Hatsan AT44 Single Shot .25cal

I ordered this rifle from Solware in the middle of last year, this model has long since been discontinued from the UK suppliers catalogue, but as I'm a massive fan of Hatsans and especially the AT44 and .25calI asked Carl and Tye at Solware to see if they could get one for me.

Well that was last year, so imagine my surprise when I got a call from Tye to say it had arrived.

 



 I drove the 50 odd miles up to Tamworth to collect this new beastie, and as usual was met with the hospitality that Solware are getting a well earned reputation for, Coffee and biscuits appeared high on the agenda, still it was early.



 

The AT44 single has a very uncluttered breech area, as you would expect, from a single shot rifle, but it seems so much lighter for it (as you would expect)

 

My choice of scope for this rifle was always going to be a lower magnification and less zoom than I would normally use, but I figured that being a .25cal my range was going to be reduced anyway. I have had a couple of .25cal Hatsan Strikers before, so I knew that short range, about 15-30 yards was going to be all I could realistically use.

My choice was going to be limited, as good quality, low mag, lightweight scopes is quite restricted. So a Hawke Sport-HD IR (HK3013) was chosen, this is a 2-7x32AOIR with tremendously clear optics. The IR facility is a good one, as it doesnt "flood" the tube with light when being used, as it only illuminates the mildot section of the crosshairs, with either red or green light.

 

 

The serial number indicates this rifle was "born" in March re-iterating the information that this was built for me as a special request. However, Tye has had his hands on this at the shop and he is keen to try and stock this single shot as a standard item. Solware are a little unsure about a RRP at the moment but it will be around the same price as the multishot version, which seems odd, but the quality is very good, and the build quality is extraordinary, As good as my Air Arms S400 classic.

 

 



All the normal ergonomics as the standard? multishot, but without all the magazine and accompanying mechanics. The rest of the rifle is exactly the same as the "normal" multishot, and all the usual features are there, a simple filling probe into the air tube, with the functional rotating collar to cover the hole. A very accurate gauge mounted into the end of the detatchable air tube. Good quality turkish hardwood stock, with fine checkering around the pistol grip area. The, now standard, auto safety is in the perfect position, right where it should be.

The clearer breech area will make loading each individual pellet easy, unless you fit a set of low mounts like I did Doh!! However the smaller calibers will have more room for your fingers, as the big .25cal pellets make the space seem smaller.

All in all a superb rifle and very easy to shoot. As this picture shows, I have fitted studs to the stock for a sling, as I like the comfort of carrying the rifle over my shoulder.

OK so that kinda gives you the bare bones of this rifle. So whats it like? If you have shot one of the latest AT's you will know instinctively, that this is, just right. Perfectly balanced and with the ajustable butt plate, fits the shooter.
As with all new PCP's the rifle comes with air in it, from the testing proccess, however this was filled to 180bar out of the box, so i didnt bother "topping it up" as i will fit a "de-pinger" straight away, but it seems a shame to lose all that, kindly donated air, so I got the Chrony out and gave it a quick power test.
I fired 5 pellets (H&N Feilds)(20grn) and achieved 499,500,500,500,500fps, that equates to 11fpe and I'm very happy with that. Now before I hear all the "my .177 shoots at 11.999 and I'm getting 800fps" remeber this is firing a BIG pellet at 500fps and, as I said before, I was aware of the restriction of range, in having a .25cal. But thats where this rifle gets a bit weird. The two Hatsan Strikers I have owned in .25cal, have, being springers, been a little, er, difficult, to achieve any consistant accuracy at more than 30 yards. I used H&N Feilds in them and they just wernt anywhere near as consistant as the Marksman pellets I recommend.
So here's the thing, I intended to set the zero at 20 yards and work from there, but I had a new scope on the AA S400 to zero, and had set the card holder at 25 yards and forgot to move it for this rifle, so by accident have set the zero at 25 yards. But the Hawke scope was an easy scope to set, so away I went. a few clicks and that was it. Now its easy to say "pellet on pellet" but this was amazing, once it was set, not only was p,o,p relatively easy but dead centre of the target aswell. Now this sort of thing impresses me. All this from a rifle that costs low three hundreds with big heavy pellets.
So after the zeroing was set, I decided to see what the drop was like at distance. Normally a .25cal will shoot ok out to about 35 yards then gravity takes over (damn you Sir Isaac Newton). Imagine my surprise when after a couple of test shots I was able to consistantly knockdown AND reset the 45 yard target, I know its just a rifle, but this was seriously impressive stuff, at 45 yards the pellet is still carrying 7fpe, compare that to a .177 with the same muzzle energy at 6fpe, doesnt sound much, but the ,25 (20grn) slug is still travelling at nearly 400fps and the .177 (8.5grn) is doing 580fps I know which one I would prefer if I was a rabbit.

