Hey guys, new guy here on the forum, mostly because I found this thread in a web search but I've also been interested in joining for a while, and now's as good a time as ever.
So, I got my first Hatsan Flash QE in .22 from PA just about a ago. I'm working on a video on my experience with it, but I'm also adding a second unit vid as well. In any case, the first one I got I was a little leery about right up front, but that's because I was unfairly comparing it to my BullBoss QE and AT P1 QE, and even my Carnivore QE (bb) and trying to keep in mind this was considered "entry level" and "affordable", so I would give it a break until I tested it out a little...
Well, after 14 days of struggling with mag/breech feeding issues, low shot quantity output and lower fps/fpe than I read in earlier marketing and advertising, I decided to send it back for a replacement. Btw, the accuracy was more than outstanding for the short distance I was shooting, but if it's repeatable (even as the air shot down..) that was a good point to me.
PA was really good about helping me with the return, and here's basically what I wrote regarding the issues/concerns I had with the particular Flash: "Dear C/S, concerning my order #xxxxxxx for the new Hatsan Flash QE .22 cal I just received on 5/24/18. I was so looking forward to using and enjoying it, but it's given me nothing but trouble from the first time I tried to use it. I read the manual (multiple times) familiarized myself with the operation and features, and from the first loading (or attempted loading) of a pellet (subsequent attempts pellets as well) it continually jams and locks up with a pellet stuck between the mag and breech chamber.
At first it was only happening with hollow points or domed, but in my last few attempts it is now also happening with some pointed (which were sporadically feeding in prior attempts) The problem is with both magazines, and I have made sure time and again they are inserted correctly, and far enough, etc... *Also the chamber chamfered lead-ins look scalloped or like tool chatter on a lathe. (see attached pic) Maybe that's normal, but just mentioning. In any case, I cannot get the either of the magazines to feed any (lead) pellets reliably at all. No matter how firm and straight I put that magazines in chamber/action area, the inside edge of pellet catches on the inner chamber ledge and gets gouged and lodges between the mag and chamber locking up (jamming) the bolt, requiring difficult measures to dislodge the pellet and magazine. I have tried this at least 10 times with fully loaded mags, 1/2 loaded mags, etc., and also several different tins (batches) of pellets. As mentioned, the mags work with some pointed pellets?,(lead free) but not with any domed or hollow points I have. I am extremely frustrated with this, and find the gun unusable unless I carefully place a pellet directly into the chamber and fire it single shot, which btw actually works excellently. Also, I am concerned that the power specs do not meet the specs on your product page, nor Hatsans marketing info.
In any case please look at the supplied pics and let me know if I can return this unit and exchange this gun for a different unit. I am seriously not happy with this airgun.
Thank you," So late last week I received the replacement from PA, which started off kinda rough in that the inside Hatsan box was bent, torn, and no packing material (scrunched paper) was at the barrel end of the inside Hatsan box packing into the outer shipping box resulting in the muzzle busting through the chintzy styrofoam and the box flaps were bent, bulged and imprinted deeply with the profile of the muzzle. The outer shipping box, or shipper handling was not the main cause of this. Oh boy I thought, this is not a good way to start out with a replacement.. So after meticulously checking everything as well as I could, I learned two things. 1. I didn't think the Flash was damaged or tweaked in any way. 2. The Flash is built pretty well for the cost. As usual, I quickly cleaned it, snugged up any marginally loose fasteners, and gave it a once over. Looked good so far, and then set up my chrony for some quick readings against my original last unit, and while not spectacularly different, it did shoot about 10% faster with the same (but multi brands/wgts) pellets. So far so good, although the safety lever was really stiff, like a real nasty mechanical binding with the trigger or something. My last one was rough, but this one was really sticking. But what about the magazines???
Well, (it'll be in the vid as well) I grabbed both mags, some of the pellets I had issues with the first Flash/mags with, and out to my barn I went. I loaded up some CPHP 14.3 gr, which were the worst offenders in the feeding issue originally, and after carefully and properly loading/seating the magazine (I'd had a lot of prior but maybe not successful experience..lol) I pushed in the bolt and probe, and it went right in.. I think I said on the vid something like, wow that's a good start... But that was the end of the ease of loading.. next one stopped, jammed, etc.. and I was perplexed again... So, right there seating at my little shooting table I had an epiphany that maybe I was just working the bolt too slowly?? Now that said, if the pellets are catching the edge of the breech/chamber that means I could be forcing a dinged, maybe now misshapen pellet into the bore and affecting long range accuracy.. Anyway, I started working the bolt and probe faster, and found the magazines/pellets could be fed to empty.
** One other side note I found and I do not like at all... If you short stroke the bolt, in-other-words pull the bolt back far enough to allow the advance of the mag and pellet (but not cock the hammer) and push it back in or loaded/closed you'll have a loaded pellet, but no cocked hammer to fire it. So, that means you'd have to recock the hammer fully, but that allows the mag to advance ready to load a new pellet (in this case right behind the first that wasn't fired out). If you realize it in time, (like I have twice now.. whew) all you have to do is remove the mag before you push the bolt forward the second time. Shoot it, then re-install the mag. A bit tedious, but better than a double load I guess.
So, lastly I played around with the mags last night and think I know what's been the issue for me and it's the opposite scenario I've read most other people think it is. I believe the inner star pellet retainer is actually more efficient than the design to try to seat the mag properly, and the proper speed needed to get the pellets out of the mag/star retainer before the spring torque of the star pushes the skirt of the exiting pellet sideways, and the nose of the pellet (now slightly sideways) catches on the edge of the chamber flare, or chamfer, thus causing the jam. I believe this set up of mag style and chamber was originally for semi auto Hatsan models where the bolt would be fast and consistently driven by mechanical precision with air pressure, not inconsistent human activation. But that's just my theory I guess.
Overall I'm quite happy with the Flash QE. It's magazine loading is not totally reliable with all users and units (certain pellets for sure) and the potential for double loading is a bit unnerving, along with some other teething problems, but it's quite powerful, accurate, and well built overall for the money. Now that I'm understanding how my unit (maybe others?) needs to be handled for mostly reliable operation, it's not as bothersome, but that's for each other potential owner/user to decide.
Wow, sorry for the book but hopefully some of the info will be helpful, and you did ask...
