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Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 127 Location: Alabama

You guys will have to excuse my ignorance but I'm not very familiar with the AL48 but I see much praise for it on all the web sites. Can one of you fill me in? When you say long recoil are you referring to the Browning long recoil action or is it unique to Franchi? Many thanks!

HL

Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Posts: 596 Location: 17603

Harry,
The Franchi 48AL is based on the Auto 5 action, Italian made, alloy receiver and substantially lighter than the Browning. Been around for a while, now owned by Beretta. Not the fit and finish of the Browning guns, and the action has been simplified, but seem to be good durable guns, and they have succesfully built a 28ga version. Some claim, as with the A 5's, that recoil is excessive and annoying, though I think that's to a certain extent the mechanics of the action itself, with the barrel going back and forth. Noticeably more recoil than a gas operated type for gauge, but less than a fixed breech type IMO.
Cheers,
R*2

Joined: 24 Jan 2005 Posts: 57 Location: Atlanta, Ga.

As for the Franchi 28 gauge, I just sold one. I bought one in the AL48 model a yr. ago but just never fell in love with it. Never had any problems with it but it was just too whippy for me and I never did like the loading and unloading process as comapred to the speed loading of my A5's. Not to say they are not great guns but just not quite an A5. Most people that have them really enjoy them.

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

I saw a used Franchi 48 today in a gunshop in Valparaiso, IN and picked it up---very light. I am somewhat recoil sensitive so I wondered about the recoil but more to the point, I wondered how well I could swing that lightweight gun to stay ahead of a crossing quail, grouse or Station 4 crosser at skeet.

I am certainly no physicist but, as the Browning A-5 was made of all wood and steel with a heavy bolt, I marvel at how scaled-down an A-5 would have to be for an actual 3/4 oz. factory 28 ga. load in an A-5 to work reliably enough to market. I'd sure be interested in firing and handling such a gun; I love the Auto-5's and the humpback never seemed to bother me...

Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Posts: 596 Location: 17603

Wolf,
All's I can say is I was VERY pleasantly surprised by the 20ga version. Too short, too whippy, too light, lol, bust 43/50 at the clays course first time out.
The 28ga's are much harder to come by second hand, and expensive. C'est la vie! {:o).
R*2