Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Air Guns Good first impression

The UPS guy dropped off a new .22 Hatsan 95 (Vortex) to me today, and I gave it a quick shakedown in the basement. So far so good.

It shot 3 different cheap pellets into small, basically identical groups of around 1/4" or 5/16" at 10 yards.
Thats with my blurry old eyes and open sights.
Gun has a walnut stock, adjustable trigger, soft rubber buttplate and from the beating it gave my bullet trap, I'd say plenty of velocity.

Its one of the $100 refurb deals you can find sometimes. Gun arrived without a scratch on it, a clean bore and all the goodies including a cheap scope and mounts.
I've shot a few now, and while Hatsan stuff seems to always be rough around the edges, they have all been "good guns".
This one seems to put out the power of a long, heavy gun without being long and heavy.

Assuming it holds up (my other Hatsan has) it would be a great pickup for anyone looking for a hunting springer, pest popper or fun gun. But look somewhere else for an all day plinker, unless you're into heavy cocking guns. Not a two-hander or anything, but heavy enough.

I'm curious how the gas piston guns will hold up over time. I know the Theoben gas ram has been out for years, but the inexpensive units haven't been out that long. I've started a few times to pick one up, but just haven't got around to dropping the coin yet.

I wonder myself, but so far the three older ones I own have been fine -
A Crosman Blaze from 2015
A Hatsan Edge from about the same time
An RWS 350 from 2016

I hear that some of the gas springs are rebuildable (just O rings and silicone oil). If they are physically worn or aren't rebuildable they can be replaced easy enough.

One thing that I really like is that they dont have the spring torque/twisting motion of a coil spring and the rifle doesnt roll in your hand during the firing cycle. Not really an issue with lightly sprung guns, but the magnum guns are another story.

That Hatsan is not a finely made rifle, but it makes large power from a medium package and groups well for small money. And thats why I like it.

Mounted a spare Hammers 3-9x40 AO on it and put 30+ rounds through it tonight, mostly to get the glass right and adjust the trigger.

Second impression: well, still good but I can't tell what effect backing off the small 3rd trigger screw has, but I tried without seeming to lighten the pull at all. I'm gonna have to find out more about the trigger adjustment.

That said, when I did my part the rifle was very accurate - it grouped RWS Superdomes and H&N Hammers into 3 shot groups well under 1 pellet diameter at 10 yards. Cheap Ruger Superpoints weren't far behind either.

I shot the 3 shot groups because my left arm was a little sore from shooting it last night. Now its a little more sore... ha ha! Definitely a stiff cocking gun. Very much like my Walther Parrus.

Oh, and I found no droop once I had the scope on it. Nice change compared to the Walther.

My only "Hatsam" experience has been with a Model 135, .30 caliber. Good, heavy rifle, accurate, plenty of power with a .45 gr pellet. It "lost" a piece out of the action and ceased to work after that. Getting ready to send it back to Hatsam, see if I am able to get it fixed. I really hope so, because I like the rifle, and the power/pellet size. Got a ice Optima 3x9 variable scope with it that I like, also, had a "suppressor" made for it that is built for that rifle, screws into the barrel end.

Mike Holmes