We've rounded off our review of the current eight magnificent semi-automatics: all truly interesting, beautiful, and capable. I've tested them all (or almost all), some at length, and so I can offer you a realistic opinion.
Franchi Affinity 3 Wood
The Affinity 3 is the new version of the Franchi semi-automatic shotgun with Front Inertia technology: its operation is based on a rotating bolt head with two lugs, equipped with a sturdy spring placed between the head tang and the rear wall of the bolt carrier cavity. This spring, which acts as an inertial mass, is connected, via a double-rod drive unit, to a sleeve mounted on the magazine tube and elastically loaded by a spring also coaxial with the magazine tube. The thickness of the bolt guide rods is reduced thanks to a single U-shaped steel element welded to the front of the ring that slides on the magazine tube. The forend is still tapered, easy and quick to grip. Franchi's inertial "forward spring" has its center of gravity at the front of the shotgun, counteracting muzzle rise. The trigger, cartridge release button and loading window are 3 times larger than previous versions, hence the 3 that accompanies the Affinity name, for better and easier use especially with gloved hands.
It's a rifle that's easy to handle, yet lightweight, weighing less than 3 kilos, making it ideal for stalking game or even woodcock. The receiver of this semi-automatic is made of black anodized Ergal.
The Affinity 3 features a blued slide, stainless steel follower, and dual-color (green/red) fiber optic front sight for quick aiming even in low-light conditions. The Affinity 3 Wood is available in 12- and 20-gauge with a flat rib (8 mm rib pitch available upon request) in all barrel configurations: 660, 710, and 760 in 12-gauge and 660 in 20-gauge.
Like every Franchi, it is developed according to the specifications of the Evolved Ergonom-X platform, which gives the rifle perfect shapes, one with the hunter's arm. It also benefits from a 7-year warranty on the mechanical parts, the best in its class. The stock is made of oil-finished grade 2 walnut, completed by a TSA (Twin Shock Absorber advanced) recoil pad with closed-cell polyurethane foam that reduces recoil and friction on clothing when the rifle is shouldered quickly. The checkering has an original Franchi design, called Allround Interlacement, designed to optimize grip and handling in all conditions and with all materials. The Affinity stock can be varied in drop (at the nose it is 35°) and cast, with drop values of 45°, 50°, 55°, 60°, and 65°. Recoil pads of different lengths are available as optional extras to allow for customization of the stock length as well. The standard length is 365 mm with the 22 mm medium buttplate fitted, with the low Tsa_Adv buttplate it is 357 and 375 with the long one.
This Affinity 3 confirms the excellent performance of Franchi's new-generation semi-automatic. Stable, it doesn't rear up or bounce on successive shots, and it's perfectly balanced, slightly "bowed." The unique buttpad reduces recoil, is non-deformable at both low and high temperatures, and is non-slip, ensuring accurate aim and stability.
The Franchi is even more ergonomic, thanks to improvements to the controls and windows: a button and handle for quick operation even with gloves, and a larger window for quick loading. The hunter's interface with the rifle is excellent: the trigger guard is spacious and accessible, the trigger pull is not light but sufficiently crisp, the slim pistol grip is comfortable, the stock is a "universal" fit, the comb provides good cheek support without rubbing it, and the hand rests comfortably on the forend.
Hatsan Escort As
Hatsan is one of the world's largest firearms manufacturers, founded in 1976 in Smyrna (Izmir). With 800 employees, it produces numerous smoothbore, rifled, and air rifles, including branded models, using highly advanced technology. Escort is the name of its smoothbore shotgun line. In Italy, the brand is distributed by the importer Bignami of Ora (Bolzano).
The semi-automatic operation of the Escort As 12-gauge magnum hunting model occurs in the usual way: a certain amount of gas from the cartridge explosion is tapped through two holes in the conveyor cup welded to the barrel, with a Hatsan patented Smart Valve Piston that automatically adjusts the delivery of the necessary amount of gas for the widest range of loads from 24 to 57 grams, for reliable and consistent operation and to eliminate most of the recoil before it reaches the shooter's shoulder. When firing heavy cartridges, the "smart valve" opens, allowing excess gas to flow out from the sides of the forend, and compresses the Belleville washers, which in turn push the piston connected to the bolt.
The bolt is connected to the piston by two braces joined at the ends and machined from a single piece of steel. The bolt is made of drawn steel and contains the oscillating lug that controls the locking action, as well as the firing pin and the extractor spring on the front face.
The barrel is NiCrMo steel, cylindrical and internally chromed, and 710 mm long (other barrels are not currently imported by Bignami di Ora), suitable for steel shot. Five interchangeable internal chokes are included. The stock, 365 mm long, is made of oil-finished walnut, with decorative checkering on the forend and pistol grip. The drop can be adjusted with two supplied plates. The elastic recoil pad is designed to absorb recoil. The receiver is made of black anodized Ergal. The shotgun weighs approximately 3.100 grams and is sufficiently robust. Perhaps a little bulky, but still easy to handle and effective when shooting. It is equipped with the common cut-off button, as well as the fast loading system button on the follower, on the lower part of the shotgun, which closes the bolt and unlocks the follower itself, allowing for rapid loading of cartridges into the magazine tube. Left-handed and 20-gauge versions are available. Price less than 500 euros.
