Franchi, SX4, Weatherby, Mossberg

[Mtncowboy]

Hello amigos, after hearing recommendations from all of you for shotguns for a 9 year old kid, I am currently looking at these guns in particular. Do any of you own a Franchi Affinity 3, Winchester SX4, Weatherby SA-08, or Mossberg SA-20? If so how do you like it? Does it reliably cycle light loads? I hate when a semi auto won't run cheap target ammo consistently. Thanks.

 

[isItFallYet]

I have used my sx4 to shoot many rounds on my local clays course without an issue. I usually buy the cheapest boxes I can find online.

 

[Marchbrown]

I run an sx4 and a good friend of mine runs an affinity. Neither one is a bad choice at all but they definitely fit different

 

[TNHighlands]

Franchi is my go to. It's run everything i've thrown at it. Very similar to Benelli M2. Hard to beat for the money.

 

[Catchfish]

I’ve got a Weatherby Sa-08 had it for 10-15 years now, shoots great always functioned great. But I don’t believe they make them in Italy any more I think they are in Turkey and aren’t the same gun. I also have a Franchi affinity it’s the newest and it points great, feels great but I get the click problem a lot in the cold weather, I don’t shotgun like I used to. The Winchester I only have experience with the 3 and it was great.

 

[roosterdown]

My kid had a 12ga Franchi Affinity for HS trap, and started by shooting really light loads without issue.

Now it's his bird gun.

 

[KurtR]

I own the affinity 3 and it has done everything from doves to geese with out a problem. Ran about 5 cases through it this fall. Friend has the sx4 and loves it he has had no problems with it. No experience with the weatherby. The mossberg due to past experience with other models make a better fence post than shot gun.

 

[maufic]

I've got a Weatherby SA-08 I use weekly for skeet and clays for the last four years. I put at least a couple hundred rounds a week through it and clean it once a month. I've gone a couple of months without a good cleaning. Never had a problem. I believe it's one of the Turkish built guns. I think the mossberg is basically the same gun. I've been thinking of picking up one of those in 20 gauge.

 

[nobody]

My wife got me an Affinity 3 (12 gauge) for Christmas (with some coaching from me haha). I was between the SX4 and the Affinity 3. Came down to fit, I just far preferred the slender, sleek feel of the affinity 3. Plus I love the feel of the Benelli/Franchi stuff mechanically. But so far it’s run old, cheap, Bass Pro/Herter’s brand 8 shot 2 3/4 shells with no hiccups or hesitation. Most inertia guns I’ve researched recommend 1 1/8 oz shot as a minimum, and won’t guarantee reliable cycling with 1 oz loads. No clue if the gas guns are the same though, so that might be something that’s true across the board.

One consideration if you go with an inertia gun is the increase in perceived recoil. I love my Franchi, but I tried some 3” 1 1/4 oz 4 shot shells through, and oofta, I felt that. I’m not a small guy (6 feet tall, 200 lbs, broad shoulders and chest), and man it woke me up. The Franchi is a great gun for packing and shooting casually, but for heavier hunting loads, if your kid isn’t very big, be warned. It’s not murderous, but definitely kicks more than I was originally prepared for.

That said, I don’t regret the decision at all and would highly recommend the Franchi.

 

[Fetty Wapiti]

Afinity 3 compact.

 

[Roeshaa]

Affinity 3 waterfowl elite hasn't had a single malfunction of any sort in 3 yrs of ND and KS waterfowling.

 

[FB Trout]

My kid had a 12ga Franchi Affinity for HS trap, and started by shooting really light loads without issue.

Now it's his bird gun.

Same here, my son shoots for HS rodeo trap using the same gun. It cycles the light loads without a hitch. My other son shot a Benelli M2 field in the same discipline. Neither have had an issue.

 

[Tahoe1305]

Afinity 3 compact.

Snagged one today. Pretty pumped.

 

[Updownlr]

I currently have an sx4 and while I do enjoy it and have had a sbe3, cz1012, and two v3’s if Remington gets going again there is not a lesser recoiling semi auto out there than the v3 and I think they make a compact now. My son has a escort youth 20ga that has been extremely solid, seems to be built to have a matching 1100 type operating system.

 

[Agross]

Another vote for the affinity 3. Been a great gun.

 

[LookinforDirt]

Youth Sa-08. Has worked great and is the right price for a gun that will be outgrown. We’ve shot target loads to turkey loads and have never had an issue.

 

[Mtncowboy]

Thanks everybody. I have done more research trying to decide on the right gun for my kid than I ever have when looking at a gun for myself.

 

[GreenNDark Timber]

I have an Affinity and SX3. Pretty different guns. The SX3 (and SX4) are going to be close to 1/2 pound heavier in 20ga than the Affinity and is going to have less felt recoil being gas operated instead of recoil operated. I love both guns and use the Winchester for waterfowl and the Affinity for just about anything else.

If you're worried about recoil with your kid, the SX4 is going to win out with the extra weight and gas operation. Other than that it's a win-win decision.

 

[Mtncowboy]

I have an Affinity and SX3. Pretty different guns. The SX3 (and SX4) are going to be close to 1/2 pound heavier in 20ga than the Affinity and is going to have less felt recoil being gas operated instead of recoil operated. I love both guns and use the Winchester for waterfowl and the Affinity for just about anything else.

If you're worried about recoil with your kid, the SX4 is going to win out with the extra weight and gas operation. Other than that it's a win-win decision.

That's good to know, thank you. Does each gun cycle standard target loads reliably?

 

[GreenNDark Timber]

That's good to know, thank you. Does each gun cycle standard target loads reliably?

Yes, both of my guns will cycle just about anything including the lightest target loads. The only exception is the Franchi had an issue cycling a couple different 3" magnum loads that had a longer hull length than most others....going off memory I think they were the 3" Federal TSS turkey load and the 3" Winchester Blind Side waterfowl loads. For whatever reason, those two hulls were slightly longer than most other standard 3" shells and my Franchi didn't like them.