Definitive Guide to Hatsan Model 95

Here at Airgun Depot, we get a lot of questions from our customers, and one of the constant questions is usually something along the lines of, "I'm looking to get started in airgunning, what is a good gun for me?" Whether it be for hunting, taking care of pests in the garden, or just plinking cans in the back yard, the Hatsan Model 95 has been one of our go-to suggestions that just holds up. There is a lot to love about these simple, yet effective break barrel rifles and for the price, you certainly get a lot of bang for your buck. The Model 95 comes in three versions: the classic spring powered version, the Vortex gas piston version and the vortex powered QE version that features Hatsans Quiet Energy sound suppression system. All three offer something a little different, but all give you a few key features that are standard on all Model 95's. Each Hatsan Mod 95 features a German steel, button rifled barrel for maximum accuracy. Due to their quality construction, Hatsan barrels have always produced consistent and repeatable accuracy that have held up well to years of shooting abuse. Each Model 95 also comes ready equipped with fiber optic sights. The fiber optic sights collect light well and are very easy to pick up both in good and low light. They are also a great option for training new shooters and with the ability to adjust for both windage and elevation you can get them dialed in just right. If open sights aren't your style the model 95's come equipped with an 11mm dovetail scope tail milled into the top of the receiver as well as an equipped scope stop to help deal with the recoil of the Mod 95. The included Optima 3-9x32 scope is much better than most manufacturer included scopes at this price range, though feel free to upgrade your optic to suit your needs. We topped our test models with a Hawke Vantage SF 4-16x44 AO scope which worked extremely well. One of our favorite features of the Model 95 is the Turkish hardwood stock. Rifles at this price point don't often have stocks of this quality, but Hatsan really has done a great job with the 95 stock. The forearm is wide and flat which helps a lot with getting the proper artillery hold required to shoot these rifles accurately. The comb is a traditional flat sporter style and provides a nice cheek weld when using low or medium rings and the rubber butt pad helps keep the rifle planted firm in your shoulder. The Mod 95 has an auto safety that is placed on the back of the receiver tube. This is one of the better places to have a safety as you will easily get in the habit of pushing the safety forward with your thumb as you line up for a shot. The action is quickly second nature and you can easily slip into the habit of clicking it off before firing. All versions of the Model 95 come equipped with Hatsan's Quattro Trigger. Out of the box most Quattro triggers break between 5 and 6 pounds, our test models were right in line with that at 5 lbs 8oz and 5 lbs 1.8 oz. However, the Quattro is fully adjustable for both length of pull and pull weight, all of which can be adjusted with basic hand tools. The Quattro trigger gives you all the same bells and whistles as other high end European airgun triggers, but at a much lower price point. We have a great article on adjusting the Quattro Triggerin our archives that we highly recommend if you're trying to dial in your trigger. The Model 95 is available in three calibers: .177, .22 and .25 caliber. Other manufacturers often stop at .22 cal, so the addition of the .25 cal option really gives you flexibility to suit your needs. Though all are great shooting rifles we really like the Model 95 in .22 as it gives you the option to use heavier, harder hitting pellets than the .177, but at the same time make higher velocities than the .25. We tested both a Model 95 Vortex and a Model 95 Vortex QE over our chronograph with three different pellets as we thought it would be interesting to confirm that the new QE version still gets the same power as the non-QE Vortex 95. The results we got were impressive and both guns ran similar numbers.. If you pick up the traditional spring version of the Mod 95, you may notice that the springer makes a bit more power initially than the vortex models. We shot a brand new .22 cal spring 95 over the chrony and got power 5-8% higher than the Vortex, however those velocities will settle somewhat as the spring begins to take a set within the gun. The Model 95 consistently makes enough power to be more than adequate for dispatching pests and taking small game, couple that with its impressive accuracy and you have a great do all airgun that is a perfect work horse rifle for everything from backyard plinking to a day in the woods. We did some testing at 35 yards and were easily able to keep our groups under 1 inch with the model 95. The QE version of the Model 95 includes Hatsan's Quiet Energy sound suppression which helps reduce the report at the muzzle. Though the QE model is noticeably quieter the shooter will still hear more noise from the Vortex gas piston being released than from the actual barrel. Our sound meter tests found the QE version to be 12-15% quieter at the muzzle than the standard Vortex 95. That's certainly not the 50% reduction that is claimed for the QE models. While we have seen the QE system make massive sound reduction on a PCP, on break barrel guns most of the noise is coming from the action and not the report from the barrel. You are just not going to notice a huge difference no matter what sound suppression system you are using. If you are planning on using the Model 95 as a backyard plinker, the QE may be for you as you may want that extra bit of sound reduction. If you're going to be packing it in the field, we say save yourself the extra weight and dollars, go with the standard Vortex model. As with any break barrel the relative amount of maintenance required to keep them running is fairly low. The Model 95's are clean shooting guns, treat them right and they will last you a long time. We recommend using cleaning pellets or running a dry patch down the barrel every few hundred shots to avoid too much lead build up. Avoid using any type of solvents or oils in the barrel as this can cause dieseling which may damage your rifle. Another accessory we highly recommend picking up for all break barrels is a pellet pen. Especially if you're out hunting this will allow you to quickly and quietly load without having to take off your gloves and fumble about with a pellet tin. A must for all break barrels. Sadly if you're a .25 caliber shooter, you have to find a different solution as there is no .25 cal pellet pen. Other options that we like are thePhillips Pellet Holders that you can attach to the butt of the stock. They are available with varying depths to accommodate everything from standard diabolos to longer hunting pellets like the Predator Polymags. To hone your shooting skills (especially if you're new to break barrels and need to practice your artillery hold) we suggest a resettable field target like the Air Venturi Rat-On-A-Stick. You can adjust the strike zone from 1.5" to 0.5" and reset the target after each successful hit by shooting the large reset paddle, which is much more enjoyable than pulling a string to reset!