The ATA 686S

The
ATA
686S
20-gauge shotgun
by Paul Miller
The 686S 20-gauge handled Skeet
shooting perfectly and was a
pleasure to shoot.
T
he Turkish firm of ATA Arms
is currently producing quality
shotguns that look remarkably
like the old Beretta S55 series
shotguns of years gone by. Shooters of the
Baby Boomer generation and beyond will
remember these stylish and effective guns.
It was either a case of like or dislike (love
or hate seems a bit too strong) because, for
many of us, the guns were stocked in a way
that made them kick like hell. They were,
however, excellent guns and have stood the
test of time.
I’m pleased to say that these ATA guns
are not actually copies of the old Berettas.
They are mechanically different in many
ways, and the 20-gauge I was sent to
evaluate by Australian distributor Nioa was
very pleasant to shoot.
ATA is a substantial company that
employs about 210 people and manufactures both over-and-under and self-loading
shotguns, with the latter perhaps only being
relevant for a select group of Australian
shotgunners. A little research revealed
32 Australian Shooter
The 20" barrels and
12-gauge frame made the
686S 20-gauge handle very
smoothly and precisely.
that ATA is a serious manufacturer that makes around 5000
pieces per month. Last year,
ATA exported 42,000 guns,
with some 15,000 being sent to
Weatherby in the United States.
This alone speaks for the quality
of ATA’s production techniques,
as a firm such as Weatherby USA
would not allow a gun bearing
its name to be anything less than
excellent in finish and function.
We have tested several inexpensive guns from Turkey in the past
couple of years and they all surprised
testers with their very good construction and amazingly low prices. The latest
ATA 686S 20-gauge was no exception. In
fact, it just further demonstrated that the
Turkish manufacturers are getting better
and better at turning out very reasonable
guns that look like they will go the distance
for normal field or farm use. They may
even stand up to extended clay target work,
where vast numbers of shotgun shells are
put through a gun
in its lifetime. Certainly, the Beretta they
seem to be modelled on has performed
superbly, so I suppose only time will tell.
The 686S is interesting because it is
a 20-gauge that is based on a 12-gauge
frame. Usually, we see subgauges scaled
to size, with the idea being that these
smaller gauge shotguns are invariably used
in the field, where their smaller frame
and narrower, lighter barrels contribute
to a much lighter gun to carry around.
This particular gun is also available as a
>
The ATA 686S 20-gauge shotgun
12-gauge as you would expect, but unfortunately, it is not currently available as a twobarrel set. This would obviously increase
its versatility, but there would need to be
a reasonable demand for the importers to
consider this option.
ATA has added two plastic sleeves, which
attach to the 20-gauge barrels, sit neatly
within the very comfortable fore-end and
take up the space that would otherwise
accommodate a set of bulkier 12-gauge
barrels. They are hardly noticeable and do
their job perfectly.
The 686S is the entry-level model, with
two models above it that feature higher
grades of timber and back-bored barrels
with extended screw-in choke tubes. The
deluxe-grade 686SEL I saw in Canberra
recently was quite exceptional in terms
of its finish, woodwork and extensive
engraving. Of course, this quality of wood
and engraving costs more, but it doesn’t
necessarily add to your scores on the clay
target range or in the field.
Pride of ownership must count for
something though, and the standard 686S
I tested was very well finished with a nice
silver satin finish on the action and a dark
nicely figured stick of timber and excellent chequering. It looked a lot better than
The 686S is very well presented in an
ABS case with protective red socks for
fore-end and barrels.
grade one wood to me and demonstrates
the quality of walnut sourced by Turkish
gunmakers these days. The grade two and
three wood I’ve seen on the SE and SEL
models of this gun really is spectacular.
Damien Conlon from Nioa kindly supplied
a generous supply of excellent Federal
20-gauge Target Loads with 7/8oz 7½ shot
and a claimed speed of 1210fps. This load
equates to a 2½ dram equivalent, which
makes it very pleasant to shoot, and the
patterns were devastating. I shot several
rounds of Skeet and was very impressed
with the handling of the gun and the way
The 20-gauge was very much
appreciated by this lady.
36 Australian Shooter
>
The ATA 686S 20-gauge shotgun
The action looks massive because it a 12-gauge
size accommodating 20-gauge shells.
The flush screw-in chokes worked perfectly.
Note the attractive satin finish and tasteful
‘ATA Arms’ engraved on the action.
the open screw-in chokes demolished the
targets. The flush screw-in interchangeable
chokes included cylinder, improved cylinder,
modified, improved modified and full.
One lady shooter had a few shots and
made her husband very nervous by asking
where she could get one the following
week! My rascally mate and 20-gauge
enthusiast Peter Papps smoked every target
he shot at - it was hard to get the Cheshire
cat grin off his face!
In terms of handling, this gun had a very
comfortable, hand-filling fore-end and 30"
barrels. It is also available with 28" barrels,
but I really liked the balance with the 30"
barrels. It was quick to point, but smooth
onto the targets. The stock has sensible
field dimensions, which encourage that allimportant, comfortable upright head position and a very comfortable palmswell that
will be appreciated by right-handers.
The other thing that really impressed me
was the inclusion of a genuine Pachmayer
Decelerator recoil pad. I have been banging
on about this in recent gun reviews, saying
that manufacturers should include a decent
recoil pad to save us having to buy a quality
aftermarket pad and here is ATA supplying
all the 686 series shotguns with one of the
very best pads on the market. Top marks
to ATA!
With the trend towards more people
acquiring 20-gauge guns for field use and
the more ‘novelty’-style events at Sporting
Clay clubs in Australia, I think this very
affordable ATA 686S will put a smile on
many a shotgunner’s dial. It is perfect for
lady and junior shotgunners and a great deal
of fun for the 12-gauge shooter who appreciates a 20-gauge built on a 12-gauge frame.
The gun is perfectly suited to Sporting
Clays and Skeet events. I can also see
this model finding a lot of happy homes
and performing very well in the field on
those rabbits and foxes when used with the
tighter screw-in chokes and heavier shot
sizes. Its excellent fit and finish is well out
of proportion to its very reasonable price of
around $1250.
For more information about ATA shotguns, speak to your local gunshop or visit
www.nioa.com.au
The clever plastic infill is attached to
accommodate the 20-gauge barrels in a
12-gauge fore-end.
38 Australian Shooter
.
Specifications:
Manufacturer: ATA
Model: 686S 20-gauge
Distributor: Nioa
Overall length: 360mm (14¼")
Barrel length: 30" (tested), 28"
(available)
Weight: 3.58 kg
Rib width: 8mm untapered ventilated
with single red fore-sight
Gauge: 20-gauge, 76mm (3") chamber
Chokes: Screw-in interchangeable
cylinder, improved cylinder, modified,
improved modified, full
Stock: Grade one Turkish walnut with
attractive color and figure; drop at
comb: 1½"; drop at heel: 2¼"; pitch
down 3" with Pachmayer Decelerator
recoil pad
Trigger: Single selective gold-plated
inertia operated
RRP: $1150 with ABS fitted case, red
shotgun socks for stock and fore-end
and three-year warranty, but shop
around for deals