Hatsan 95....where do I even begin?

[river drifter]

Did you send it back yet?

I have the exact same gun, and had almost the exact same experience as you. Lots of good advice already in this thread.

My dieseling stopped after cleaning with Goo Gone on pull through patches. It still smoked sometimes for the next couple hundred pellets.

My gun did not like the 14.3 grain pellets. I tried bunches of different ones and settled on JSB Exact 15.89 gr. Anything above or below that weight threw groups all over. The 15.89 pellets are consistent, and right on the spot.

ALL screws and pins need loc-tite. I used blue Permatex. I even had a breech pin pop almost completely out before I used loc-tite on it. Get a really good 1 piece scope mount. I went with the Accushot and it has been great.

I can shoot from just about any position consistently now. While getting everything settled down I found it most accurate to use an open palm under the forearm with my first knuckle right in the edge of the forearm slot.

Good luck.

[SteveP-52]

I live inside the town limits, always wise not to irritate the neighbors or a cop shows up, sees the rifle and thinks you're shooting a real .22...it was quite the discussion.
I wonder what a pellet would do to a croquet ball......if they don't break it could be a new game....croquet with air guns....hmmm

[lefteyeshot]

The scope stop on the 1000 is to far forward for me. On my .177 Vortex 1000 I used a one piece off set mount to get good eye relief. On the .25 Vortex Striker I moved the scope stop forward to that second set of holes and used a two piece with the front mount backed against the stop. Eye relief is good. Haven't shot it yet like that. I'll let you know how it works. I haven't scoped the .20 VMX yet.

[lefteyeshot]

Sorry guy, posted that last one on the wrong thread. I'd remove it if I knew how.

[Methuselah]

I packaged it up tonight, waiting on a return label now. I've decided that since i got into this as a way of relaxing and having a backyard hunter, that I probably just need to open up the wallet and get a pcp. Anybody got a disco or marauder for sale?  Lol.

PCP's have their own caveats too, no offense meant, but giving up so quickly on the 95 and all - I'd suggest a DECENT slingshot.  You can hunt with it, it's silent, you can get as accurate as you want with appropriate practice, it's easier to troubleshoot, cheaper, and if you don't meet accuracy expectations you know exactly where to place the blame ...

[renegadelizard]

Your absolutely right, I could try a slingshot. I would get better groups with a slingshot, and I wouldn't have paid 200 for a slingshot either. Why didn't I think of that?  As for giving up so quickly, the only way I could get it to shoot a group of only three shots under 6 inches at 25 yards was to set it ion sand bags and use a pinch method of squeezing the trigger against the trigger guard....if I touche'd the gun with any part of my other than the two fingers to pull the trigger, the groups opened up to 6+ inches. Now where I'm from, when you do the same thing over and over again expecting different results is called insanity. I fired about 350-400 pellets through this thing and got the same results no matter how many different things I tried. So if I sound a little miffed it's because I am, and your comments (Steve) aren't exactly helpful, warranted, or appreciated.

[lefteyeshot]

I see you got a Gamo Whisper IGT. If that one shoots good for you there's probably something wrong with the 95.

[MicErs]

This whole thread has gone sideways.  The guy got a bad gun.  He sent it back. Why is there an issue?

[amb5500c]

Don, its totally possible that the gun never will do any better. If you feel like sending it back is best for you, then go for it. Its also possible that you just haven't hit on the right solution to the problem. Some folks don't have the patience or inclination to fight that battle. I personally, don't feel that a person should have to. After spending a good chunk of change, you should be happy with your purchase. Most guns can be improved and some folks like to tinker. I'll tinker to a very limited degree before I start reevaluating my choices. If I really have high hopes for it and think the gun can meet my expectations by more tinkering (by more qualified hands than mine) then I'll make arrangements for such. If not, then I'll chalk it up to a lesson learned and move on. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Richard

[MicErs]

Um, slingshot...  Some folks probably don't actually know that there are slingshot people who can get 100 FPE with a slingshot.  There are though.  Some folks probably don't actually know that there are slingshot people who can get 400 FPS with a slingshot, but there are.

