23-Sep-2026
Ten years ago, the advice given to anyone shopping for a first over-and-under was simple: save up and buy a used Beretta or Browning. That advice is still sound, but it is no longer the only sensible answer. A group of Turkish and Italian makers now produce genuinely usable guns at prices that undercut the established names by a wide margin, and in the UK the four you will meet most often are Yildiz, Huglu, Bettinsoli and ATA.
This is not a ranking. These four guns are aimed at overlapping but distinct buyers, and picking well means matching the gun to what you actually shoot rather than to a score out of ten. Below, each maker gets an honest assessment of where it earns its money and where it asks you to compromise.
Why these four, and where they sit
All four sell on the same proposition: a boxlock over-and-under with acceptable barrels, workable triggers and enough choke and rib options to cover the common British disciplines, at a fraction of the price of a premium Italian or Japanese gun. What separates them is emphasis.
Yildiz is the specialist in light, small-bore guns and has built a real following among game shooters and anyone who resents carrying weight. Huglu has the longest history in the UK trade and turns up in a wide spread of configurations, including sidelock-style sideplated models and side-by-sides. Bettinsoli is Italian rather than Turkish, made in the Brescia gun valley, and sits a rung up in perceived quality and finish. ATA has been the fastest-rising name of the group in Britain, largely on the strength of its sporting and semi-automatic ranges and a reputation for consistency.
If you want the wider price-bracket view across all makers rather than just these four, our over-and-under shotguns by budget guide and shotguns under £1,000 cover the field.
Browse: Yildiz shotguns · Huglu shotguns · Bettinsoli shotguns · ATA shotguns · all shotgun listings
Yildiz: The lightweight game specialist
Yildiz made its name in Britain with light guns, and that remains the reason to buy one. Where most value over-and-unders feel like they were designed to a price and came out heavy, Yildiz went the other way and built guns that walked-up shooters and smaller-framed shots actually enjoy carrying all day. The 20-bore and smaller offerings are where this shows most clearly.
The trade-off is exactly what physics predicts. A light gun with light barrels moves quickly, which flatters snap-shooting in cover and punishes a smooth, deliberate swing on long crossers. Recoil is also more noticeable with heavier loads, so Yildiz owners tend to gravitate towards lighter cartridges, which is no hardship for game shooting but limits appeal for high-volume clay work.
Within the range you will find the Pro and Pro Black sporting variants, the SPZ, Elegant and steel-proofed models, and wildfowling configurations. Finish quality is honest rather than luxurious: the engraving is machine-applied, and the value sits in the balance rather than the decoration. If you are drawn towards the small bores, our 20-bore shotgun guide is worth a read alongside this.
Browse: Yildiz Pro · Yildiz SPZ · Yildiz Elegant · Yildiz Steel · Yildiz MX
Huglu: The range, and the variability
Huglu has been supplying the British market for decades, which means two things. First, there is a deep used pool, so a patient buyer can find a well-kept Huglu for very little money. Second, that pool spans a long production history and several importers, and consistency across that period was not uniform. A good Huglu is a lot of gun for the money; a tired one is a project.
The catalogue has always been broad, over-and-unders in several grades, sideplated models that borrow the look of far more expensive guns, and side-by-sides that give budget-conscious shooters a route into traditional configurations. The 103 and 201 families turn up regularly on the used racks, along with the XR7 sporting models.
When you view a Huglu, spend your attention on the mechanics rather than the engraving. Open and close the gun a dozen times and feel whether it is tightening onto the face or rattling loose. Check both ejectors fire cleanly, and look at the barrel interiors under a torch for dents or ring bulges, and at the choke threads, since crossed or corroded threads are a common and irritating fault. A Huglu that passes those checks is perfectly serviceable; one that fails them is cheap for a reason.
Browse: Huglu shotguns · Huglu 103 · Huglu 201 · Huglu XR7 · Baikal shotguns
Bettinsoli: Italian build at a Turkish price point
Bettinsoli is the odd one out here, and deliberately so. Made in Brescia, it carries the associations of Italian gunmaking without the price that usually accompanies them. In practice, a Bettinsoli feels a step closer to the mainstream Italian guns than the Turkish makers do, better wood-to-metal fit on average, a more refined trigger pull, and a general impression of having been finished by someone who cared.
