Franchi Affinity 20: Despite the slimming treatment to which the Franchi Affinity 20 has been subjected, this shotgun retains all the characteristics that allow it to chamber and fire 20/76 cartridges, being able to use all the cartridges of 20 with a loading weight of 24 at 40 grams and Ec at the mouth equal to at least 190 Kgm.
A company that wants to renew itself must necessarily innovate the product or the production system, or both. Franchi, a well-known company controlled by Beretta, has decided to innovate its products, starting with the Franchi Affinity 20, a 20-gauge inertial semi-automatic, considered the first “small gauge” among Franchi inertial self-loaders.
This shotgun, keeping the typical technological solutions unchanged, is characterized by a totally redesigned aesthetics and mechanics. Franchi has always sought solutions from which to obtain an important feature for a weapon: its low weight. As evidence of this propensity of Franchi, we recall the Fast line rifles that conform to this tradition considering that their "average" weight is 2,85 kg, while the lightest of all, the Fast Pro, stands at 2.650 grams. The Fast models are chambered 12/76 and are capable of firing all standard and magnum cartridges generally used in hunting. The question arises almost spontaneously as to why Franchi wanted to make a semi-automatic of the 20 which, with a walnut stock and a 71 cm barrel, weighs more or less 2.650 grams. The most obvious answer is that a 20-gauge shotgun is more elegant and streamlined and moreover, thanks to the different balance of the masses, it is in any case quicker to hold and easier to handle at the same time. In this way lightness is converted into ergonomics, to the point that using the Affinity 20 you realize that it becomes the natural extension of the hunter's arm. If the 12 gauge light semiautomatic is a weapon that allows you to not have to give up the performance of the larger caliber, the 20 gauge, even if chambered 20/76 like the Affinity, is more of a shotgun for those who are looking for functionality and essentiality, being however aware of having to give up a few meters of effective range, obtaining in exchange greater manageability and sportiness. Testing the Affinity you immediately perceive the ease with which it is possible to fire a quick series of shots while maintaining the aim; at the same time, recoil and detection are also improved, thanks to the attenuation and partial elimination of vibrations and shocks.
The Affinity is a magnum chambered shotgun which has been given more importance to controllability, while transmitting to those who use it the pleasure of using it for any hunting purpose. Many consider it a shotgun that gives its best in sports, but still performs well when hunting. Affinity borrows the mechanical clasp from the Fast, although it differs from the latter in that it was designed for the 20 gauge. Its rotating head has only two sturdy lugs instead of the Fast's three head. As on all the inertials of today's generation, the head shank is placed inside a shutter cavity, on the bottom of which there is a sturdy spring placed between the shank and the cavity wall. The shutter, which acts as an inertial mass, is connected through a transmission unit with double connection rod to a sleeve, the latter invested on the magazine tube and elastically loaded by a spring, also coaxial with the magazine tube. The Affinity is a semiautomatic with stable inertial release closure capable of firing 20 and 20 magnum cartridges, with lead loads between 24 and 40 grams and kinetic energies at one meter from the muzzle of not less than 190 kgm. There is no recoil spring placed in the stock, as a typical solution from Franchi was chosen: the front inertia. As far as the operating cycle is concerned, the latter is typical of inertial release and rotating head closures. Without firing, the head engages its seats in the extension of the barrel with its fins and the bolt, not geometrically constrained to the weapon, is stopped in position by the contrast of the spring, the one in the bolt cavity and the recoil spring. When fired, the rifle begins to recoil, but the bolt, which is not constrained, remains in a state of rest, consequently assuming a relative forward motion with respect to the weapon.