Why anyone would talk down to another forum member because he has had issues with a gun, though...  That is beyond me.

Send the POS back and get your PCP and don't worry about those who would have an opinion.

[Methuselah]

Um, slingshot...  Some folks probably don't actually know that there are slingshot people who can get 100 FPE with a slingshot.  There are though.  Some folks probably don't actually know that there are slingshot people who can get 400 FPS with a slingshot, but there are.

Why anyone would talk down to another forum member because he has had issues with a gun, though...  That is beyond me.

Send the POS back and get your PCP and don't worry about those who would have an opinion.

Most first-timers who come here posting a problem and asking for help have done a keyword search, have some idea there is at least a little work involved and were willing to do it before they even posted, and then follow the advice generously given - at least some of it.  Too, most will hang onto a "bad gun" tooth and nail trying everything including recrowning, new piston seal, etc. before even considering sending it back.  Boggles my mind, but that that just seems to be the case.

If someone's idea of "fixing" it was firing 400 rounds at 25 yards and keep doing it with 6" groups, AFTER the first post is  "remove the piston and gas ram so I can clean everything. Can anyone point me to a tutorial on how this is accomplished?", well, my bad for thinking they actually planned on trying.

The 95 is from all accounts one of the nicest starter guns out there in the "economy class", wish I had started with it myself.  Oh, I've fired over 700 rounds through my first mangum springer and I'm still needing to work on it due to hold sensitivity and big groups.  Were it not for the Daisy 880 I'd have taken my own advice by now and got a sling shot.

I guess no more advice to newbies 

Flame away...

[only1harry]

Not every one is going to tear into the gun to see what improvements they can make or start replacing parts on their own (on their dime?) on a brand new gun.  If a new gun is shooting that bad I would personally send it back or request another one, or get credit towards another gun that I know should be shooting a lot better at 25yds out of thebox as per other owners.  My 48 was shooting 3/4" 5-shot groups consistently at 25yds with open sights before I scoped it.  After 10-15 shots it was a nickel sized ragged hole in the paper. 

Now as far as shooting 400 pellets to see if it settles in and shoots better is not that bad, and sometimes is worth a try.  When I first got my 350 .22 it was shooting 2" groups at 25yds.  After 300 shots it was down to 1.25" with iron sights and after 500-600 shots it was down to 1" or better and I was making squirrel kills at 35yds, and crow kills at 45-50yds - with open sights.  We know most Springers have a break-in period. 

In any case if it were my $200 gun and shooting 6"+ groups, it 'd be in a box on the way back to where it came from, if after a good bore cleaning did not change anything.  If it was a $40 gun I would not be surprised, but $200 is still a good amount of $, and I 'd expect it to shoot a lot better than 6" at 25yds. In my case I would not get a Magnum springer for $200.  I can think of other mid-powered springers in the $200 range with a better shot cycle that perform well out of the box.

Harry

[Martis 1]

Don,
Don't know if this will make you feel any better or not, but my experience was similar to yours.  I had a Gamo Big Cat for years.  Learned the artillery hold and actually got pretty good with it.  When the main spring broke, I decided to upgrade.  Upon advice from PA, I went with a .22 cal Hatsan 95.  Got so massively frustrated trying to shoot that gun accurately, (thinking back, I'm pretty sure was wrong inside...) I sent it back and went to the dark side with a .22 cal Disco.  That gun actually behaves like, well, a gun.  No fancy holds, very easy to shoot accurately, and down right predictable. 

Coming from a powder burning background, going to "the dark side", was the best decision I could have made. 

Man, I stall have nightmares about that evil 95!

[JoeV]

Guess I got dumb luck with all three of my 95's. Just got the .22 on Saturday and out of the box it's already telling me what it like to eat as you can see below. (11.5 meters indoor range)

FWIW, my brother had a bad barrel on one of his Hatsans. They told him there was no way, but after sending it to Hatsan they sent him a new one with a note that said he was correct. We're a family of engineers, machinists & gunsmiths, but retailers & manufacturers think we're idiots. Go figure...