Early vintage Franchi shotguns, particularly the Franchi 48AL, are renowned for being lightweight, reliable long-recoil operated semi-automatic shotguns. These models are known for their excellent handling, making them popular for hunting, and early versions had steel receivers before the lighter aluminum receiver of later models was introduced. Other notable early models include the Franchi 48AL which features a 3-inch magnum chamber and steel receiver, and was likely produced in the late 1960s and 1970s.