The advancement of the bolt determines the compression of the spring which, when the rifle is almost at the end of the recoil, quickly extends, bringing the bolt back. The latter, by retreating beyond its rest position, produces the rotation of the head since the shank of the same is crossed by a peg with a head that slides inside a cam track on the bolt crown. The retraction of the shutter causes the pin and the cam track to interact, thus determining the rotation with consequent release of the head. When the mechanical constraint is interrupted, the shutter unit continues its backward stroke by extracting and expelling the cartridge case and compressing the recovery spring coaxial to the magazine tube. When the shutter assembly reaches rear dead center, the recoil spring relaxes and pulls it forward. With the advancement of the bolt, the first cartridge is released in the magazine tube and its passage on the feeding spoon which, upon receiving the cartridge, is raised, positioning itself so that the head can engage its bottom and push the ammunition into the chamber. cartridge. When the cartridge is fully chambered, the head under the thrust of the bolt closes and the weapon, since it has the hammer cocked, is ready for the firing of the next shot. As long as the bolt is not fully advanced in the position of rest, which coincides with the head in complete closure, even if the hammer is released, the shot does not start, because the head of the firing pin remains protected with respect to the face of the hammer and it can only be reached with the weapon completely closed, ensuring maximum safety for the hunter in all circumstances. With the elimination of the recoil spring in the stock and the relative connecting rod, a vertical force is removed which widens the fletching and which is caused by the action of the connecting rod on the recoil spring. Furthermore, with the recoil spring struck on the magazine tube, the center of gravity of the entire shutter assembly (head, shutter, return rods) moves forwards and slightly downwards, while the displacements of the center of gravity resulting from the movement of the shutter group take place on a shorter excursion. As a result, less fletching and greater stability of the rifle is achieved during the firing cycle. Although the recoil spring struck on the magazine tube causes a greater bulk of the rod, the latter becomes easily manageable by the hand that holds it and holds it. Furthermore, the criticalities, generated by the thickness of the rod, by the heights of the rods of the transmission system and their coupling to the bolt holder and to the front cylinder connecting the rods invested on the magazine tube, have been solved using suitable materials.
In fact, the thickness of the rods has been reduced, consisting of a single U-shaped element welded in front of the ring which slides on the magazine tube. This configuration resists perfectly without problems and without interfering with the shaft even with heavy and prolonged use. The shaft is provided with reduced dimensions that simplify the grip and, unlike what occurs even on well-known rifles, it does not move and does not vibrate when fired. The fore-end and the stock are made of European grade two walnut and have a new design checkering, designed not to be more beautiful, but to facilitate the rearrangement of the hand while remaining adequately gripping in all situations. On the stock of the AFFINITY it is obviously possible to vary the drop and lead, with fold values equal to 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, with the supplied kit that allows you to range over all values. On request it is possible to customize not only the fold, but also the length of the stock. The shotgun is sold with 66 cm and 71 cm barrels, with matte finish, 7mm flat rib (or step for the American market) and front sight with fiber optic insert, the chokes are 7 cm to reduce the deformations caused by the peripheral shots and thus have thicker, garnished and regular patterns. The rifle is equipped with three chokes: *, *** and *****; chokes *****, **** and *** are enabled for the steel shot. The stock and fore-end are finished with oil and the stock is finished with a Tsa adv polyurethane foam recoil pad that reduces recoil and at the same time does not stumble on clothes when the rifle is picked up quickly. All semi-automatic shotguns that do not have the barrel firmly fixed to the receiver or to the blanking box may have a more or less marked tendency to shift the center of sight by removing and reassembling the barrel. The same can also happen by firing many shots in a row, causing a displacement which, in the case of continuous firing that overheats the barrel, can be added to the displacement deriving from the interference of the rib with the expansion of the barrel following heating. The design of the Affinity involved a study designed to counteract to the maximum degree the possible displacements of the center of sight, equipping the barrels with a particularly developed rear extension which, in conjunction with the support flange on the carcass, helps to ensure that the barrel does not “move” by firing in succession and to give it exactly the same position with respect to the receiver each time it is reassembled on the shotgun. In terms of safety, it should be noted that the Affinity operating cycle does not include the passage of a cartridge from the magazine to the chamber if we manually operate the shutter.
The cartridge "passes" if we fire, but if the maneuver is manual to allow the passage of a cartridge from the magazine to the dipper and from this to the cartridge chamber, it is essential to act in advance on the cartridge drop lever, which protrudes on the right side of the group suddenly and also has the task of warning that the dog is armed. All this facilitates and speeds up the replacement of the cartridge in the chamber when you want to chamber a cartridge of a different type than the one in the chamber and in the tank. In short, at Casa Franchi they have thought of everything to achieve maneuverability, lightness and reliability, while maintaining and improving the performance of the speargun. The innovation of the Made in Italy product is the key to success in the hunting field, both nationally and internationally. The research and study of solutions that make it possible to obtain more and more performing rifles, represents the way forward in the years to come, to remain competitive on the market in a globalized economy like today's.