SB2 or Franchi Affinity?

[2ski]

I have the opportunity to buy a used SB2 fr the same price as the Franchi is brand new. Which route would you all go?

 

[DuckDawg22]

Are you really going to shoot 3.5 shells? If not, the M2 is the way to go

 

[2ski]

Are you really going to shoot 3.5 shells? If not, the M2 is the way to go

Thats 50% more than I can get the 2 guns I'm asking about. So the question is the new Franchi or the used SB2.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Franchi and Benelli are owned by Berreta and use essentially the same inertia driven action, so I personally don’t think that there is much difference between the two shotguns.
I would get the one that has more of the features that you want (camo, sights, etc), or barring that, the Benelli will hold its resale value better just because it has better name recognition.
The other variable is that with a new gun you know it hasn’t been abused.

 

[Slugz]

All gun manufacturers have different grade guns that have different tolerances and usually assembled in different countrys. Stoeger for an example. I bring that up because yes the guts of the two you bring up are essentially the same but in my opinion vastly different.

I would consider how much you are gonna use it. 2 to 3 times a week or once or twice a month. The Affintiy will require cleaning and hiccup before the SBE. Weather conditions also play a factor. Here in Wyoming / Colorado we see alot of guns that work fine in warm temps and clean conditions. They then fail when dirty, wet and cold during Dec/ Jan / Feb.

The son had an Affinity that only comes out for Dove season. He grabs the SBE3 for everything else. I have a SBE3 and am never disappointed.

Lastly I think those guns have different fit and feel also. Different forestock for sure.

I would go the SB2 route. Have it looked at by a good gunsmith and shoot away.

 

[Moneyball]

SB2 not even close.

 

[Wheels]

I have both and the Benelli is just built better. As long as the SBE2 is in good condition, personally I would go that route.

 

[2ski]

Thanks all. The SB2 it is. And I know the guy selling me the SB2 so I know its been used gently. He made me the offer while we were hunting and I brought up buying a Frachi because I didnt want to spend the $2k on A SB3. He offered. Kind of cool too when you consider it was going to be something he gave his son after he bought himself an SB3. That son passed so as I type this out I'm actually more touched at the offer than when he initially offered in a text.

 

[DuckDawg22]

Well there ya go then. Just remember to let that bolt slam home. The SBE2s were prone to the Benelli click

 

[reynolds243]

Well there ya go then. Just remember to let that bolt slam home. The SBE2s were prone to the Benelli click

PRONE is a strong word and in my experience not very accurate. YES they redesigned the bolt for the SBe3 to prevent it but its not very common on the old designs. Yes it can happen but its very very easy to prevent. I have about 3k rounds through my SBE2 and it happened 1 time while hunting ducks, around 2k on my M2 and it never has happened and about 10k rounds through a montefeltro (all at clays and doves) . The vast majority of the time it happens when you try and close the bolt quietly and gently. This doesnt allow the bolt to fully close, easy solution is use the bolt release to close the bolt properly OR change out the spring to a heavy spring (only if you dont plan to use light loads) and problem solved.

It CAN happen while hitting the bolt on something walking through the woods or if you have on heavy gloves and the bolt gets caught on the glove but its REALLY rare that occurs. Ive trekked MILES during turkey season through thick and tough country with my gun on my back and never once did it come out of battery

again its a possibility but IMO the "benelli click" is way over blown on how often it actually happens and what caused it. Furthermore its not limited to benelli guns, it was most all inertia benelli style bolts until it was redesigned but benelli and others like retay to improve it.

 

[Matt5266]

Benelli all day. I have a SBE1 and have thousands of rounds through it. Low brass, high brass. Never a single hiccup. Shot from below zero to 100 plus degrees. Even dropped it in the lake/river a couple times. Pushed the mud out with a stick and kept shooting. Sample size of one. But its been bomb proof

 

[DuckDawg22]

PRONE is a strong word and in my experience not very accurate. YES they redesigned the bolt for the SBe3 to prevent it but its not very common on the old designs. Yes it can happen but its very very easy to prevent. I have about 3k rounds through my SBE2 and it happened 1 time while hunting ducks, around 2k on my M2 and it never has happened and about 10k rounds through a montefeltro (all at clays and doves) . The vast majority of the time it happens when you try and close the bolt quietly and gently. This doesnt allow the bolt to fully close, easy solution is use the bolt release to close the bolt properly OR change out the spring to a heavy spring (only if you dont plan to use light loads) and problem solved.

It CAN happen while hitting the bolt on something walking through the woods or if you have on heavy gloves and the bolt gets caught on the glove but its REALLY rare that occurs. Ive trekked MILES during turkey season through thick and tough country with my gun on my back and never once did it come out of battery

again its a possibility but IMO the "benelli click" is way over blown on how often it actually happens and what caused it. Furthermore its not limited to benelli guns, it was most all inertia benelli style bolts until it was redesigned but benelli and others like retay to improve it.

That's a lot of words to say what I said. Slam the bolt and you won't have problems. If it were enough of an issue with the SBE2 to fix in the SBE3 then yes I think you can say "prone."

 

[reynolds243]

That's a lot of words to say what I said. Slam the bolt and you won't have problems. If it were enough of an issue with the SBE2 to fix in the SBE3 then yes I think you can say "prone."

Your first part is 100% correct, I apologize I didnt for some reason really see that part.

However by definition PRONE means likely to occur, which again In my experience is not the case. Maybe I was just lucky and only had 1 in almost 20k rounds of shooting in all types of environments. Sample size of 3 which obviously doesnt paint the whole picture though (I know 4 other buddies with SBE2 guns with similar rounds on them with it never happening). While it doesnt really matter and is semantics, I just dont feel its the right label to apply to it. Maybe you have more experience with the issue and for you it was "prone" to happening.

 

[RockAndSage]

More than any other type of gun or even tool, OP, the primary factor in successfully choosing a shotgun is how well it fits you.

As long as reliability of any given model is sufficient, nothing else matters more to your success with the gun in the field.

Lift and shoulder the different models you're considering, and the one that most naturally aligns your eye along the rib and bead is the one you want. Everything else except reliability is secondary.

 

[Ramem7mm]

Benelli is the better choice. My SBE 2 is about 18 years old with thousands of rounds gone through it from dove loads to 3.5". Very seldom will there be a minor malfunction. Only item i have had to replace was the firing pin spring that broke into pieces.