Hatsan Model 95 SAS - First impressions

[QVTom]

First, I haven't touched a springer in probably over a year.  Nothing personal against them but my interests have moved deep into the Darkside.  Yes there is still a part of me hanging on to the light; just a small one though.

At the GTA fun Shoot I was lucky enough to win this gun in a raffle along with a Crosman NP camo Trail.  I only had one available space in my airline approved gun case for the trip home so I chose to keep the Hatsan and donate the Crosman to the Galatin County 4H club. (my kids already have their guns)

The first thing I noticed is wood on this stock is very nice.  It has color, grain and attractive checkering although the checkering is very fine.  Next, the gun is much lighter than I expected.  Most refer to the Hatsans as tanks; this one is ~7.5 lbs without any glass.  It's light and pretty so the obvious thing to do is shoulder it.  It shoulders nice and is fully ambidextrous which is nice for a lefty like me.  Once at the shoulder the very nice iron sights present themselves with bright fiber optic dots.  The sight picture is clear but the notch and post are a bit wide for my liking.  A closer examination shows the rear sight to be a combination of metal and plastic with excellent thumb wheel knobs that have stout detents.  No tools are necessary to adjust the sights and they do inspire confidence that they will stay put.  The front sight is a simple ramp post made of plastic that is molded into the muzzle brake/cocking aid.  The plastic brake/cocking aid does look a bit out of place on this gun as it clashes with the classic wood stock and blued metal barrel, breech block and receiver.  It doesn't look "cheap" just out of place.  The metal work is deeply grained and adequately blued.  This is obviously a manufacturing choice that gives a slight industrial look to the gun.  While not pleasing like a British gun the finish is very consistent which is appreciated.  Personally I'd rather have a deeply grained finish that eliminates small imperfections that one that is smooth and shows every imperfection that the manufacture didn't take the time or thought would be too expensive to work out of the finish.  One more note on the appearance, it seems that the trend is to laser engrave every possible warning including the instruction book on modern air rifles.  This drives me crazy and makes me curse the overuse this wonderful technology.  In the case of the Hatsan 95 it seems they did show some constraint with the marking but couldn't resist advertising the SAS Quatro trigger. 

Ok its reasonably pretty, light, and shoulders nice.  How does it operate?  The cocking force is surprisingly light, much like a Gamo Wisper but there are some interesting characteristics that I find take some getting used to.  First the barrel breaks with very little effort but requires a large closing force.   I would prefer the opposite; a stiffer opening and a lighter closing.  It takes special thought and effort to close this gun in a single action with out really slamming it shut to over come the extra effort required just before battery.  Of course after some muscle memory you will forget that it ever gave a problem but switching between a Gamo or Crosman muscle memory will have to be relearned each time.  Second I found that an extra bump of the barrel is required to latch the sear during the cocking cycle.  When the barrel stops and you think your are cocked but  a little bump more is required.  To explain this better the sear engages at the very very end of the cocking cycle; there is no over travel.  Again something that the can be easily adapted to by the shooter.  The cocking cycle engages the automatic safety which I personally find intrusive to my shooting.  In the case of the Hatsan 95 the safety button located on the rear of the compression tube is large and features curved surface that fits the thumb perfectly.  Because the safety is located where most will want to rest their thumb while shooting it soon becomes a friendly spot and is quite intuitive to rest your thumb and press the safety when the gun is shouldered.  The safety can be release an re-engaged repeatedly without having to discharge the rifle.  The  rifle can't be de-cocked.

I have only one type of 177 pellet, the Baracuda Power.  I found them very tight to load and the skirts didn't want to seat completely without using a seating implement.  These are fairly hard pellets, softer pellets like JSBs may seat easier.  The Quatro trigger is untouched and I found it to be a bit stiff but magnitudes better than the factory Crosman or Gamo triggers.  I need to shoot this gun much more before I can comment further on the trigger.

I have not done any accuracy or velocity testing.  These tests and results will be in part 2 - performance.

Tom

[SpiralGroove]

Hey QVTom,
I think you'll like the gun; my .177 Hatsan 95 is a favorite.
1) Ideally, pound or cut off the front muzzle brake and add a (worthy) metal one - then scope it.
2) A full tune can really smooth her out; Hatsan exterior beauty can be betrayed by interior (lack of) finishing.
3) Tuning the Quattro trigger & lightening the springs, improves accuracy significantly.

Enjoy ........... Kirk

[QVTom]

I agree Kirk, the 95 is a neat little gun.  I will probably shoot it with the factory sights to see how they suit me.  I have a lot of back yard pest that are well within the range of iron sights.  After shooting some more pellets and getting a chrony baseline I will most certainly start in on the full tune.  Stay tuned.

Tom

[Bwalton]

Wow how weird lol, when I got home from work today Hatsan sent me a 95 to review.......I will not be using the scope that it came with because I will be doing a hunt with it at a permission, and doing some accuracy testing as well. along with chrono readings.... I am going to stretch it out to see the limit it has for safe hunting. Mine is in .22cal. comes in @ 7.8lbs

[SpiralGroove]

Hey QVTom,
That's the nicest Turkish Walnut stock I've seen to date on a Hatsan 95, and I've seen a lot of them. 
If or when you want to part with it, I'll buy her for full price.

Baxtor: The Bwalton legend is growing   Can you recommend they send a Hatsan 135 (.22) to me? 

Kirk

 

[Pappywith4]

Hey QVTom,
That's the nicest Turkish Walnut stock I've seen to date on a Hatsan 95, and I've seen a lot of them. 
If or when you want to part with it, I'll buy her for full price.

Baxtor: The Bwalton legend is growing   Can you recommend they send a Hatsan 135 (.22) to me? 

Kirk

and me the 135 QE   LOL
\

[SpiralGroove]

Hey QVTom,
Out of curiosity, what ever happened with your Hatsan 95?
Hopefully good things ......... Kirk

[D14Jeff]

Wow how weird lol, when I got home from work today Hatsan sent me a 95 to review.......I will not be using the scope that it came with because I will be doing a hunt with it at a permission, and doing some accuracy testing as well. along with chrono readings.... I am going to stretch it out to see the limit it has for safe hunting. Mine is in .22cal. comes in @ 7.8lbs

where will you be posting your review at ? and any idea when it might be up ?