Franchi AL-48
| Franchi 48 AL | |
|---|---|
| Type | Shotgun |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 5.4 to 5.7 lbs |
| Length | 42.75 to 48 inches |
| Barrel length | 24 to 28 inches |
|
| |
| Caliber | 20 gauge, 28 gauge |
| Action | semi-automatic |
| Feed system | 4 round tubular magazine[1] |
The 48 AL is a semi-automatic shotgun manufactured by Luigi Franchi S.p.A..
The gun is available in 12 gauge, 20 gauge and 28 gauge. Rounds are cycled through long recoil.[2] Factory models are equipped with walnut stocks and forends. Franchi offers one model with a short stock, and one model with a “Prince-of-Wales” stock.
Best known as one of the lightest semi-auto shotguns around, the Franchi 48 AL is ideal for any hunting or shooting that involves walking and carrying. The reliable action does not use gas to cycle the action but is based on John M. Browning's famous long recoil design, the Browning Auto-5.
The main advantage beside being very light is the long recoil. The barrel and bolt remain locked together during recoil, compressing the recoil spring causing the shooter to experience less recoil. Shells are stored in a tubular magazine under the barrel. When a chambered shell is fired, the barrel and bolt recoil together (for a distance greater than the shell length) and re-cock the hammer. As the barrel returns forward to its initial position the bolt remains behind and thus the spent shell is ejected through a port on the top of the receiver. Then the bolt returns forward and feeds another shell from the magazine into the action. This type of long recoil action was the first of its kind and patented in 1900 by John Browning.