Istanbul silah Impala plus
Istanbul Silah and Savunma is an industrial company founded in Istanbul in 2003 for the production of hunting and sporting weapons. It began with semi-automatic pellet rifles, which it exported worldwide, and also built parts and rifles for other well-known brands, especially American ones. After the Impala Plus inertial semi-automatic rifle, it also produced the Monza rifles. The company is highly technologically advanced and employs approximately 450 workers. Paganini of Turin is the Italian importer. The Impala Plus's main feature is a unique locking system based on a rotating head with six lugs that engage directly with the barrel breech. The bolt body features a ridge that guides the entire bolt group. The receiver has a modern design, made of black anodized aluminum, with internal steel slides. The various versions include both wooden stocks and various synthetic configurations, with barrels equipped with the "usual" five interchangeable internal chokes, rib and clip-on sights in red and green optical fibre.
The Istanbul Impala Plus inertial semi-automatic shotgun comes in a variety of configurations: available in both the classic wooden stock and synthetic stock versions with 660 and 710 mm barrel lengths, chromed inside and out, as well as with a 470 or 510 mm cylindrical barrel and cantilever for optics, perfect for woodland and wild boar hunting. The walnut stock has a modern design, with a soft rubber butt pad for shoulder support. Five adjustment plates (right, left, high, low) are included.
Also available in 20 gauge. Weights range from 2.800 to 2.900 grams in the 20 gauge, and from 3.100 to 3.300 grams in the 12 gauge. The price of the 12 gauge version with a 710 mm barrel is around 650 euros. Of course, the inertia mechanism is not a Turkish invention, but dates back to Bruno Civolani's 1969 design. However, Istanbul Silah deserves credit for trying to innovate the system, adopting a different type of locking mechanism, even if the principle remains the same. The Impala Plus model is well made, works well, has a modern look, and is inexpensive. This will be more than enough for many, and I have no reason to criticize it.
Winchester Sx4 Field
The Winchester Sx4 is a very fast gas-operated semi-automatic. It's no coincidence that Raniero Testa chose it to set his unbeatable record for the most clays (18!) shot with a single toss, before they hit the ground. Testa has set other similar records, always counting on the speed and handling of the American semi-automatic built in Portugal.
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It's the short-stroke piston that ensures a very fast, yet smooth and supple action. It's the Active Valve integrated into the piston that optimizes the cartridge's explosion gases and uses only those useful for the shotgun's kinematics. This means the Super X4 can use all cartridges on the market, from the lightest to the heaviest: the shotgun's response is always excellent.
The gun operates using a classic gas-operated system, based on a valve integrated into the short-stroke piston. This valve regulates the flow of gases generated by the combustion of the cartridge and drawn from two holes in the barrel bore, corresponding to the gas cylinder welded to the barrel. The piston contains a spring that, calibrated to react to pressures exceeding a predetermined threshold, compresses and releases excess gases through 16 vent holes. The gases entering the gas cylinder push the piston and a plastic sleeve with a small protruding forend along the ultra-light alloy magazine tube, which transmit the mechanism to the bolt.
The walnut stock is 367 mm long. It features the classic drop adjustment plates, the standard ones being 44 and 51 mm. It has an oil and satin finish, as does its matte black Ergal receiver, making it both a classic and powerful weapon. The Inflex 2 recoil pad is 25 mm thick and provides excellent shock absorption, keeping the rifle always aligned and stable on the shoulder, away from the shooter's cheek. The stock and forend are slim and "thin," for a lighter feel and greater controllability. The pistol grip is also "thinned."
The barrel, in Ni-Cr-Mo steel, chromed internally and matt blued externally, is built by Fn, 710 or 760 mm long, 12 gauge magnum. The Tru-glo front sight has an orange fiber insert (replaceable), the 6x6 mm anti-glare checkered rib has bridges, without a ramp. The internal interchangeable chokes are glossy black blued with identifying writing, but only three are supplied: Improved cylinder (****), Modified (***), Improved modified (**). Fixed chokes are also available for all barrels. It is a Back-bore barrel, that is, slightly overbored in the bore, at 18,7-18,8. The shot load is thus subject to less rubbing on the internal walls: barrel times are faster and the shot maintains its ballistic qualities intact, without suffering excessive deformation. This feature translates into lower recoil and the effectiveness of the Invector plus chokes, specifically designed for Back-bore barrels, is also improved.
The bolt is closed using the button on the right side of the receiver. This is square and oversized, and gray because it has a nickel-Teflon coating, like the follower in the feed chamber. There is no cut-off. The safety crosspiece, at the base of the trigger guard, is also square and always reversible. The trigger is very close to the trigger guard, has a very short travel, and the trigger pull is around 2.500 grams. The trigger guard itself has been modified and now has a more triangular shape and is wider, to allow use while wearing gloves. The base of the trigger group is made of plastic, and the mechanisms have been simplified as much as possible.
The bolt handle is also larger and more squared, with grooves and a sort of hook to prevent slipping. The bolt group still consists of a slide and the actual, oscillating bolt, inside which the firing pin slides. At the rear of the bolt is a lug that engages with the corresponding slot in the barrel extension, forming the geometric closure of the weapon. To stop the bolt's retrograde movement, there is an elastic bearing that dampens part of the recoil.
The shotgun is attractive from a European perspective, closer to our Italian tastes. The shotgun is lightweight and fits comfortably in the hand despite its size. It weighs just over three kilos. It offers excellent controllability and handling, the recoil is never harsh, but always smooth, and the controls are easy to reach and comfortable. Efficient and effective for shooting and hunting. It costs around €1.150, and is available in a left-handed and 20-gauge version.
