Considering buying this shotgun. Looking to hear your experiences with it. I have two Benelli 20's and one Benelli 12 semi autos already. Love them.
Wanting a reliable 28 for hot bird shoot in Argentina.

I have one in 20 ga. It works on the long-recoil (A5) principle. The receiver is alloy, so the gun ends up at 5.5#. That's great, but the long-recoil mechanism can batter the receiver to bits if you forget to install the friction ring properly, or overlube the tube. Detaching the trigger group for spray cleaning is a snap.

They are reliable, but not as tolerant of loads that are too light or heavy. In 28 ga this should not constitute a problem b/c almost all 28 ga ammo is 3/4 oz. I would not say that it's as reliable as the Benelli, but close. After alot of rain you do need to clean the friction tube or it will rust (BTDT).

They handle quite well, and I shoot mine better than I shoot my 20 ga Monte or 391.

Sam

Sam,
Thank you for your reply.
I thought I saw the recoil spring that Benelli shows as part of their shotgun.
I am torn, I am looking for a 28 to take to Argentina but as you know...you gotta have one that will hold up to a hot shoot like down there. I was there in Oct. and I ran 3100 shells thru my one Super 90 20 Benelli in 4 days. Since then I bought a matching one so I would have two next time. I already have a 12 ga. Benelli Super 90.
I wonder if the Fanchi could hold up to that kind of a shoot? I know the Remington will not.
I don't want to have to buy an over / under as I am now used to shooting an auto stuffer. It is not about the money. At age 68 I am going to buy what I want or trade some stuff off and then get what I want.
Do you find the 28 has as much recoil as your 20?

Harry,

I've only got the 20. Comparing the recoil to the Monte and 391 is difficult b/c the impulse is so different. The long recoil action is noticeably slower cycling than the other two. Some find that distracting, but I don't. I actually feel that the Franchi gives less "perceived" recoil than the other two.

I have put thousands of rounds through my 48AL. I would not hesitate to take it to SA. It's just that you must pay attention to the gun. If you feel the telltale double recoil impulse that happens when the bolt is banging the receiver hard it's b/c you overlubed the tube somehow or b/c you forgot to install the friction ring in the correct location ahead of the spring! Pay attention to the ejection pattern, too, as you would with a gas gun.

Err on the side of too little lube on the friction tube. If the gun doesn't quite reliably eject shells, take the cap off. Put a single drop of oil on a rag. Then touch the tube with that spot in a few places. Reassemble and try again. Do not overdo the lube.

Sam

Thanks Sam for the tips. I got the message on too much lube.