I was looking for an open sight .177 rifle for a competition I had organised, I was going to get another Bam B19, but like all good plans it didnt work out. So I was in Solware of Tamworth, with a mate who was getting an Air Arms TX200, when I spied this rather splendid break barrel on display in the shop. Upon inspection I was told it was the New Hatsan Mod55s.
For about £100 this was the bargain of the decade. It didnt come with the pictured scope. But there are some great deals about for , the rifle, a scope, slip, and pellets. So I handed over my hard earned cash and took this baby home.
i was impressed with the overall feel of the rifle, it certainly suited my large frame. Hatsan, like so many other manufacturers "claim" the rifle to be full power. Well through my years of air rifle ownership, I have never found this to be the "absolute truth" but in Hatsan case, it is (I would point out here that every single Hatsan I have owned has been the same).
So getting back to the Mod55s (the Mod60s is the .22 variant). The first thing that struck me was the horrendous "twang". I am not one of these "warranty" types for the little things. So I stripped the rifle down to find out just what was wrong. The spring was as dry as a Nuns bits she doesnt use. During the stripdown I was amazed at the build quality. A quick de-burr of the pierced parts (cocking slot, trigger cut-out, and that was it really. I (re-) lubed the spring with some moly' grease I use for this purpose, and rebuilt the Mod55s. What a transformation!!!! I could not believe it was the same rifle, easy and smooth to cock, virtually no recoil and phenomenally accurate. I paced out 100yards and put down a tin can. First shot had the tin spinning. Awesome.
One of the best standard stocks I have ever seen, a very nice piece of Turkish "Walnut" fitted to a full power break barrel rifles for £99(April 2011) (now £109)
A good quality set of "Tru-Glo" fibre optic sight. The rear sight is of the "micrometer" type with positive and clear "clicks".
The front "tunnel" foresight is like having a torch on the front of the rifle, in daylight, these are like having a laser on the rifle.
Like so many rifles these days, the Hatsan Mod55s has an "auto safety" fitted, but at least the release button is conveniemntly located on the rear of the action, and easy to dis-engage. The fully adjustable "Quattro" trigger, is, in my opinion right up there with the Rekord jobby fitted to the Weihrauch range of products.
Out of the box, and after a quick strip and lube. 789fps with AA Diablos=11.6fpe What more do you want?
I have used this rifle in a lot of permutations, with a scope fitted, but I have found this rifle to be smooth and accurate enough to be my rifle of choice with open sights. I personally felt it was a long rifle, so i carbined the barrel. I cut 4 inches of the barrel and re-crowned the muzzle, to find abosolutely no difference in accuracy or power. I then used the rifle with a JSR red dot sight. I fitted a Steyrr muzzle flip, for cosmetic purposes
I will, almost certainly but another Mod55s. But i think I will leave it as a true "open sighted" rifle
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