21-Sep-2026
Ten years ago, suggesting a Turkish shotgun to a British clay shooter would have got you a look. Today ATA guns turn up on every sporting layout in the country, and the people shooting them are not apologising. The brand has done something unusual, it has moved from cheap alternative to genuine contender, and the UK market has noticed.
If you are weighing an ATA against a used Beretta or Browning, or simply want to know which model does what, this guide lays out the range as British shooters actually encounter it.
Why ATA shotguns have gained ground in Britain
ATA Arms manufactures in Turkey, and the Turkish shotgun industry has changed enormously over the past two decades. Better steel, better CNC machining and, critically, better quality control have closed much of the gap with the established Italian and Belgian names.
What ATA offers the British shooter is a lot of gun for the money. A new ATA over-and-under typically lands at a price where your alternatives are an entry-level gun from a premium maker or a second-hand one of uncertain history. For a shooter starting out in clays or moving up from a borrowed gun, that is a compelling position.
The guns handle sensibly too. ATA has clearly paid attention to what competition shooters want: adjustable combs on the higher models, sensible stock dimensions, and multichoke systems that work. They are not trying to be something they are not, and that honesty is part of the appeal.
The reasonable caveat is resale. ATA guns do not hold value the way a Beretta 686 does, so if you expect to trade up in two years, factor that in. Buy one to shoot, not as an investment.
Browse: ATA shotguns · Shotguns · Yildiz shotguns · Lincoln shotguns · Gun parts and accessories
The ATA SP: The competition gun
The SP is the model that put ATA on British clay grounds, and it remains the one most people are searching for. It is built as a sporting gun, and it looks the part: longer barrels, a heavier build, and the adjustable furniture that serious clay shooting demands.
What makes it work is the weight distribution. Sporting shooters want a gun that swings deliberately and stays moving through the target, and the SP delivers that without feeling like a trap gun. The adjustable comb on the relevant variants means you can get the gun fitting you properly rather than shooting round a stock that nearly fits.
For a shooter doing regular sporting or English skeet who wants a dedicated competition gun without spending premium money, the SP is the obvious ATA to look at. Pair it with a proper gun fit session and decent cartridges; our guide to shotgun cartridges for clay shooting covers the latter.
Browse: ATA SP · ATA shotguns · ATA ST · ATA PRO · Shotguns
The Elegant, Deluxe and Nickel: Field and general-purpose guns
Where the SP is the specialist, the Elegant is ATA’s mainstream over-and-under and the model most likely to suit a shooter who does a bit of everything. Lighter than the SP, better balanced for walked-up and driven work, and available in 20-bore as well as 12, it is the gun to look at if your shooting is more varied than a weekend on the sporting layout.
The Deluxe and Nickel models sit alongside it with different levels of finish, more attractive woodwork, nicer receiver treatment, on broadly similar mechanical foundations. The Lightweight is worth knowing about if you walk long distances for your shooting or want something more manageable for a smaller-framed shooter.
If you are new to shotguns entirely, the more important decision is fit rather than model, and our guide to buying your first shotgun is the right starting point.
Browse: ATA Elegant · ATA Deluxe · ATA Nickel · ATA Lightweight · ATA shotguns
The Neo and Etro: Semi-autos and pump actions
ATA’s Neo is the semi-automatic in the range, and it is a sensible entry into gas-operated shotguns for wildfowling, pigeon decoying and rough shooting. Semi-autos earn their keep where you are shooting a lot of cartridges and want reduced recoil, and the Neo does that job at a price that makes it an easy second gun rather than a major purchase.
The Etro is the pump-action, which occupies a narrower niche in Britain than it does elsewhere but has a steady following among pest controllers and anyone who wants absolute mechanical simplicity. Pump guns do not care about cartridge loads or fouling in the way a gas gun can.
Remember that semi-automatic and pump-action shotguns with a magazine capacity above two cartridges are Section 1 firearms in the UK and require the appropriate certificate. Most sporting Neos and Etros are supplied plugged to shotgun certificate specification, but always confirm the configuration of any specific gun with the seller.
Browse: ATA Neo · ATA Etro · ATA shotguns · Shotguns · Safes and cabinets
What to check when buying an ATA second-hand
ATA guns are mechanically straightforward, which makes second-hand inspection easy if you know where to look.
Start with the barrels. Check the bores from both ends for ring bulges, dents, and pitting, and make sure the multichokes screw in and out cleanly; chokes seized by neglect are common on guns that have lived outdoors. Count the chokes supplied and check the case and key are present, because replacing a full set costs real money.
Next, close the gun and check for looseness off the face. Open it and look at the wear on the hinge pin and the lump. ATA actions bed in like any other, and a gun that has shot tens of thousands of cartridges will show it, that is not automatically a problem, but it should be reflected in the price.
Work the ejectors, check the safety and barrel selector operate positively, and look closely at the stock head around the action for oil soak and hairline cracks. Finally, ask what the gun has actually done. A club gun that has shot 40,000 sporting targets is a different proposition from a field gun used twenty days a season.
Browse: ATA shotguns · ATA General · ATA Super · Gun parts and accessories · Shotguns
ATA versus the established names
The honest comparison is against a used gun from a big maker at similar money. A new ATA SP competes with a well-used Beretta 686 or Browning B525, and the choice comes down to temperament.
Buy the ATA if you want a gun with no history, full choke set, the option of an adjustable comb, and a warranty. Buy the used Italian or Belgian gun if you value the resale, prefer a known quantity with decades of parts support, and are comfortable assessing condition, or have someone who can do it for you.
Against other Turkish makers, ATA sits toward the upper end. Yildiz has a strong reputation for lightweight game guns; Bettinsoli and Lincoln offer similar value from different directions. Our best shotguns under £1,000 roundup puts the whole value bracket side by side.
Browse: ATA shotguns · Beretta 686 · Browning B525 · Bettinsoli shotguns · Yildiz shotguns
Frequently asked questions
Are ATA shotguns any good? Yes, within their price bracket, they are well regarded. Modern Turkish manufacturing has improved substantially, and ATA guns shoot accurately, handle sensibly and are serviced easily. They will not match a premium Italian gun for finish or longevity under very heavy competition use, but for club shooting and field work they are more than adequate.
Which ATA shotgun is best for clay shooting? The SP is the dedicated sporting model and the natural choice for regular clay shooters, particularly the variants with an adjustable comb. If you shoot occasional clays alongside game, the Elegant is the more versatile gun.
How long will an ATA shotgun last? That depends far more on volume and maintenance than on the badge. Cleaned properly and serviced when it starts to come off the face, an ATA will give many years of club-level shooting. A gun fired at very high volume will wear faster, as any shotgun will.
Do ATA shotguns hold their value? Less well than Beretta or Browning. That is the trade-off for the lower entry price, and it matters most if you expect to sell within a couple of years. Buy one because it fits you and shoots well, not as something to trade on.
Browse ATA shotguns on Rightgun.uk
The best way to judge an ATA is to put one up and see how it comes to your shoulder. Explore current ATA shotgun listings on Rightgun.uk to see what UK sellers have available, or compare across the wider shotgun listings if you are still deciding between makers.
Further reading: Best shotguns under £1,000 in the UK, Buying your first shotgun in the UK, Best shotgun cartridges for clay shooting and Second hand shotguns UK best buys.
