First Look: ATA Arms Venza Shotgun

Though the idea that Turkish-made shotguns aren’t up to snuff remains a common theme in gun shops across the United States, it’s simply not true. If it were the case, companies would have stopped importing them a long time ago. Among the new arrivals is a quirky but intriguing release from ATA Arms in the form of its Venza. Here are five things you need to know.

1. ATA Arms isn't quite a new player.
If the ATA Arms name rings a bell, it’s not surprising. Founded in 1997, the company has marketed a small handful of shotgun models—like its CY and NEO lines, among others—to shooters here in the States. More recently, though, its factory has been the one producing much of Weatherby’s shotgun line. The Orion I, the Golden Bullseye Award-winning Element Deluxe—they rolled out the same door as the Venza.

2. The Venza features an innovative new approach to handling recoil.
The Venza is powered by what ATA Arms calls a “Gas Pressure Control System,” or GPCS. The patented design is essentially an integration of two operating systems: a short-recoil system and a gas-pressure system. Depending on your choice of load, the Venza's barrel actually moves backward a fraction of an inch, opening gas ports that disperse pressure in a unique way. For more on that, you'll have to wait for the full review.

3. It'll save your fingers.
One thing I found noteworthy while testing was the Venza’s carrier latch. Its design is somewhat canted, which allowed me to load the magazine rather easily. Even though the gun was brand new and not at all broken in, I was never at risk of tearing up my thumb while loading it.

4. It comes with options.
Though just recently launched, the Venza offers a little something for everyone. The soft touch synthetic stock is available in a variety of camo patterns, including Realtree Max-5, Realtree Xtra Green, Realtree Advantage Timber and Kryptek Highlander. One of my only gripes in terms of versatility is that Venza, as of now, doesn't accept any aftermarket choke tubes.

5. It's affordable on any budget.
The Venza checks in with an MSRP of $529.99, well below that of most gas guns. Odds are you're going to find it on store shelves in the mid-$400 range. You can't beat that.

Want to know more about the Venza? Stay tuned! It's receiving a review in the December print edition of American Hunter!