light auto hunter help

[dakotasin]

been perusing the racks for a bit looking for the shotgun...

i'm looking for a light 20 gauge for pheasant-whacking. today, i stumbled across a franchi 720 - a gun that i have neither heard of or seen before. the gun feels light and shoulders very nicely - far better than either the berettas or benellis i checked, so i thought i'd solicit opinions on the thing.

it must be light, 20 gauge 26" barrels, and a reliable autoloader, and must be available out the door for under $1000. weight is the biggest object here.

any input on the franchi? their website isn't real helpful (eg, what is a max-4 stock, etc)...

 

[45crittergitter]

Stoeger, Franchi, and Benelli (in increasing price order) are all owned by Beretta, and I think at least some of their guns now use the Benelli inertia recoil system. I think you will like any of them. I have a 20 ga Benelli Montefeltro (5.5#) that I LOVE. I believe they are a bit under a grand. I think Max4 is the camo pattern. Go to the Beretta website and order a catalog - probly good info in it.

 

[dakotasin]

in a shotgun, is there any practical difference between a gas-operated and recoil-operated gun? i know recoil will be less w/ the gas-operated, but we're talking about a 20 ga here... recoil isn't an issue. i mean, things like maintenance, or little parts-n-pieces, that sort of stuff...

nobody else here has heard of franchi, either??

 

[Dave McCracken]

20 gauge FELT recoil can be vicious, depending on the weight of the weapon and the usual factors. Kick is not gauge dependent.

One of the finest light autos was the old Franchi AL 48, a recoil operated gem that was very light. Kick was emphatic but bearable with 7/8 oz loads. An old friend has done his upland hunting with a 20 gauge Al 48 for decades. It's never gonna be for sale while he still breathes....

Recoil operated shotguns will feel like they're kicking more than gas actions, all else equal.

Another choice is the 1100 Special Field in 20 gauge. A bit heavier, but still under 7 lbs.

Or an old Model 59 Winchester. These defined light autos for a decade.

 

[45crittergitter]

Yep, gas guns usually feel softer, because they spread the kick out over a longer time. Also, they tend to be a bit heavier.