Franchi Instinct L 20ga l, first o/u for sporting?

V6TT

V6TT

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Hey everyone - I’ve recently been bitten by the trap shooting bug thanks to a friend. While I have really enjoyed using his Beretta and Browning o/u 12 gauges, I am not keen on dropping $3700 CAD for a Citori of my own, and also have to think about accommodating my wife’s needs as well. For this reason I’ve mostly settled on a 20 gauge, and I’m trying to keep the investment to $2k or less.

Given those criteria, I’m finding the Franchi Instinct L to be a good contender. I’ve fooled around with one a bit and it seems to fit nice and point where I want it to.

What are some other options I should consider? Is there something I should be aware of before making this purchase?

Would love some input from some experienced shooters on this. Would also love an opportunity to join any of you for a day shooting to pick up your tips and tricks. Shells and clays for a few rounds on me, of course!

Thanks for any insight you can offer.
 
I would suggest sticking with the 12 gauge and if recoil is an issue for your wife then buy lighter shells for her. Many 20 gauge guns will kick just as much or more than 12 gauge guns and the reduced recoil 12 gauge loads such as the ones that winchester make are really sweet to shoot but with the 12 you also have to option of some pretty hefty loads if you want.
The instinct's are pretty light guns so recoil accumulation over the course of the day's shooting may be an issue. You may also want to consider a used sporting clays gun just for the extra pound or so of weight to mitigate the recoil. Used sporting guns hold there value fairly well if you stick with a popular brand such as Browning or Beretta.
 
If your budget is $ 2000 look for a used gun . Watch the ee here or some the dealers here some have a used gun inventory . For 2 grand if you look you can find a Browning or Beretta in good shape and it will have resale value down the road .
 
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My club is only set up for trap right now, but skeet is available in my area. I’m not aware of anywhere nearby I could try sporting clays. I am open to learning to enjoy all 3 types of target shooting, though.

Falconflyer, I had heard mixed advice about using a 20 for these applications, and hadn’t considered the downside of the lighter weight when it comes to recoil. I am open to the idea of a second hand 12 that would fall in price range - I wouldn’t know where to even begin to start looking so I applied for EE here today. Truth be told, I have kind of been trying to talk myself into the 20 and perhaps I need to “sober up.”

Edit: used options aside, if I decided to go new, is the Franchi 12 worth the bucks?
 
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Simply put no . Just my opinion but the instinct l is a middle of the road field gun at best . I owned a 20ga instinct for a short time it was less than impressive .
 
I would look for a used Browning or Beretta. (Whichever fits you best) I had a 12g Franchi SL for a short period of time and did not care for it. Some of that was due to it not fitting me very well. Good luck with your search.
 
Thanks rembolt and VictoryXC for your honesty. A few of you now have warned me that money is better spent elsewhere, so that’s enough convincing for me. I guess I’ll sit on my hands and wait for EE approval and maybe browse some of the sponsors’ pages in the meantime.
 
I have a Franchi Renaissance which is the precursor to the SL and I like it for upland shooting but for a dedicated clay gun I'd pick up a used Beretta or Browning as they are meant for high volume shooting and not just practice like I use mine.
 
Many people at a club will allow you to handle or shoot their shotguns. Get some help finding out what fits you, and which guns are most comfortable for you to shoot, and start there.
 
Thanks for the tip stubble. Unfortunately for me, the shotgun I’ve enjoyed using most so far was Beretta 690, which it seems is too expensive for me even second hand from what I’m seeing. I will make it my mission to handle a few more this weekend if I can. I’ve never handled the 690 side by side with a Silver Pigeon - I assume the silver pigeon will be lower quality than the 690, but in terms of feel and dimensions, are they very different?

I know it’s subjective, but do you think an amateur like me would find the SP to be very different than the 690?
 
Have a look at the dimensions of each model on the Beretta website. If they are different, it wouldn't be by much. Browning and Beretta dimensions are very different and generally if one of those brands fit you well, the other one wont. Since you mentioned you have shot both, you should be able to get a good handle of which one fit better.

Nothing wrong with looking in the used market for either brand. You could find a 686 or Citori that is within your target price. If clays is your intended purpose, I wouldn't recommend the Franchi for some of the reasons already mentioned. There was a time when the Franchi was priced really well, but those days are long gone and now retail for twice as much as they once were.

As for the 686 platform....it is a quality gun that would likely outlive you. No concerns there
 
Well, some online searching confirms the 686 and 690 are basically identical dimensions and weight, so that is good news. I've improved remarkably quickly using borrowed guns in a few recent trips, which has got me really excited to start exploring this hobby more. I've shot decent rounds with both the Beretta and the Browning, never consistently better with one or the other, but I think the Beretta felt more natural. I guess I am truly lucky that my buddy has models from each manufacturer so I could get a feel for them.

Thanks for your input 1963, I am going to start searching for Berettas second hand. One question though - I've been reading about "sporting" vs "field" differences, but I almost always see Beretta 686s advertised as "Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I" and never the word "sporting" after? Is this something I need to be mindful of or just a weird product naming quirk?
 
The difference between the Beretta (and other makes) sporting and field models is mostly weight, field guns are lighter than the target models but the actions are generally the same. As mentioned before, the weight difference equates into recoil more than anything else. The difference of the 686/687 to 682/690/692 is mostly cosmetic but the later are designed as target guns from the start whereas the 686/687 guns were field guns from the start however..... the internal parts are still the same.
If you like the Beretta then look for a good used 686/687 sporting or 682/690/692 Sporting.
 
To add to this or confuse you more, the given catalog weights are only a close ball park number and do vary depending on the wood of each gun. This means that two "identical" 690's probably won't weigh exactly the same and can handle differently. Even if a 686 and a 690 weigh exactly the same they do handle differently (I have a SP1 sporting and have shot a 690). To explain, the extreme example is a rod with 4 lbs at each end vs the same length rod with 8 lbs at the centre - both weigh the same but handle vastly differently. Beretta barrel weights for the 692 and DT11 are graduated down to 5 grams (1/6 oz) - about the weight of a quarter - meaning as little as 5 grams can affect how a gun handles (or so Beretta would have you believe). I wouldn't be able to tell the difference but apparently some people can.
Is the 690 better than the 686 ? That's the $1000 question.
Shoot as many guns as possible and you'll start to find your preferences as to weight and handling.
You should also research the extractor/ejector issue with the 690/692 guns. Some think it's a non issue others believe it to be a show stopper. You'll have to decide.
Happy shooting.
 
As above, avoid field guns with aluminum receivers - they will punish you during sustained shooting. The least expensive model of Beretta sporting gun is the 686 E, which is basically a Silver Pigeon with a few modifications (long barrels, mid-bead, beefier stock(?)). I shoot one as my preferred clays gun, it even has an adjustable comb (option). They come up on the EE regularly enough, and are in the $2K range. As with any used sporting gun, check to ensure it hasn't been shot to death (action is tight, barrels ring, and top lever is right of center)
 
Field will also usually mean an automatic safety, sporting usually means a manual safety.
 
cosmic said:
As above, avoid field guns with aluminum receivers - they will punish you during sustained shooting
Click to expand...

I partially disagree. Not all field guns with aluminum receivers are punishing, especially if they fit properly. If what you are suggesting is that guns with aluminum receivers are generally light guns, and light weight contributes to more recoil, then you are correct. But if you are suggesting that ALL guns with alloy receivers are guns to avoid because they are punishing, then I will disagree with you.

Also, the Franchi Instinct L doesn't have an aluminum receiver, although it is still a fairly light gun.
 
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