20 guage choices

[ecoaster]

I've been looking around for a new 20g for upland hunting.

Does anyone have any experience with the Franchi semi autos? They have a nice weight and fit me well, but I don't know alot about this brand.

[maxman]

I think they are part of Benelli and you cant go wrong there

[Limbs and Sticks]

Well made, they come up nice, keep it clean and your good to go.


Wes

[raydaughety]

I bought Tyler the I-12 last year and he loves it. He dove hunted with it and it performed flawlessly. Great choice in my opinion.

[wabi]

I like Jackie Brown's short barreled models for upland hunting, but a custom fowler (.62 cal smoothbore flintlock) isn't for everyone.
http://www.jackiebrownmuzzleloaders.com/default.aspx

[ecoaster]

Wabi,

Did they just thaw you out? Do you know what year it is???

[Boo]

For upland game I would always take an O/U or a SBS over any other action.

[bdog]

I'm shooting a Browning Citori O/U 20g.real nice to carry for pheasants or I'll take my Ithaca 20g. model 200 SxS,both nice and light never fail,and they fit real good,the Franchi is a good gun, a little heavier I believe,I don't think you'll go wrong with it

[LondonDave]

I have a Franchi Renaissance 20 ga o/u and love it. Nice and light at 6.2 pounds (verified on digital scale). Shoots awesome. If you'd like to try it let me know and you can come to London and give it a whirl on some clay pigeons. I also have a Mosseberg Silver Reserve 20 ga o/u and a Remington 870 20 ga. pump.

Sorry I don't know anything specifically about the Franchi semis but if they are anything like the o/u's I highly recommend them.

Dave

[wabi]

Wabi,

Did they just thaw you out? Do you know what year it is???

Yep,
I know the year, but there are many times I'd like to go back several of them.

Actually a muzzleloader isn't that huge of a disadvantage. They are slower to load, but can come very close to modern guns in performance, plus load selection is always available. No need to carry a variety of shells, just pour a little more/less powder & shot down the bore if hunting conditions aren't what you were prepared for.

[TPM]

I've never shot a Franchi semi-auto but I've only heard good things about them.
If you're looking for an upland gun there are a few things to consider. First of all you will likely carry the gun a lot more than you will shoot it so weight should be a big consideration. A gun may feel okay when you first pick it up but will you be able to get off a quick shot after you've carried it for several hours in the field? A 20ga. is often a good choice for an upland gun because if the receiver/frame is scaled to the gauge you will have a much lighter gun than the same model in 12ga.. Also if you're hunting upland birds shooting more than a 1 oz. load is a waste of lead. 7/8 oz. is usually more than enough especially if you're hunting over pointing dogs.
Another consideration is the over-all length of the gun. For pheasant in an open field gun length doesn't matter much but if you're chasing grouse in thick cover you'll appreciate a shorter gun. This is one reason double guns are so popular in the uplands. They are typically several inches shorter than an average pump or semi.