Franchi 712 Raptor Semi Shotgun

[6.5s4ever]

Hi Guys! Has anyone seen up close ,shot or own one of these yet? I am condsidering one for five stand sporting clays.They look really nice on the stoger website. Opinions Wanted! Thanks Roy:D

[fabsroman]

I just checked out the Franchi website for the first time and it looks like they have a lot of technology from Beretta and Benelli in their newer guns. The Raptor has the Benelli locking bolt system like I have on my SBE and the gun itself looks like my Beretta 391 Teknys which I love. Difference is that the Franchi is inertia driven and my 391 is gas operated with a recoil reducer in the stock. In fact, the Raptor almost looks like a cross between the Beretta 391 Teknys and the Benelli Sport II.

Some of the older guns look like crap, but the newer ones seem to be pretty nice.

You should see if the Raptor has an adjustable stock, because you will more than likely get it to fit you just right.

At an MSRP of $850, you are probably doing pretty well because you will be able to get it for less than that. Both the Beretta 391 Teknys and Benelli Sport II are well above that in price.

[6.5s4ever]

Hi Fabs! I can get this gun for $749.00 at my local dealer. I am getting ready to use this on our sportsmans clubs Five Stand Range once it gets built. We finally got a motion passed at the last club meeting to go ahead and start this five stand project that I have been suggesting we do. So I have just ordered 6 Laporte traps 4-185 PC lights 1-Rabbit and 1 185 PC Vertical 90 degree trap. We will start construction on the field as soon as the excavator gets done clearing it. The whole project is going to cost us about $28000.00 dollars. I think it will be well worth it. I have been told five stands are good money makers.:D One other thing if anybody has a pattern or design on how to make secure covers for these traps I could sure use some suggestions and advice. We need to be able to lock the cover down so no one tampers with the machines. Thanks Roy:)

[fabsroman]

I prefer sporting clays over 5 stand, but would shoot it in lieu of sporting clays if sporting clays weren't available at my range. 5 stand is actually harder than sporting clays, in my opinion.

[6.5s4ever]

Here is a picture of it guys! It sure is a nice looking piece!

[fabsroman]

I entirely agree with you Roy about it being a beautiful gun. However, beautiful still needs to function reliably.

[6.5s4ever]

Fabs, Your absolutely right ,it has to function reliably, but with the Benelli Recoil Inertia Driven design ,and thats a proven piece of engineering. I think Benelli makes the most reliable Semi Auto action out there and the good looks of a Beretta Teknys I think its a win win situation. Anyways I ordered one yesterday and it will be in Friday. I will let you know how it shoots later. Roy:D

[fabsroman]

Roy,

I think you made a good buy, but I will wait to hear from you on how the gun performs. If I had money to burn I would buy one of the Raptors and the Benelli Sport II just because I like how they look and because I think they will be really reliable guns. You know I love my SBE and Teknys.

[skeet]

Have had a couple of Franchi autos in the past but they were the old recoil action guns..oh and I have a Franchi High grade O/U Live Pigeon gun that I used for a while when I shot live pigeon shoots. Used it at the World championships in Guadalajara Mexico years ago. Live pigeon shooting is way too expensive to shoot anymore. I do like the O/U though. Hope you like the Raptor as well . It really does look nice. Should be reliable too with the benelli action:cool:

[TreeDoc]

You'll love it. Franchi makes an excellent gun, I know a whole bunch of guys that are shooting the bajeesus out of them in the duck blind. They are every bit as good as any Benelli or Beretta as they are built in the same district in Brescia, Italy.

I have an early 80's model Franchi O/U and it has been a fantastic shotgun too!

[6.5s4ever]

Well I picked up the 712 Raptor yesterday and was really impressed with its appearance. Its got beautiful burlwood walnut with loads of tiger striping and fiddleback in the wood. It cycles light loads as fast as I can pull the trigger. I just have one question for Fabs. Fabs does your Beretta Teknys have shims to install in the stock to adjust for cast on/off and drop? This one does and the #55 is what was in it. I patterned the gun at 35 yds and my pattern is 30/70 what I am saying is the gun is shooting low. With it like this I have to cover the bird and sweep the target to get good smoked hits. Would putting the #50 shim in make this shoot a bit higher? Let me know please, Thanks Roy:D

[fabsroman]

The #50 shim would decrease the drop in the stock. I believe my Teknys came with the #50 in it and I was shooting it great, so I changed all my other 391's with the #55 to a #50 and they all seem to be shooting pretty well right now.

In essence, the #50 means 50mm of drop at heel. The #60 means 60mm of drop at heal.

When changing the plates, make sure that the top of the plate that goes against the receiver and the top of the plate that goes into the buttstock read identical. I believe a single plate can be used for at least two different configurations, and maybe even four. You can change these guns from a right cast to a left cast if you are left handed and the drop can be changed to fit you. The only thing that cannot be changed rather easily is LOP.

Glad to hear that the gun is shooting well. My Teknys will not cycle 7/8 oz. loads unless the reload is a once fired hull.