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Franchi Horizon Elite Varmint Subalpine Rifle Review
- By Chris Parkin
- Last updated: 30/09/2025
As a rifle manufacturer, Franchi has never really emerged from the shadows. I often wondered whether it was considered unsuitable for the UK market or regarded as the unloved member of the Beretta family. I’d been asking for one to review for several years, and now, with Sportsman Gun Centre taking over distribution of the brand, I finally have a Horizon Varmint Subalpine in hand to review.
The Franchi Horizon Elite Varmint Subalpine rifle in Optifade camouflage.
The Horizon immediately catches your eye with its Optifade digital camouflage, which contrasts elegantly against the Midnight Bronze Cerakoted barrel and action. The barrel is 22.5mm in diameter and comes fitted with a pepperpot brake concealing the 14x1 thread at the muzzle. The crown is neatly finished, and the barrel features a gradual taper to a reinforced section over its full 24” (610mm) length. It also sports five spiral flutes, each 300mm long, which help to reduce weight and shift the balance point rearward, which is ideal for UK shooters who will almost certainly fit a sound moderator.
A pepper-pot muzzle brake is supplied
Across the Horizon range, Franchi has specified twist rates that are a little faster than the norm. Here, in .223 Remington, the 1:9” twist will stabilise lead/copper bullets up to around 69gr, as well as some of the lighter, but longer, solid copper offerings we’re seeing more frequently. The barrel is fully free-floating, all the way back to the action in the Ergonom-X platform, Franchi’s synthetic stock system.
The action and upper Picatinny rail share the same Cerakote finish. Scope mounting is refreshingly straightforward, with ample space for correct eye relief and the installation of larger optics. A large, upper right-side ejection port reveals the spiral-fluted, nickel-plated bolt, which runs very smoothly once run in. It has three lugs providing a 60-degree lift, a recessed extractor claw, and a sprung plunger ejector. The action is properly scaled for the .223 cartridge, with 90mm of bolt travel. The bolt handle is 55mm long with an 18mm conical knob, also finished in matching Cerakote.
Here you can see the left-hand side bolt release catch and the three-lug bolt
There’s a bolt release lever on the left-hand side of the receiver, and the right side houses the two-position safety, which moves rearward for safe and forward for fire. It can be operated silently and doesn’t lock the bolt handle.
Detail of the bolt handle and the safety catch
Franchi supplies a detachable four-round and eight-round polymer magazine, built on a single-column design that feeds smoothly into the chamber. Each one fits snugly into the rifle’s bottom metal with a secure press-fit. The trigger guard includes the release lever, and you can load a +1 round directly into the chamber.
Four and eight-round magazines are supplied
The trigger is a single-stage unit, adjustable from 800 to 1,900g. The blade is narrow with a gentle curve, ideal for a sporting rifle. It offers consistent performance, and there is enough space for a gloved finger. On my review rifle, it measured 950g (33oz). Both primary extraction and ejection were reliable, with the former available from just fingertip effort with all the ammo I used in the gun. Once run in, bolt closure was smooth, requiring little forward pressure and avoiding the tendency of less refined rifles to unseat themselves from the shoulder.
The trigger pull weight is adjustable from 800g to 1,900g
Franchi’s striking stock isn’t just for show; it has been very well designed. The fore-end is a wide beavertail shape, perfect for varmint shooting from a rest bag, and includes a rubber plug underneath that can be removed to fit the supplied sling stud for bipod mounting. Both the fore-end and butt have QD sling anchor points, and the broad fore-end and finger grooves give a secure hold, complemented by textured inlays underneath, at the action, on the grip (in contrasting black), and beneath the butt. There’s also a nicely chequered area just behind the bolt shroud, right where your thumb naturally rests when shooting. The fore-end is incompressible and rigid, and it does not compromise zero when clamped in a tripod.
Detail of the finger grooves and stippling on the fore-end
The grip is quite vertical, with a tight radius, very comfortable, and proportionate to the rest of the rifle’s ergonomics. This is where Franchi has impressed me most: it supplies a medium-height black comb as standard, with lower and higher versions also available. The shape and alignment are excellent, giving one of the best linear cheek positions I’ve experienced. The elevated comb has been thoughtfully designed around the short bolt travel and extraction path, proving that this rifle is a cohesive, purpose-built platform, not a patchwork of modular parts.
