I'm needing to go lighter in my guns these days, and last month I found one that's just right.

It's a Stoeger vintage Franchi 48 12ga 25" Mod. It fits me perfectly and points like my finger...fast! I had it out on quail twice and shot it well. My grandson has been drooling all over my early Browning B-80 steel receiver 12 ga with 26"-- 2 3/4" and 28" --3" Invector barrels. He will have it next season. I'm not yet ready to cast off an old friend who always hid his job perfectly.

Quail BEWARE!!

That's a beauty for sure! Heard a lot of good and very little bad about Franchi's.

I had one of those in the late 70's for a bunny hunting gun. Back then I followed a small cluster of beagles for miles through the brambles. That lightweight Franchi was sudden death on rabbits. Though it operated similar to my dads Belgian Auto Five Sweet Sixteen it was less tolerant of neglect and had to be cleaned more often. Dad's Auto Five never quit shucking shells but my Franchi would occasionally hiccup. Probably needed a new spring and friction rings. Kept clean and very lightly lubed it was pretty reliable. Dad kinda hurt my feelings one day when I asked him if he liked my Franchi. Pop said, "Depends on the price of scrap aluminum." I kept right on sacking up the rabbits with my Franchi. My guess is you'll enjoy yours too!

Nice, very cool shotgun...enjoy...Hb

I dig it. Nice acquisition!

Keep the buttstock bolt and the forearm cap tight. The Franchis, especially the 12gauges, are notorious for splitting wood. Every time I fond a used one, I look for cracks. More times than not,I find them.

A LGS had 2 of those looked exactly like yours on consignment , one was 12 gauge and the other 20. They are almost a perfect field shotgun.

Got one from the late 70's that looks about like it. Many quail taken with it over the years. Retired it now because the tube in stock shattered. It still shoots but I figure it's just a matter of time until it stops.

FINE looking shotgun. I just bought the 20ga match to it. I had one that I bought in 1968 like it that I wore completely out. Glad to get "my lil' birdgun" back. I may even try a turkey with it if I can find some good 2 3/4" ammo..

That seems to be true, for sure.

I am also looking for one in 3", and so far the three I looked into had cracks behind the receiver, all at the top. I like a 3" gun for late season chuckar and for sagehen; they usually flush out farther.

Bruce I made a 60 yard shot on a pheasant a few weeks ago with a SxS 20. Don't sell yourself short!

Nice looking franchi i have a 67 franchi 48al 12ga and a 48al deluxe in 28ga. Love these guns