What you are paying for is that finish and the consistency behind it. What you are not getting is the engineering depth or the resale strength of a Beretta 686 or a Browning B525, and it is worth being clear-eyed about that. When a shooter asks whether to buy a new Bettinsoli or a good used 686, the honest answer is usually that the used premium gun will hold its money better while the Bettinsoli will feel newer for longer. Our Beretta 686 versus Browning B525 comparison sets out what that premium actually buys.
The range spans the Diamond and Silver sporting models, sideplated variants, Super Sport competition guns, the X-Trail, and Junior and Universal configurations that make it one of the better options for a younger or smaller shooter.
Browse: Bettinsoli Diamond · Bettinsoli Silver · Bettinsoli Super Sport · Bettinsoli X-Trail · Bettinsoli Junior
ATA: The value clay gun of the moment
Of the four, ATA has gained ground fastest in Britain, and the reason is straightforward: the sporting models shoot well, they are built heavy enough to soak up a day of clays, and they have proved reliable in club use where problems become public quickly. For a shooter who wants an over-and-under primarily for sporting, skeet or trap on a real-world budget, ATA has become the default recommendation in a lot of gun rooms.
The range is wide, the SP and ST sporting models, Silver Line and Nickel grades, the Elegant and Deluxe game configurations, the Super and Superior series, plus semi-automatics including the Neo and Venza and the Max-5 in camouflage finishes for wildfowling. ATA also produces rifles, which is unusual in this group.
The compromise with ATA is character rather than function. These are competent, well-sorted guns that do not pretend to heritage, and the wood on standard grades is serviceable rather than beautiful. If you shoot enough clays that you will wear the gun out anyway, that is a sensible trade. If you want something to admire in the cabinet, look at Bettinsoli or spend more.
Browse: ATA SP · ATA ST · ATA Silver Line · ATA Neo · ATA Max-5
How to choose between them
Start with the shooting, not the badge. If you walk up game, carry the gun for miles and shoot modest numbers of cartridges, a light Yildiz will make you happier than a heavier gun with a better name on the rib. If you shoot hundreds of clays a month, weight is your friend and an ATA sporter is the obvious pick. If finish and feel matter to you and you want an Italian gun without Italian money, Bettinsoli. If your budget is genuinely tight and you are prepared to inspect properly, a sound used Huglu is the cheapest route into a working over-and-under.
Two practical points apply across all four. Fit matters more than brand at this price level; a £900 gun that fits you will out-shoot a £3,000 gun that does not, so get measured or at least try before you buy. And check the proof marks and choke markings on any used gun for steel-shot suitability, which is increasingly relevant for wildfowling and for grounds with restrictions.
Browse: all shotgun listings · Lanber shotguns · Franchi shotguns · Miroku shotguns · gun parts and accessories
Frequently asked questions
Are Turkish shotguns any good? The better Turkish makers now produce guns that function reliably and shoot well for their price. They do not match premium Italian or Japanese guns on longevity, finish, or resale, but they are no longer the gamble they once were. Inspect the individual gun rather than judging by country of origin.
Is a Huglu 12 gauge a good first shotgun? A sound one can be an excellent first gun, mainly because it is cheap enough that you can afford cartridges and lessons alongside it. Buy a used example that has been checked over, and put the money you save into coaching.
Yildiz or ATA for clay shooting? For most clay disciplines, ATA. The extra weight in the sporting models reduces felt recoil over a long session and steadies the swing. Yildiz makes more sense if you shoot clays occasionally and game mostly.
Which of these holds its value best? Bettinsoli and ATA tend to be the easiest to sell on in current UK conditions, with Bettinsoli benefiting from the Italian association and ATA from strong demand for its sporting models. None of the four holds value like a Beretta or Browning, so buy to shoot rather than to invest.
Browse value over-and-unders on Rightgun.uk
The best way to settle this argument is to handle all four. Check what is currently listed, note the weights and configurations, and if you can get to a ground with a try gun, do it before you spend. Compare the current Yildiz, Huglu, Bettinsoli and ATA listings side by side, and if you are selling one of these guns, a dedicated shooting marketplace puts it in front of buyers already searching by name.
Further reading: Best over-and-under shotguns UK by budget, Best shotguns under £1,000, Best 20-bore shotguns UK by budget, Beretta 686 vs Browning B525 and Best game shotguns UK budget guide.
