Franchi Instinct Sideplate
- Category
- Shotgun
- Barrel
- 711 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.40 kg
- Introduced
- 2022
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Franchi Instinct Sideplate is the premium offering in the Instinct lineup, featuring a sideplate-style action with color case-hardened finish, gold-inlaid gamebird scenes, and a gold trigger. The AA-grade walnut stock has a gloss finish with cut checkering. Ships with five extended choke tubes and a custom-fitted hard case. Available in 12, 20, and 28 gauge.
The sideplate design is a hallmark of premium Italian shotgun making, providing additional surface area for decorative engraving while also reinforcing the action. The Instinct Sideplate brings this tradition to a broader market, with each receiver featuring hand-finished gold inlay gamebird scenes that pay homage to the upland hunting heritage.
MSRP: ~$2,229. The SPLX variant ($2,849) adds further upgrades. Includes custom hard case. 20ga weighs ~2,948g, 28ga weighs ~2,767g.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Luigi Franchi S.p.A.
- Category
- Shotgun
- Country
- Italy
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2022
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 711 mm
- Overall length
- 1156 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.40 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Recoil operated
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 2
- Magazine
- Internal
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Walnut
- Finish
- Color case hardened
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Over under barrels
Sideplate action- Gold inlaid gamebird scenes
Gold trigger
Aa grade walnut stock
Gloss finish stock
Cut checkering
Five extended choke tubes
Auto ejectors
Barrel selector
Custom fitted hard case
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 622 12 Gauge shotguns | 3.40 kg | 3.29 kg | Heavier than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 570 12 Gauge shotguns | 1156 mm | 1150 mm | Near the median |
| Barrel lengthAmong 650 12 Gauge shotguns | 711 mm | 711 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 647 12 Gauge shotguns | 2 | 3 | Holds fewer rounds than about 70% |
Answers
Questions about the Franchi Instinct Sideplate
How much does the Franchi Instinct Sideplate weigh?
The Franchi Instinct Sideplate weighs 3.40 kg (7.50 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Franchi Instinct Sideplate?
The Franchi Instinct Sideplate is chambered in 12 Gauge.
How many rounds does the Franchi Instinct Sideplate hold?
The Franchi Instinct Sideplate holds 2 rounds, fed from an internal magazine.
How long is the Franchi Instinct Sideplate?
The Franchi Instinct Sideplate is 1156 mm (45.5 in) long overall, with a 711 mm (28.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Franchi Instinct Sideplate?
The Franchi Instinct Sideplate is made by Luigi Franchi S.p.A. (Italy).
When was the Franchi Instinct Sideplate introduced?
The Franchi Instinct Sideplate was introduced in 2022.
How does the Franchi Instinct Sideplate operate?
The Franchi Instinct Sideplate uses a recoil operated action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
78%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/franchi-instinct-sideplate' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "franchi-instinct-sideplate", "name": "Franchi Instinct Sideplate", "manufacturer": { "id": "franchi", "name": "Luigi Franchi S.p.A.", "countryCode": "IT", "foundedYear": 1868, "website": "https://www.franchiusa.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:49", "version": "a5e70b9adaae2d70e626c2f032df16c3d24c410fd519733f13f25ba8a4315ec6" }, "category": { "id": "shotgun", "name": "Shotgun", "description": "Smoothbore firearms designed to fire shot or slugs" }, "country_of_origin": "IT", "year_introduced": 2022, "barrel_length_mm": 711, "weight_empty_g": 3402, "action_type": "recoil_operated"}