http://www.franchiusa.com/

Nice site with a dealers list too. It's a shame the dealers listed don't carry any of the guns on the site!!!! If I wanted a Beretta, I'd have asked for one! Bait and switch?

I wonder if Franchi knows these guys are not really trying to sell their wares?

D.K.

I just looked at that site and they had all the Franchi guns listed as well as accessories, prices, etc.

flyfisher.

I was mumbling to myself when I posted. I definately did not make what I was thinking very clear. I have visted most of the Franchi/Beretta dealers within a hundred miles. Most of them, including the one here in town, have racks full of the Berettas of all costs, but maybe one lone Franchi.

Anyone who inquires about a Franchi is either steered towards looking at the in-stock Berettas or simply ignored.

Over this last weekend, I made the 1 1/2 hour trip to the nearest Cabela's store. They only had a half dozen or so Berettas and absolutely NO Franchi O/U shotguns. They did have a few autoloaders though. Now this Cabela's store is in a neighboring state. I had a copy of a dealer's license and resale certificate with me. I could make a purchase and have it shipped to my dealer for a proper transfer. This guy is a gunsmith and does not really stock guns, but will do transfers.

Maybe it's the economy? I took my number at Cabela's and waited for more than half an hour to be called. The clerk took my number stub and asked what I wanted. I wanted to look at Franchi O/U shotguns but they had none. My next choice was a Beretta Ultralight Deluxe. The clerk had just handed it to me and a customer who had been waited on and left came back and addressed the clerk about a $300.00 autoloader. This clerk snatched the Beretta, put it back in the rack, and left me standing there while he filled out the paperwork for the purchase of the autoloader. Shouldn't this customer who left have been required to get another number and wait his turn again?

Now I had just about decided to go ahead and purchase the Beretta. The weight was right. It had beautiful wood and was well made. I can't help but wonder if the clerk enjoyed the commission on that $300,00 gun as much as he would have enjoyed the commission on my $2195.00 purchase?

Screw him. Screw Cabela's. I won't buy anything from Cabela's ever again! And all those Franchi dealers who want to push me into a Beretta due to their lack of Franchi
product will sell me nothing either! Thus my "thinking out loud" about wondering if Franchi knows these guys are not offereing their products to those of us who would like to examine them? Marketing 102? You can't sell what you don't have, except maybe to idiots who don't really have the money anyway!

Some of these guys need to realize it is a buyer's market, and that very few customers nowadays have the finances to buy expensive guns. They need to quit overlooking us old and withered boomers with our slow ways and seemingly irritating questions. WE ARE THE GUYS WITH THE MONEY, KNUCKLEHEADS!!!

I don't really need a new shotgun. It's just something I want and I have expensive tastes. I have four shotguns already. Not many to be sure.....but I'm starting to develop an attitude that they can all kiss my old boney butt and go broke. I'll just use what I already have! The money wiould be better spent on hunting trips anyway?

Sorry for the rant, but they have "gotten my goat"! As of tonight, I'm only looking at Rizzinis and Guerinis!

D.K.

They must have been in a transition, as of tonight I can't find anything Beretta in the sight. The new Franchi's do look nice though.

How do they compare to a Beretta or Browning. I have neither but am in the market.

dont blame the store, blame the idiot behind the counter. then hunt up the store manager and let him know he lost a sale:)

Michael Murphy & Sons. Talk to Mark. Great selection of Franchi's, excellent pricing and outstanding customer service.