Hatsan Model 95 Quarter Bore .25 CAL.
“Excerpt from my CD “Old Air guns and Memories”
“Excerpt from my CD “Old Air guns and Memories”
It was back in late 2014 that I came across an ad for a Hatsan .25 caliber Air Rifle (made in Turkey), now I have personally never been a fan of the .250 “quarter bore” or .30 caliber for an air rifle. Maybe too old or just set in my ways at my age I guess! I felt the .177. .20 or.22.caliber would be all I would ever need for my air gun endeavors!! Well the ad stated $119.95 (Rifle only) and I thought what the heck at that price might as well go for it, at least I could say I have one in .25 caliber. I ordered it!!
This unit is the spring powered version not the later Vortex Gas Ram! It has the so called “Quattro Trigger” adjustable for trigger travel and pull and a “SAS” (Shock Absorber System) more on this later! The Rifle was well finished, blued action, checkering on the wood stock, rubber butt pad, and Fiber optic adjustable rear (green) and (red) fixed front sight mounted on a large front barrel shroud; with automatic safety. This is a big rifle, 45 inches long and weighs 8 lbs!! Cocking effort about 35-40 lbs. It also has scope grooves and a scope stop mounted on the rear of the receiver; but I will not be scoping this unit, a good quality scope/rings would bring it to 9+ lbs! Heavy enough as is! I did not expect it to be a tack driver anyway; 20-25 yards would be my max range with open sights! It should be a real thumper within that range.
After receiving it; I did my normal routine with any new air rifle, cleaned the barrel and it was “DIRTY”, removed the stock cleaned the stock attachment bolts etc. and got a good look at what Hatsan called their SAS (Shock Absorber System)! What looks like (didn’t measure) a 1/8” thick piece flat bar ½” wide at the front with a larger end 7/8 heat rolled into a circle at the rear end, with the front flat end welded to the bottom of the compression tube so as to have the circle centered with the front stock bolt and a synthetic bushing inserted in the circle end in which the front stock bolt went thru, odd indeed!! The theory (I assume) being that the synthetic bushing would absorb any vibration/shock transmitted to the front stock bolt during the firing sequence! Well that’s what it looks like to me anyway; I stand to be corrected if not!!! One thing it is not; is a recoil reducer as I have seen it described elsewhere!!! Does it work; can’t hurt! Anyhow it was reassembled with blue lock tight on the stock bolts front and rear and trigger set @ 3.75 lbs. One other thing I had to do was shave a few thousands off each side of the front sight as there was no clearance side to side in the rear sight notch when aiming; the front sight filled the rear sight notch!!! I personally have to have that clearance with open sights; others may not, couple passes on each side of the front sight with barrel set up in the Mill took care of that!
I used Benjamin Domed 27.8 grain pellets for a 100 round sight in and break in procedure. The Benjamin pellets averaged 530fps but accuracy was not very good, “think”3- 4 inch groups at 25 yards!! Anyway they were sufficient for break in and fairly cheap and available at Wally”s! After the break in I tried 4 other brands of pellets, JSB Exact King 25.39 grain AA (Air Arms) 25.4 grain –Polymag Predator 26.0 grain- H&N Excite Copper plated pointed 24.5 grain. Only 2 of the above pellets offered any semblance of accuracy; the H&N and the Polymag. The Polymag averaged 588 fps @ 20 ft.lbs., the H&N averaged 617 fps @ 20.7 ft.lbs, basically equal in impact energy so it would boil down to accuracy!!
Target set at 25 yards shot from bench rest, the Polymag delivered 5 shot groups of 1.45” Center to center and the H&N Copper plated pointed pellets delivered 1.910” Center to center actually the H&N and Polymag switched places as far as accuracy goes one time it would be the Polymags and next time the H&N, but both hovered around 1.5”- 1.75” inches Center to center with 5 shot groups! Good as I could do with open sights, however I don’t think there would be a dramatic improvement with a scope; the firing cycle is pretty harsh, course I could be wrong!
It is a good rifle, short range power house! But I haven’t changed my mind, there is hardly anything that this rifle in 25.cal.caliber can do that I can’t do with my Crosman 114 .22 caliber, Benjamin Disco .22 caliber, BSA “Supersport” .22 caliber. break barrel or Beeman R-10 Carbine .20 caliber break barrel, all of which are lighter and more accurate and can deliver 12-15 ft.lbs; and the 20. -22 caliber pellets are considerably less expensive!! (I readily admit that many will disagree)! It’s just my opinion but I believe that these larger calibers; .25/.30 are better suited in the HPA/PCP Class of rifles; (not the spring or gas ram units) recoil is not a problem, and higher velocities are obtainable, consequently better accuracy would I think, be requisite. Maybe a Benjamin Marauder as an example; of course the cost of the equipment to run a HPA/PCP Rifle must also be considered!
I am glad I purchased the Hatsan .25 caliber; yes, particularly at the price I paid!! It was an interesting endeavor and a learning experience which is really the most fun!!! Folks, I hope no one considers this a beat down of the larger calibers, “It is not” just one old guy’s perspective of where they may be best suited! At least I can say I have a .250” Quarter bore!!!
Garey