A medium comb raiser is supplied, but others are available, and it turned out to be one of the best I have used on a non-adjustable factory rifle
The length of pull is 355mm (14”), with a medium-soft recoil pad that has inlaid chequering for grip. The .223 generates very little recoil, but the butt remains perfectly planted in the shoulder, with correct drop to heel and toe, giving a truly comfortable shooting position with linear recoil transit for what impulse there is. Balance is a touch nose-heavy with a moderator fitted, so it comes down to personal preference.
One of the more subtle yet meaningful touches is a small groove on the underside of the butt. It sits in the web of your supporting hand, perfect for precision shooting off the rear bag or your off-hand. The dipped camouflage finish isn’t inherently grippy, but these small ergonomic features more than make up for it. Franchi’s attention to detail reflects the mindset of a true rifleman.
The precision varminter ergonomics ensure the trigger position is superb
I would love to have shot more ammunition through the rifle, as it was a pleasure to use, and .223 is by far and away one of the all-time great cartridges. Recoil with a moderator is just a minor impulse. I used a 6-24x scope for a little more aiming precision on a varmint-oriented rifle and found the gun shot straight away, although the initial check clean did show it needed one from the factory. Shooting at 100m, with light tailwinds, the groups told their own story, with the Hornady 55gr V-Max producing the best three-shot cluster.
“I would love to have shot more ammunition through the rifle, as it was a pleasure to use, and .223 is by far and away one of the all-time great cartridges.”
- CHRIS PARKIN
There was, as expected, a point of impact difference between different ammunition types, but I ran the consistent 55s out to 300m for some steel plate fun. This rifle is perfectly suited to varminting, although it is somewhat different from a foxing rifle. It offers multi-shot precision handling, whereas a lighter-barrelled rifle might suit the walking foxer better. Many shooters favour a heavy barrel when they are new to the sport, but as time goes on, most of us tend to prefer the portability offered by lighter rifles. The choice is yours, and I’ll be trying a lighter-barrelled Franchi soon.
Hornady’s 55gr V-Max works well in this rifle
Pinging different ammo at 300m was addictive, with previous bullet marks becoming aimpoints for four-round groups
| Ammunition | Weight (gr) | Factory Vel (fps) | Achieved Vel (fps) | 100m Group (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady V-Max | 55 | 3240 | 3101 | 0.4 |
| Hornady CX | 50 | 3300 | 3140 | 1.2 |
| Hornady Frontier | 68 | 2960 | 2955 | 0.7 |
It’s always fascinating to watch a lesser-known manufacturer step onto the main stage. Can the product live up to the promises and marketing? In this case, I believe Franchi has done just that. The Horizon is a very competent, thoughtfully designed, and practically appealing rifle. It has individual character and includes a number of clever, user-centric design tweaks.
This rifle shoots well, handles nicely as a varmint platform, and is well worth a closer look. The bolt bedded itself in quickly and runs fast, with a well-proportioned handle that avoids the bulkiness found in many other rifles. The scaled action makes for economical movement and quicker reloads. It also enables a taller cheekpiece for improved scope alignment, leading to better precision, consistent accuracy, and greater user comfort.
The fore-end is absolutely rigid. When disassembled, the rifle shows precise internal fit and finish, with a stress-free bedding inlet design that is a critical element for long-term accuracy. Even with the twin action screws removed, the action needed a deliberate lift to draw it out, almost vacuum-like, from the precision-moulded inlet. When returned, it was noted that the action screws torqued down firmly and stopped; they do not squeeze into place, which is another indicator of precision at this junction. There was no movement of the barrel with just the front screw loosened, either. These are all factors that not only prove this gun is capable, but they highlight the standards to which Franchi is committed, which impresses me.
Detail of the recoil lug
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from Franchi, but I came away genuinely impressed. It was fun to shoot, produced immediate precision, and handled barrel heat without issue or loss of zero. The MOA guarantee was met immediately without running in or any undue effort, and I’d love to try more ammunition through it, as the barrel and overall build clearly have potential.
Lastly, a 7-year warranty is a strong vote of confidence. This may be a focused .223 varminter, but all signs suggest that Franchi deserves to be on the shortlist for any hunting rifle consideration. I’ll certainly be looking to try one of their stalking rifles next.
click on image to enlarge
