ATA Arms SA-08 ???

[wbw]

I saw a 20 ga shotgun today that was ticketed as an ATA Arms SA-08. It was used and priced at $359. The gun store, like most around here, was small and crowded, so I didn't get to talk to a salesperson about it. I'm guessing that it's a semi-auto. Are any of you folks familiar with this gun?

If it's not junk I might be interested. I'm looking for a home defense shotgun. No hunting. Probably not even any clays. So it won't get used much at all. Just take it out once in a while to keep familiar. I have a 12 ga pump that I don't care for, so I'm not interested in those.

Any thoughts on this ATA SA-08? Thanks for any input.

[wbw]

So my research has found that the ATA SA-08 is made in Turkey. Is it possible that the ATA SA-08 is the same or very similar to the Weatherby SA-08? Not that I'm familiar with the Weatherby either, but if I knew that they were basically the same, I'd probably feel better about the ATA version.

Any input?

[Creeper]

I'm looking for a home defense shotgun. No hunting.

A few downsides to this particular gun... as a dedicated HD gun. It's a little on the long side, which makes maneuvering more difficult than it needs to be... there are plenty of folks who don't get too spun up about this and can utilize a 26" or 28" barreled gun just fine. Your call.
Next is that because it's a sporting shotgun, there really isn't much (probably nothing actually) in the way of useful accessories, like an extended magazine tube for example... so you'll have to wing it there too.

Saying that, if it blows your skirt up, don't let what I've said hold you back.

If you want an HD auto shotgun, the least expensive, mainstream, reliable brand that you can get accessories for, is going to be the Mossberg 930. From there, it's Saiga, Remington, FN and Benelli.

C

[wbw]

Yeah. I was actually looking for something in a shorter length (can you say 'tactical'). Mossberg has an SA-20 Tactical that I think is discontinued but a few are still around. That's my other choice right now.

[Creeper]

A 20ga. is just fine for home defense. Best of luck finding one.

C

[wbw]

After dinner tonight I'm going to stop by the gun shop and see the ATA SA-08 again. Just wish I had a better feel for it's quality. I don't know much about shotguns. I'll probably end up with a Mossberg SA-20 Tac.

[TheKlawMan]

Whatever qualifies as being a "tactical shotgun", many bearing the label have a problem initially overlooked by a buyer. Due to their added magazine capacity (a longer magazine tube), it is difficult or impossible to use additional barrels.

This is true of very recent model 7 shell Remington 870 tactical models and the 8 shot Mossberg 590 security.

While many first buy a "tactical" shotgun for "home defense" or "security", they often, as did I, later find that they want to switch barrels so the gun can be used for to shoot clays. The 6 + 1 870 I bought a couple of years ago utilized a magazine extension, but the new ones have a solid 6 shot magazine. While I can use a field barrel that accepts chokes by removing the magazine extension; not so on recent 6 + 1 870's.

If considering a "tactical" or a "security" shotgun with added magazine capacity, and for that matter any shotgun, do yourself a favor and look into the availability, cost, and ease of utilizing accesssory barrels.

[wbw]

Thanks Klawman. I didn't get to look at the ATA a second time last Friday as I thought I would. The ATA SA-08 in my local gunshop is not a short barrelled gun. So it could be used for sporting purposes, although right now I don't see myself doing that. But who knows?

I need to find out if this ATA comes with a manual and if it has two different gas tubes. That seems to be important, right? If it does then I might move on this. If not something else will come along.

[TheKlawMan]

IF, and that can be a big IF, what I have read is correct, ATA is actually owned by Beretta and makes many parts for some Berettas. It also makes the Weatherby SA-08, but that does not mean they are the same gun even though it suggests that they are similar.

For instance, ATA manufactures a model that is so somilar to a Beretta A400 Unico that a blogger opined that Beretta would sue ATA. Per a comment, while the guns appear similar, the ATA model utilizes an inertia cycling system and Beretta has gas. (Another blogger added the bit about it not being to likely that Beretta would sue its subsidiary.)

[wbw]

I did not inspect the ATA very closly when I did see it, so I don't know for sure, but what little I have found about ATA suggests that it's made in Turkey. Doesn't mean that it's not a Beretta subsidiary, but I hadn't run across that relationship before.

So which is preferred; inertia or gas system? I'll need to find out if the ATA I'm looking at is gas or inertia.

[TheKlawMan]

I don't know what you man about having two different "gas" tubes. I was only talking about tubular magazines. Per some character called "Slugo" it is the same gun as the Weatherby. You can PM him over the firing line about it if you like.

http://www.wickedwatercooler.com/arc...p?t-14300.html

I confused your posts with someone who was looking at a "tacticool" gun. The other issue with guns imported from some countries is warranty. Weatherby should be little or no problem. ATA Arms who knows?

[wbw]

A quick investigation tells me that a gas gun will have less felt recoil than an inertia gun. So gas is what I want. Now I need to find out if the ATA SA-08 is gas operated.

[wbw]

I think I meant to say 'gas piston' instead of 'gas tube'. It seems that some guns at least, have a 'heavy' piston and a 'light' one.

[TheKlawMan]

I think I meant to say 'gas piston' instead of 'gas tube'. It seems that some guns at least, have a 'heavy' piston and a 'light' one.

Yes. Whatever you get, get something that works well for what you want to do with it. Some don't handle light tarkget loads as well as they will hunting loads. Some do well on both. Not sure, but they probably have a single piston, but some with two ports have a larger gas port of light loads and a smaller one for heavy.