I just bought a Franchi 48 AL auto in 28 gauge. This particular shotgun is a special model that was the NWTF 2014 Gun of the Year. (That fact, along with a dollar, will still get you a short cup of coffee at some greasy spoon cafes way out in the country.) I've owned a 48 AL in 20 gauge for years and have killed a couple of tow sacks full of quail with the delightfully light little gun in past years. As far as I was aware, all Franchis were made in Italy.

My new 28 gauge, however, has a receiver stamped "Made in Spain", and is also stamped "Made in Spain" on the LH side of the barrel. But on the RH side of the same barrel it is stamped "Made in Italy". Huh? It isn't that uncommon to have components of a gun made in different countries these days, but do you reckon the barrel was actually made in two different places? Inquiring minds want to know.

Considering its apparently mixed Italian-Spanish provenance and its journey to the New World, maybe it should have been called the "Christopher Columbus" model instead.

It gets harder and harder to figure out things .
My brother's table- American Red Oak, made in Germany,sold back here in America.Many cases like that for many products !
It's OK as long as the company maintains quality standards .

I'm not so concerned about the quality of the materials or workmanship as I am simply mystified by having two different countries stamped on a single component as its country of origin.

My truck's engine block was made in the U.S., its ignition parts in Mexico, and its shock absorbers in Canada. But the names of all three countries aren't on the bumper.

Probably has to do with each country's weapons laws.

The US considers the receiver the gun.

Some countries require the receiver and the barrel to be SN'ed and marked. If the barrel/barreled action was made in Spain, and shipped to Italy and then exported to the US, you could see multiple markings.

Or so I would think.

Very interesting...have never seen that before. Would also be interesting to see the water table proof marks. So much for "Made in the EU" marks it would seem. Would love to hear the answer when you find out. And also please let us know the performance variance of each of the barrels lol...

best personal regards, mark

Crbutler's theory sounds plausible.

If the barrel was actually made in Italy but shipped to Spain for mating with the receiver into a completed gun then perhaps Spanish (or EU) regulations requires the double stamp, much like some countries require their own proofing before a gun can be sold.

I wonder if anyone else has ever come across this phenomenon? I know that at one time Browning (FN) was manufacturing the parts in Belgium but assembling in a plant in Portugal. These guns were marked "Made in Belgium" and "Assembled in Portugal".

By the way, can anyone tell me which choke tubes are compatible with the Franchi? They are under the Benelli corporate umbrella now, but I'm not sure if Benelli choke tubes are identical.

From the Carlson's Choke Tube site:

quote:

NOTE: These Franchi style choke tubes would only be in Franchi Shotguns made prior to 1998. Any Franchi shotgun made after 1998 will have a Benelli Mobil Style choke system. Please double check your shotgun before ordering this style of choke to make sure it is the appropriate choke tube.

Thanks for that info, Gato!

It's like the Browning B80? A Beretta, Made in Italy, but for Browning then shipped to, and assembled in, Portugal.