Small Game Guns

[ItalianHunter5]

Today I began looking for a general small game gun (pheasant, grouse, rabbit) and at the 4 local stores I found 3 that interested me that I don't know much about so hopefully someone can give some useful information. I found a Belgian Browning 16 GA A-5 in good condition for $350, an Ugartechea from Spain 12 GA side by side in excellent condition for $599 and then a Franchi 48AL 20 GA in very good condition for $500. Honestly, my favorite and the one I'm leaning towards is the Franchi for the way it felt and how light it would be walking around the field. Anyone know anything about these guns??

[Pygmy]

A Belgian Browning 16 gauge in good condition for $350 ? It must have a poly choke on it to be listed that cheap..It might also be the standard weight 16 rather than the Sweet 16, which brings a premium..In any case, if it is in good functional condition it is well worth the price as a shooter.

The Spanish double is probably a good gun, but I have no experience with them..

Franchis are good quality guns and are a good choice for upland game. Due to their light weight they are better suited to lighter field loads, but for a general small game gun , that is fine.

Light to medium field loads kill upland birds and small game just fine, and they don't beat your shoulder up while they are doing it.

[CharlieNY]

The Browning and the Franchi are both quality semi autos that are recoil operated vs. gas operated. Both are quality guns and will give you a total of 5 rounds without the plug inserted. I would lean toward either of these guns for what you are hunting for vs. the double barrel, which will limit you to 2 rounds and different choked barrels.  What will determine what is best for you will be the fit of the gun to you and the barrel length and choke. You will want a modified or improved cylinder choke for upland hunting if the gun has fixed barrel chokes. If the gun has screw in choke tubes, that will not be a determining factor. Barrel length should be either 26" or 28" for upland hunting.  I have owned both of these guns and if I were you I would try them for fit and would go with which one fits you best. If the Franchi fits you best, go with it. I would only use high brass shells for pheasants, and would use either high brass shells or low brass shells for grouse and rabbits depending on the distance of the shots and the cover.

[ItalianHunter5]

Pygmy, surprisingly it doesn't have a polychoke and i'm not sure if it's modified or improved cylinder but will most definitely check when I go back. I was also stunned by the price of $350, almost to the point of scared to buy especially when you find out it comes with another barrel....interesting. The guy there said the only problem is a missing screw but that will be ordered and put on, obviously it has some dings and scratches on the stock but of course a small game gun will have that.

 

Charlie, the Browning has a 26" and the Franchi has a 28" and both felt so nice but the Franchi seems to top it in my mind, I have a question though. You said you have owned both so you would know well, I have read reviews that the Franchi is a pain to unload, is it that much of a pain? Also I've read that some people have had ejecting issues that took a while to resolve, have you had an issues?

 

Thank you guys for the input!

[EspressoBuzz]

20 gauge is my choice for field hunting of any kind, ammo limitation is a drag but it's light easy to swing and your shoulder will thank you.

[ItalianHunter5]

Espresso, that's exactly another reason I'm leaning towards going back and grabbing that Franchi. I've been using the same 20 Gauge Remington 870 for a few years so I figured hey why not treat myself to something!

[Elmo]

+1 vote for the Franchi.

[ants]

Out of the three I would go with the Franchi 20ga. A lot of the Spanish made guns are good but I would be leery of a brand I never heard of. Something seems screwy with the Browning, and 16ga ammo can be hard to find. Franchi is a good quality gun and 20 ga ammo is everywhere. Good luck.

[Larry]

your the one that has to hunt with it not me pick one you like I'm sure you will be happy with it

[ny hunter]

I would grab the Browning and then the Franchi. But thats just me......

[CharlieNY]

ItalianHunter5- the Franchi is not really a pain to unload. Unlike other semi autos such as the Remington and Browning, you cannot unload the magazine by manually cycling the action. After you pull back the bolt and eject the shell in the chamber, you turn the gun upside down and unload the remaining shells in the magazine tube with your finger. This was designed as a safety mechanism. Again, fit is going to be the most important determining factor for you and if the Franchi fits best, I would not let the unloading procedure eliminate my choice of the Franchi.

[Huntscreek]

If I was you I go Franchi out of the 3 you listed. Now if you were open to suggestions why not a Mossberg 500 in 12 or 20 with chokes or combo barrels. I own a couple guns and a nice O/U in 20ga with chokes is nice, simple cleaning. Or a Semi but some are touchy when dirty, than the pump guns the 500 has never let me down. The New Winchester SXP is a nice fast gun, what ever one you choose be comfortable with it. Here is a nice semi well worth the money: http://www.armslist.com/posts/4541203/lexington-kentucky-shotguns-for-sale--franchi-affinity-semi-auto-20ga-26--synthetic

Here is a nice Mossberg worth the price: http://www.armslist.com/posts/4437242/ft-riley-kansas-shotguns-for-sale--mossberg-500-c-20ga---includes-ammo

Good Luck

Edited July 26, 2015 by Huntscreek

[Doewhacker]

Another vote for the Franchi.

16g are so 1970, the Franchi will work just fine. I'd add an AL 48 to my collection any day.

I prefer 26" barrel but my A5 I bought last fall has 28" tubes and swings nice.

[G-Man]

Very cheap for a browning... franchi is good gun, I would expect 550 for a price on the browning with 2 barrel

[ItalianHunter5]

So just a little update, on Monday I was set to go to the store to pick up the Franchi but I just felt like I needed to go take another look at the 12 gauge side by side, especially after reading great reviews about Ugartechea. Low and behold, yesterday I checked out the SxS...and I walked out with it. Called a couple of my friends, we went right upstate with some shells, some targets and some clays. I'll just say that after about 60 shots run through the gun, I have no regrets! Turns out to not only be a pretty gun but a great shooting gun, as I already nailed a few clays. In the beginning I set out looking for a side by side, and boy did I get a nice one. (Knock on wood) Thanks everybody for the input!

[Pygmy]

Congrats....I am a double gun fan myself...My main go-to small game gun for the last 40 years has been an Ithaca SKB model 100 side by side in 20 gauge...   I have heard of the Ugartecheas, but I'm not familiar with them... Some Spanish guns are very good, and some not so good..I had three relatively cheap Spanish doubles in the past, and all three handled nice and were good shooters, all had soft firing pins and eventually that would lead to broken cocking springs...

[ItalianHunter5]

Thanks Pygmy, I was very into the look of the side by side so I really set out to get one. I read really great reviews of the Ugartecheas especially when I saw that they make a ton of guns valued in the thousands, so I was impressed. My father is also an Ithaca fan, he's got the classic Model 37 and loves it!