The Franchi Affinity 3
Both the Affinity 3 and its big brother, the Affinity 3.5, use Franchi’s inertia-driven system. As you might imagine, the 3.5 has a 3.5-inch chamber for shooting heavier loads. One of the advantages of the inertia-driven action is reduced fouling. Since there is no gas venting from inside the shotgun, there is no carbon buildup other than in the barrel itself. And since there is no gas piston underneath the foregrip, the overall weight is reduced. Additionally, this allows Franchi to make the foregrip more slender.
Various models of the Affinity are available in 12 or 20 gauge, with 26-inch and 28-inch barrel options as well. The various camo coatings let hunters match their environment. There is even an option for our left-handed friends, and the TSA buttstock of the Affinity reportedly reduces felt recoil by 50 percent.
Other features of the shotgun are designed to enhance your shooting experience., like the oversized controls for the charging handle and bolt release. These make the Affinity easy to operate under pressure and while wearing cold-weather gear.
On top of the receiver, you will find the Affinity is drilled and tapped for optics mounting. Up front, a high-visibility fiber-optic bead gathers light even when there is little.
Hitting the Field
I had every intention of getting some serious trigger time behind the Affinity 3. For that I figured it would be good to break myself in on a few rounds of clay targets before chasing after something feathered.
To that end, my brother and I took a short trip into the field to throw a few clays and see how the Franchi swings. We threw stack after stack of hand-thrown clay targets, over and under, from one side to the other – challenging each other as best we could. We both know how the local waterfowl fly, and it would take some proper shooting to bring any of them down.
After burning through a case of clay targets, I felt confident in my abilities behind the Affinity 3. I grew up shooting 12 gauge, so switching to 20 gauge is pretty easy. Having smaller patterns is far more of a consideration to me than recoil; if anything, perhaps it made me a little less sloppy with my lead.
The lightweight Affinity bumped pretty good, its inertia system taking the edge off the recoil impulse. I really liked the light weight as I swung with the targets, and it would take a much longer-than-normal day of shooting to get fatigued by such a slender gun. I wish the gun had come with a selection of chokes, as the one it came with was quite tight.
Shooting Impressions
Having shot the Affinity 3 extensively, I can say I felt quite proficient. I really liked the way the controls functioned, which made loading and shooting extremely smooth. As you might expect, the little Franchi plowed through box after box of ammunition without a single hiccup.
Much of our shooting was done with Federal Top Gun and Winchester Super Target ammunition, both loaded with light loads of #8 shot. It did take me a moment get used to the small 7/8-ounce loads, which required some additional diligence when targeting clays.
The light weight of the Franchi made it feel almost like a child’s toy. Maneuvering the gun was easy and could be done all day. Despite its light weight, the gun didn’t recoil as hard as I had anticipated, likely due to the recoil-operated action soaking up some inertia.
Pros & Cons
Beyond the performance, the Affinity 3 is just handsome. A very nice finish and camo pattern make the shotgun very good-looking. The fit and finish were of high quality, and I couldn’t find anything to complain about cosmetically.
With a drilled and tapped receiver, there are many things a shooter could do with this gun. Maybe you want to mount a red dot for another optical accessory. The Franchi Affinity 3 is sling-ready as well, with sling attachments at the rear of the buttstock and magazine cap. Our shooting was further aided by the bright fiber-optic bead at the muzzle end of the barrel. These are small add-ons, but they matter.
The only issue I could find with the Affinity was the choke coming loose a couple times during our shooting. I’m not sure if I need to tighten it harder or if there was another issue, but it was something I checked and cranked back down between shots. If you aren’t as familiar with shotguns, it might take a little tinkering to figure out the perfect barrel and bolt position for assembly.
Pros:
- Handsome aesthetic and camo pattern
- High-quality fit and finish
- Optics-ready receiver
- Upgraded details like sling studs and fiber-optic bead sight
- Light and easily maneuvered
- Smooth action
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Comfortable controls
Cons:
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Choke came loose during shooting
Last Word
While I am more of a rifle junkie than a shotgun fanatic, the bird hunter deep inside keeps my interest in shotguns. The Franchi Affinity 3 is one I would happily take into the marsh again. It has everything a bird hunter could want: from light weight for carrying along all day to performance for taking down as many targets as you can. The curious design of the inertia-driven action brings added benefits like a cleaner operation and thinner forearm.
It really is a great little shotgun, whether you are going after ducks in a marsh or turkeys in the hardwood forests, or just shooting clays with family. Compared to some of its competitors, the Affinity brings a great value, and one you should consider before your next shotgun purchase.
