Neil Clague AT-44 LDCs are pretty awesome!

[Rallyshark]

I recently had the good fortune of acquiring a brand spanking new Neil Clague LDC!  This specific model was made for non QE AT-44s and Pneumas.  However, I have a Bullboss.  That is no problem, since the barrel and cylinder are exactly the same.  I also had an AT-44, and have swapped parts between the two to test it.  Better yet, it gave me a chance to do a direct comparison with the factory QE system.  In otherwords, Bullboss and Gladius owners should pay attention to this review as well.

FIT AND FINISH:
This LDC is very well made.  The machine work looks top notch, and the actual finish on the LDC looks great.  I'm not positive, but it looks to be a matte black powder coat type finish.  The threads of the LDC are clean and perfect.  It threaded onto my barrel with no wobble, and snugged down perfectly.  Another thing I noted, is the length.  I figured it would be quite a bit longer than the factory QE shroud/ldc, but it wasn't by much.  It was just under 7/8" longer, so not enough to matter.  There is also some weight savings in my case vs using the QE setup.  The LDC isn't heavy and is not even noticeable.  For this section, it gets an A!

FUNCTION:
Now to the good stuff.  As my signature notes, my Bullboss is capable of some pretty serious power for a .22 Hatsan.  95% of the time my gun is tuned to 30fpe, which is the power band where most Hatsan .22s happily reside.  Let me tell you, this thing is QUIET at 30fpe.  Yes, my gun is very well tuned, and isn't loud at all with the QE, but it is EVEN QUIETER with the NC LDC.  I didn't even know that was possible!  The hammer strike is louder than the report of the gun.  On it's intended gun, an AT44, I can't even imagine how quiet it would be without the hammer strike in your ear.  I do believe it has more volume than the QE, even with the shroud.  That is a good thing when it comes to LDCs. 

Next up was the real test, high power tunes...  I really didn't have my hopes up for how well it would do with a .22 making 60fpe.  Boy was I surprised!  I am not kidding when I say the ping of my unregulated cylinder was louder than the actual shot itself.  I shoot from an enclosed space with a small opening towards the target.  The muzzle of the gun is a good three feet from that opening, so if a gun is loud, I'm well aware of it.  Neil's LDC performed beyond what I could have hoped for on the high power tune.  Most LDCs will make a well tuned 30fpe gun quiet, but it takes a really good one to hush an air hog making twice that power.  It is obvious to me that Neil has put a lot of effort into this design, and the results only further that observation.  This LDC will no doubt make any AT-44 into a backyard friendly airgun, regardless of state of tune.  For this section the NC LDC gets an A+!

FOR THE QE OWNERS:
The Neil Clague LDC poses a valid argument for junking the QE shroud on the Hatsans.  I have tested it directly against the QE, and in every state of tune from 30-60fpe in .22.  Just as an example of how well it works:  I have a bird feeder that is about 3 feet above my line of fire to my 30 yard target and about midway the distance to the target.  I was shooting  the gun at 55fpe, and the birds didn't even leave the feeder.  They looked over at the target when the pellet hit it, and not in the direction of where it was coming from.  Keep in mind, my target is a rubber mulch filled pellet trap, so it doesn't make much noise when a pellet hits it.  That right there says a lot about how effective the LDC is!  I even ran the gun below where I normally shoot to make it waste air and be as loud as it could be.  The difference in report was minimal, whereas it is much more obvious with the factory QE setup.  If you have an AT-44 QE, Bullboss, or Gladius that you want to be even quieter, this may be your answer.  If you just don't like the QE for whatever reason, the Neil Clague LDC will fit the bill, and your gun will still fit in it's case. 

CONCLUSION:
Guys, I honestly don't know of anything that could be better on this LDC.  It isn't heavy, and it is very effective.  Any AT-44/Pneuma owners out there need not look any further for a solid product to make your air rifle  backyard friendly.  The only downside for you is added length, but that will be the case for any LDC vs a gun without one.  QE owners should take note as well.  Neil's LDC outperformed the factory QE system on every front and every power level.  I highly recommend his LDC to any Hatsan owner that is thinking about one.  I have played with/worked on/tuned many different Hatsans with many different LDCs.  It is because of that, that I know how well this one works.  It is the best one I have personally heard/used on any Hatsan, hands down.  A+ Neil Clague, and thank you for making such a great LDC!  That's all folks

Below are a couple of pictures of it on my Bullboss, and with it beside a QE shroud that is no longer on my Bullboss