Benelli Montefeltro 20G or Frianchi 620VP??

[sheaman]

Help!! I have narrowed it down to the Benelli Montefeltro 20 Gauge semi auto or the Franchi VarioP 620..

$875 vs $$600.... I hear the Benelli might be made of better parts etc...Both guns are very light..I need a 20 gauge for targets and small game around the ranch...

Any one look at these two or are you going to take me away from this choice and suggest something else?? 870 Remmington(?)

 

[Dave McC]

I've nothing for or against either shotgun you mentioned. Both are reputable companies, and IMO both shotguns are worthy of their makers.

But, $600 for a shotgun is a 20 ga 870 plus lots of ammo, range fees, etc. If you can find one of the lightweight Special Field 870s used, weight would be comparable.

Some older used 20 ga 870s are built on the 12 ga frame, too much weight for the payload, IMO.

My guess is that the 870 would also outlast either of the others, but they all can outlast us, so the point is moot.

HTH...

 

[Bowser]

I own an 870, and I love it.

However, I have fired 3 different Montefeltros, and if I had the cash, I would not hesitate to pick one up. The action must truly be the smoothest out there. To me, this is indicative of a superbly made gun, that will last forever.

Bowser.

 

[Kernel]

I have 26" 20ga Montefelltro and a 20ga 870 Youth. I consider both to be the best gun for their intended use.

The 870 is my rabbit gun. The short 20" barrel is handy for walking timber, climbing steep hills, kicking brush piles, and following a beagle thru to briars. It's a Winter gun and sees the worst the upper Midwest has to offer - a lot of snow and mud. The short stock makes for a perfect fit when I'm wearing heavy winter clothing. Though the 870 is fairly light it's perceptively heavier than the Benelli and mostly rides slinged on my shoulder. I don't shoot it much, but when it goes "bang" is usually brings home the bunny.

The Montefelltro is my pheasant gun. It's lighter and I carry it in my hands for snap shooting. It's a Fall gun, we cover a lot of miles but it see mostly fair weather. The Montefelltro is somewhat "show offy" and unique, befitting a pheasant gun which, for me, is a more social sport. I shoot and practice with the Montefelltro a whole lot more and love it dearly. There are a lot of good semi autos out there but IMHO the Montefelltro is the best.

I've handled Franchi but never shot one. They're light, almost bordering on flimsy. The Montefelltro is as light, if not lighter, and seems very robust and solid. A couple of friends from Kansas had some back in the 80's (Model 48s IIRC) and were less than satisfied, they worked great for 3 or 4 seasons but then cycling problems developed. Maybe it was due to poor maintenance or scarcity of spare parts at the time, I dunno. A Beretta 391 would be my first pick after Benelli. -- Kernel

 

[Brooks]

Montefeltro

That Montefeltro 20 ga. is surely a sweet piece. The forend is lean and the wood looks great. It would probably be an heirloom, and if not, your widow will probably be able to fetch more cash for it to finance a trip to Hawaii or somewhere.