Ata or Yildiz shotguns for clays

iain b

Well-Known Member
Hi all. I've just joined a clay shoot and I would like a shotgun for clays. I've seen the ata and yildiz range and am looking at the adjustable stock sporter, any one got any First hand experience with either one. I don't want to spend major money on big name brands its just for a bit of clay bashing.
They both seem to fit the bill. 3" chamber, multi choke and steel proofed.. Any help appreciated
 
You really don't need a 3" chamber.
Consider a used Beretta/Browning/Miroku as it will not lose value when you choose to sell/upgrade.
Apart from that, the ATAs feel nice enough in the hands, and can be bought second hand for 2/3 price of new already.
Nae experience of the Yildiz.
 
You really don't need a 3" chamber.
Consider a used Beretta/Browning/Miroku as it will not lose value when you choose to sell/upgrade.
Apart from that, the ATAs feel nice enough in the hands, and can be bought second hand for 2/3 price of new already.
Nae experience of the Yildiz.

This. All day long.

Absolutely no need for a 3" chamber on a clay gun. A second hand Browning / Beretta / Miroku etc will always be worth more-or-less what you paid for it when you come to move it on, whereas your other options will be lucky to see 1/3 to a 1/2 return on what you paid for them.
 
Most important is find a gun that fits and you shoot well with. A game gun will work well on sporting clays and has the added benefit you know the gun when go out to shoot game. Personally I view clays as a means of keeping my eye in and thus shoot most clays with my guns I use in the field. I drop down to as light a load as possible - so may I give up a little om clays, but I gain in the field.
 
100% all the above. Buy used to begin with and then maybe after a year or two when you know how much you're going to be shooting clays, then 'maybe' look at something more serious....OR, just stick banging away with your quality browning/miroku/Beretta!
 
Im going to go against the grain for a couple of reasons. firstly berretta, Miroku etc don't fit me out of the box so work needs doing, expense.
The Yildiz has adjustable stock so no need for expensive work, it does not rust so very easy to luck after. And I know that 10, 000 32gm cartridges go through them without ill effect., whats not to like.
 
Neither. I've never owned, nor fired, an O/U but I do know that the popular everyday priced ones are Beretta, Miroku and Browning. There's a reason for that. ATA and Yildiz? 3" chambers? Save your money the residual value if you decide to sell either will be low. Also I'm against adjustable stock guns. You end up forever fiddling with a tweaking it. Better by far use a club gun for a few weeks and see what you like then see what's available in good condition secondhand. But looking to the future steel proof may be a wise consideration in case of any future shooting wide lead shot ban.
 
I only want to spend £1000 max. I can’t justify much more. I know the resale will be poor but I intend to keep it for the pigeons as my parker hale 800 has seen better days. Both of these guns have a longer warranty than a second hand gun. I get that 3” chambers are too much but steel proof is the way to go.
 
Neither. I've never owned, nor fired, an O/U but I do know that the popular everyday priced ones are Beretta, Miroku and Browning. There's a reason for that. ATA and Yildiz? 3" chambers? Save your money the residual value if you decide to sell either will be low. Also I'm against adjustable stock guns. You end up forever fiddling with a tweaking it. Better by far use a club gun for a few weeks and see what you like then see what's available in good condition secondhand. But looking to the future steel proof may be a wise consideration in case of any future shooting wide lead shot ban.
I am sorry but you contradict yourself with the above, to have steel proof you have a minimum 3" chamber. I have seen dozens of adjustable stock guns, I have never seen anyone fiddling, unlike multichoke guns that are the norm and everybody fiddles with them.
 
Most modern guns are 3” chambered and steel proofed. With steel you need quite a large volume of shot to be effective on game. Saying that you certainly dont need to use heavy cartridges to be effective. Personally i find a 1oz load to be more than enough for most applications.
 
I own a browning but I also bought a Yildiz as the wife wants to have a do at clays ect and tbh for the money it’s not a bad little gun I also bought a kopfs for the boy that’s not bad either dependent on how much you want to spend and how serious your wanting to be they’ll all do the same thing fire shot a new browning 1500 second hand 1000 a new Yildiz 500 you’ll probably loose less it’ll always be worth 200
 
I am sorry but you contradict yourself with the above, to have steel proof you have a minimum 3" chamber.

Really? That's news to me. And news to the Birmingham Proof House. Who confirmed to me today, I spoke to them, that 70mm or 2 3/4" chambers can be, and are being, steel proofed.

But the fiddling with adjustments must be a Midlands thing as I've often seen people tweaking a 1/8" here and an 1/8" there from week to week. Whereas usually they don't often change choke on the usual 100 Bird clay shoots held locally to me.
 
Last edited:
Well i have to disagree with most of the above. I got my ata for the same reasons as the op states, nicely priced and its only going to be used for clay bashing and the odd day on pigeons. Its a fantastic gun for the money, well made, solid, adjustable, multichoke and at £600 if its only worth 2/3rds at resale time them whats £200 really. My friend bought new berreta at £2700 and sold it 6 months later for £1950, yes it has depreciated less percentage wise than the ata has but he has still lost more than the total cost of a brand new ata!!
 
Must add a friend has also an ata and loves it same guy also owns some fairly pricey Brownings tends to use ata when it’s raining lol
 
Really? That's news to me. And news to the Birmingham Proof House. Who confirmed to me today, I spoke to them, that 70mm or 2 3/4" chambers can be, and are being, steel proofed.

But the fiddling with adjustments must be a Midlands thing as I've often seen people tweaking a 1/8" here and an 1/8" there from week to week. Whereas usually they don't often change choke on the usual 100 Bird clay shoots held locally to me.
Then please except my apology for getting it wrong, I have never seen steel proof marked 70mm chambered guns.
I have lads up here from all over the UK, but some from Shropshire and other from Nott and Derby, all of them clay shooters as well as game, all of them will change chokes like a whore changes draws, frequently. When I have visited clay ground in the past like Garlands, Doveridge, Yeavely, West London, Dorchester etc I have watched clay shooters fiddling! that's what I based my statement on. If like me you had a long neck, you would be glad of adjustable cheek raisers. But as they say each to their own.
 
Well i have to disagree with most of the above. I got my ata for the same reasons as the op states, nicely priced and its only going to be used for clay bashing and the odd day on pigeons. Its a fantastic gun for the money, well made, solid, adjustable, multichoke and at £600 if its only worth 2/3rds at resale time them whats £200 really. My friend bought new berreta at £2700 and sold it 6 months later for £1950, yes it has depreciated less percentage wise than the ata has but he has still lost more than the total cost of a brand new ata!!

I fully agree with the above and bought an ATA last year for the same reasons, it fits me and my partner well and has had a good few thousand shots put through it. For what you pay for them it leaves a lot in the bank for cartridges and clays and they come with a waranty.
 
Back
Top