As the first flights return to the skies, there’s one shotgun waterfowl hunters trust to be at their side—the Franchi Affinity series. With its refined ergonomics, rock-solid reliability, and proven Inertia Driven semi-auto action that cycles everything from standard to magnum loads, the Affinity is built to perform when the marsh comes alive. From windswept ag fields to shadowed flooded timber, it’s ready to deliver season after season.

Now, 13 years after its introduction, Franchi presents a redesigned platform with the all-new Affinity 3.5 Waterfowl Elite and Affinity 3 Waterfowl Elite. Built for the waterfowler, the Franchi Affinity Waterfowl Elite series enters 2025 with a fresh look that holds to the manufacturer’s Italian craftsmanship heritage while advancing performance-driven refinements in operation, comfort and handling.

A quality waterfowling piece must be smooth to mount, easy to swing, and maintain a solid grip in the hands under the toughest of conditions. The Affinity Waterfowl Elite’s upgrades meet those criteria with a thinner forend and more robust checkering. This offers exceptional grip for decisive mounting and muzzle control.

To ensure fast, fumble-free loading, the Affinity Waterfowl Elite comes with a new two-piece shell latch. This innovative design, combined with a larger loading port, makes reloads quick and easy when the birds are coming in hot. Other functional upgrades include a larger, elongated bolt release button and an oversized and textured bolt handle. You will never miss a beat — even when wearing gloves.

The Affinity is known for its soft-shooting yet hard-hitting manners. The revised Affinity Waterfowl Elite continues that tradition with a new adjustable TSA recoil pad system. In addition to its up to 50% reduction in felt recoil, this pad adjusts for length-of-pull by adding or removing the included spacer.

Franchi Affinity Models & Features

The Affinity 3.5 Waterfowl Elite comes with a 12-gauge, 3 1/2-inch chamber in a 28-inch barrel configuration. Finish treatments include GORE OPTIFADE Waterfowl Marsh with Burnt Bronze Cerakote or GORE OPTIFADE Waterfowl Timber and Cobalt Cerakote. For the Affinity 3 Waterfowl Elite, 12- or 20-gauge chambers in 3-inch are offered — 28-inch barrels for the former and 26-inch barrels for the latter. Both versions are offered in the same color configuration as the 3.5 shotguns. MSRP: $1429 – $1599 depending on model.

Tags: franchi, semi auto shotguns, shotguns, waterfowl