I attended a couple of local 3-Gun matches in 2016, but my performance was pretty poor as I was still getting used to shooting my AR-15 rifle, and I'd been using my 25 year old Mossberg 500 pump-action shotgun. Using a pump-action shotgun in 3-Gun put me at an extreme disadvantage compared to the guys using semi-autos, plus I was having issues with the safety getting bumped on every time I pumped the gun after each shot (a known issue with the Mossberg 500). I'd been reluctant to go out and purchase a new Benelli M2 semi-auto shotgun ($1500!!!), so I started researching the Stoeger M3000 as a cheaper alternative. While looking for one locally I came across a brand new Franchi Affinity semi-auto shotgun at a used market price. The Franchi line of shotguns are made by Benelli in the same Italian factory, but they use the Inertia Driven recoil system of the Stoeger M3000 (also owned by Benelli, but made in Turkey). The Franchi Affinity is very similar to the Benelli M2 and will accept the majority of aftermarket parts made for the M2. I've got mine decked out with a Nordic Components +7 magazine tube extension, larger bolt charging handle, and larger bolt release button, a TTI extended carrier, and I've opened up and smoothed/polished the loading port to expedite reloading the gun. Hopefully this will up my 3-Gun game and I'll have some videos from matches that will be worth posting! 😎
