That is kinda my point. You bought the BT65 because it was "great value". Had it cost the same as a Daystate, you probably would have gone a different direction. I like value too. Nothing wrong with a Buick. I just don't want to pay Mercedes pricing for it.
I don't intend to offend anyone. I own an AT44 myself. I bought it when I was out of work because it was good value. It was also a good way to see how I liked PCP guns before making a larger investment. Had it been $900, I would have bought something else. I am not some rich snob who is in a position to look down on others although I could see how it might come across like that. I was in a bad mood when I wrote that post.
If money was no object, I doubt anyone would choose a Hatsan above other brands. This is not me unfairly claiming Hatsan to be a budget friendly brand when they are really a premium one. Hatsan were one of the few companies offering accurate PCP rifles at entry level prices. Their AT44, BT65 and carnivore line are all priced at the bottom end of the PCP market. They're all good for the price but their accuracy, power, efficiency, build quality and design are not up there with the $900+ air rifles I have used. When I had money coming in again, I was very pleased to be able to upgrade my collection.
At a time where premium air rifles are creeping passed the $2,000 mark, I think it is important to have some companies who strive to produce high quality products at affordable prices to keep the sport accessible. Hatsan did a nice job of filling that void along with Crossman. It's a shame if they stop supporting this market. An AT44 or BT65 bullpup for $600 would have done very well.
Perhaps the issue is my expectation. I really thought Hatsan were going to make a bullpup that was priced at a level that appealed to the Marauder / AT44 or BT65 crowd. I am disappointed to see it start at $900. Branding aside, the specs don't warrant it imo. If what I read is wrong and the U.S. version includes the reg and LW barrel for $900, it would be a little easier to swallow but still far from a slam dunk. It's still less powerful, longer and heavier than the other bullpups.
Given how much people complain about the weight of the synthetic Cricket stock (a platform that is 2lb less than the Hatsan Bullpup), I am definitely not alone in thinking that bullpups should be light enough to comfortably shoulder in the woods, (without a bench rest). Surely the point of a bullpup is that it's more maneuverable and easier to carry for a days hunting. If weight and size are not important, there are plenty of excellent regular air rifles around the $1,000 mark. Why buy a bullpup and put up with trigger extension rods and high scope rings?
I guess we'll see how the Hatsan bullpup performs when it arrives. It's possible that Hatsan has significantly upped their game and created a totally new product from scratch instead of putting an AT44 is a bullpup stock. It could be that the identical specs is a coincidence or that Hatsan has a reason to deliberately make their 25 cal rifles 34 ft lb.
As someone who was a Hatsan fan, I will be very happy if I'm wrong on this one.
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