Just a couple of other things. First, as i said I didnt re-fill the rifle and all the testing was done with the factory charge of about 180bar, I still achieved 70 shots before i noticed any significant drop in power.
The other thing is weight. The AT44 single shot, with scope (and I am aware it is a small one) came in at......

..... 8lb 7oz or 3.7kg in new money.

and the AT44-10 (with a bigger scope)...
..... 10lb 6oz or 5.5kg. Thats nearly a kilo heavier for the multishot, and the multishot doesnt feel that HEAVY!!!!!

So summing up, If you are looking for a pretty awesome .25cal then this could be it. Give Tye or Carl a ring on 0844 357 0306. This is a rifle that could appeal to a lot of shooters, especially if you are looking for something a little different, and dont want spend a fortune to get it.

These are just my thoughts
Gary

PS I mayt try a "bigger" scope in the future, but have to say that the Hawke is a really good scope, with super clear glass and a really good illuminated reticle, maybe a x9 mag would have been a better prospect, but I know my limitations as well as the rifles.

My Benjamin Discovery

This may begin to sound a bit "Deja Vu" (ish) but I got my "Disco" from the guys at Solware.

 

 I seem to buy most of my rifles from these guys, I find their enthusiasm for all things shooting to be infectious, well I seem to have caught, whatever it is they have.

I got the Benjamin Discovery, as my first PCP, I got the rifle, and air tank at the same time, with a Hawke 3-9x40AO Airmax scope, so whilst this may be one of the cheapest PCP's out there, the initial outlay was, significant!

I found the recoiless world of PCP's to be, a step forward. I spent a lot of time with this very lightweight rifle, and for a .177 I found it to have a (as it turns out) good shot count from its 2000psi fill, 2/3rds of the air pressure of "normal" PCP's, but I was still getting near to 100 shots.

I spent a lot of time with this rifle, and over a few months had upgraded the scope to a Richter Optics IR scope. I made enquires with a gut at "Crooked Barn" in the states and subsequently got one of the fine Crooked Barn Triggers, a major upgrade as the std trigger, being plastic was a little unpredictable, due to flex. I got a really nice brass balled cocking bolt.

The next step was to source a hammer spring adjuster. I got a Gmac item that suited the rifle perfectly, and this fitted, along with an upgraded hammer spring, really got the rifle shooting well. The big advantage was the "adjustability" of the hammer, at the highest setting I was able to get "full Power" for the long range stuff, but also have the ability to lower the power for sub 35 yards stuff, and increase the shot count.

I could adjust the power between 11.9fpe down to 6fpe, and this in turn made the rifle perfect for anything between 8 yards and 55 yards, a good spread of range.

One thing this rifle had was a VERY loud report, when I say LOUD I mean F@&^** LOUD more like a 303 Enfield. I tried various sound moderators, all did their job, only made the rifle ridiculously long. I managed to find a suitable pistol silencer that subdued the sound sufficiently, nad kept the length down to a managable length.

I mentioned before the fact that this rifle was "dual fuel" It worked as a dedicated PCP, aswell as a bulk-fill Co2. The only real precaution was to ensure it was purged of the previous propellant before refilling with the alternate. A good feature if you want the significantly higher Co2 sht count, but at the expense of fpe.

This rifle is to me one of the true classic rifles. Given the chance I would snap another up, but Crosamn have discontinued the rifle from the UK catalogue, however I believe it is still available Stateside.

This month.

Well, it's been an interesting month for me, A few new rifles, and some reviews of previous stuff.

I find Air Rifles to be frustrating stuff, we all strive for the perfect tool, but sometimes, just sometimes, you have had it before, just didnt realise it at the time.

The one I regret selling on was the Benjamin Discovery. A simple PCP/Co2 dual fuel rifle, a classic Crosman developed rifle. Very similar in design to the Co2 crosman 2260. A truely great rifle, one I miss, but in the fullness of time, I have grown to realise that, what something costs has little bearing on how good it is.

Another Great Rifle I have let slip through my fingers was the Air Arms S400f Classic, at twice the cost of the "Disco" it aint "cheap" but I believe it to be a fantastic value rifle, it needs nothing, apart from a decent scope.

