piece from Italian firearms group with better wood and engraving in the form of the Xlight. |
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Posted:
Mon Apr 09, 2018 11:33 pm
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Joined: 15 Mar 2018
Posts: 3
Location: Denver, CO
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AteUp
Really glad to hear about the quality and triggers. Checked on my order this week, Franchi rep says its on next boat, about 30 days away, gives plenty of time to fit the stock to me and find a couple extra chokes before season start!
Thanks again for the update!! |
_________________ Ron |
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Posted:
Thu Apr 12, 2018 6:25 pm
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Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Posts: 193
Location: Nebraska (It’s not for everyone)
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I handled a 16b Instinct in Scheels last night. $1599 and they only had one. Wood was very, very plain and it "felt" a lot heavier than the 20b they had on the shelf but I didn't have a way to check. I almost walked out with it but I'd like to know what it weighs. It didn't have that "I've got to have this" appeal that some guns have and I don't want to be that guy that ends up with a 6.5 pound 16. I would have bought it if it had "popped" for me but it didn't.
AM |
_________________ Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle |
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Posted:
Mon Jul 16, 2018 4:54 pm
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Joined: 05 Feb 2015
Posts: 267
Location: New Braunfels TX
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Well finally was able to get out and shoot the Franchi, well I sure like my Browning a lot more now. Feel and fit just so much better. Oh well live and learn. |
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Posted:
Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:43 pm
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Joined: 04 Jan 2013
Posts: 87
Location: North Dakota
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Shotgun fit will definitely play into this, I had both guns out on the backyard trap range. First of all comparing the two asthetically, the Browning wins this no contest. The Franchi is a plain Jane looking gun with the plainest wood on any gun I’ve ever owned.
Weight again this is going to come down to preference the Franchi is lighter and better balanced, the Citori feels barrel heavy and I felt the POW grip on the Franchi lent to more consistent mounts and more hits. The Franchi feels slimmer in the hands.
Triggers easily go to the Franchi, they are more crisp and feel lighter in a very substantial way, this might be my particular Citori, I have a upland special Citori and the trigger is way better on that model but still not as good as the Franchi.
If I could pick just one it would be the Franchi, it just seems to be a better balanced gun for me for such a light gun the recoil feels less severe than the Citori. Both guns will let you know that they are there. FWIW I can shoot an unmodified Beretta way better than a Cotori. If your on the fence with the Franchi I say go for it, they have built an awesome field gun and with the preclevity for 16 ga models to fade into obscurity, better get one b4 they are gone. |
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Posted:
Sun Sep 09, 2018 7:52 pm
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Joined: 11 Jul 2004
Posts: 92
Location: Pa
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I attended Lion Country Supply's Bird Dog Days yesterday. The Benelli rep told me the 16ga are made by F.A.I.R. |
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