Both of these were .177's, a calibre I prefer for longer range stuff, I have found that setting the zero at 25 yards seems to work for me.

                                                           My Benjamin Discovery

Review of the Hatsan AT44-10 .22

First of all, I have the ongoing addmission that I am biased towards Hatsan Air Rifles. I have owned quite a few of the Turkish built masterpieces. I find the simplicity and build quality to be very high, and not at a ridiculously high price.

The AT44 is available in the synthetic stock (which I have tried, but doesnt suit me)

And the more traditional Wooden stock. The Wood used for the stocks, is a Turkish Hardwood.

I have purchased all my AT44's from Solware. I have found over the years that they give great customer service, but above all, have always assisted me with my purchases, with help and back-up.

So, As by way of a review, here we go......

The first thing you will notice is obviousley the stock, a well crafted piece of Turkish Hardwood, is sculptured to fit around the action, I, personally find the stock to be one of the best ergonomic stocks I have ever used.

 The stock features some superb checkering around the pistol grip. The "Monte Carlo" type riser is well contoured and of a ambidextrous nature. The stock is nice and slim around the thumb area, and blends into a wide fore-stock.

 The area around the trigger is clear and uncluttered. As the fore-stock goes further forward it has a flattend underside. I deal for shooting from a bean bag or bench rest. Giving a very stable shooting platform.

 The inletting in the stock, is very clean and supports the barrel bands very well, this firstly keeps the air tube solid and secure, but also helps maintain a reliable and consistant firing cycle.

 A very well engineered adjustable butt plate allows the shooter to improve the feel of the rifle in the shoulder, thus maintaing the consistancy.

Filling the AT44 is simplicity itself. Using the supplied filler adapter, fitted to your recharging method of choice, I use a scuba tank, but some prefer the foot pump method. Simply rotate the cover at the front of the air tube, to reveal the filler hole, and insert the adapter. You can fill the AT44 to 200 bar, but test's have revealed the rifle works best filled to around 190 bar. Filling to this level achieves the most consistant shots. Filling to the maximum 200 bar gives the first 10 or so shots too much air causing valve lock and subsequent drop of pressure.

 An auto safety is another feature of the rifle, great in the field when you want to make a quick shot, without all the noise from a normal bolt action. The AT44 features a side lever, something that is more common on rifles costing a lot more money.

Another "standard" feature of the Hatsan AT44-10 is a threaded muzzle end, for those that like to do things quietly.

A very tidy end cap is simply unscrewed and the moderator of choice is screwed on using the common 1/2" UNF thread.

 Simplicty is the key on this rifle, none of the fragile plastic plastic parts you find on more expensive rifles are to be found on this rifle, this of course does come at the cost of weight, but as the rifle is so well balanced it does not pose a problem.

 One of the major bonuses of most of the Hatsan range, is the inclusion of the "Quattro" trigger. I have found this to be one of the best features of Hatsan Rifles, it can be fully adjusted to suit any shooting style. I reduce the throw on the second stage and lighten the feel to give a clean sharp release without being a "hair trigger"

 Loading the rifle is a simple operation, simply pull the sidelever back to the cocked position, then push the retaining lever forward, and out comes the metal magazine (two mags are supplied with the rifle)

With the magazine removed from the rifle, simply load the pellet of choice. I use Crosman Premiers or Webley Accupels, as they seem to be very consistand and seem to suit the rifles barrel.

Just locate the pellet into the mag and gently push home.

It is important to make sure the pellet is fully home in the magazine

I always flip the magazine over just to have a quick look

And a quick visual scan to ensure all are seated properly.

 

It is then just a case of replacing the now filled magazine into the breech. I return the retaining pin and gently close the sidelever. I keep a finger on the magazine to make sure it is in the right position, and the pellet loads smoothly into the breech.

There is, or has been, incidents of alledged jamming, this is nearly always down to not ensureing the magazine is correctly seated first, and the sidelever is "forced home"

 A gentle pressure form the finger is all thats required, if resistance is felt, just "pull" the mag back against the ident spring and it will seat properly.

 

One the mag is loaded back into the rifle and the side lever is returned the rifle is loaded, and the auto safety is engaged. It is now just a simple push on the safety button and the rifle is "live"

Whilst this may not be the best time to check air pressure, it does show the clear gauge mounted at the end of the air reservoir

 I have fitted a MTC 10x44SCB scope to my AT44-10, as I predominatly use this rifle for HFT type shooting.

 

Hatsan/Edgar Brothers Mod55s

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