Has anyone tried the Hatsan 900X air rifle?

Pine Marten

Well-Known Member
Hello everyone.

I'm looking for a cheap air rifle to sort out squirrels in my back garden as they've learned to avoid the cage traps (I think they're all now descendants of the ones who were never caught) and the rat who raids the compost bin. I assume he isn't alone. Ideally I need a silenced one as I have a lot of neighbours. I'm not going to be shooting at ranges longer than 15m, so I really don't think a scope is essential, and I don't need target-grade accuracy, I just want to knock over the odd rodent. Having done a little research, I've come across the Hatsan 900X, imported by Edgar Brothers, and what's more there's a shop near my work that has them in stock. Does anyone have any experience of these?

Hatsan Arms .22 900X Break Barrel - Spring New Air Rifle for sale. Buy for 90.
 
You gets what you pays for PM. Personally at that price I'd want to shoot it to see how quiet and how accurate it is. But even with a moderator any "springer" will still betray itself with that characteristic "twang" as you fire it. Maybe a pump-up might, I don't know, be less noisy?

Secondhand will usually be a better option and I'd try any of the gunshops in the London area to see what they have in stock that they haven't listed on their websites. And, of course, I am sure you are aware of the "new" law that applies to any projectile leaving your curtilage...in error or accident or not!
 
Oh yes, safe backstops all round, don't worry. As for the twang, I'm not that worried. It's the bang that I want to avoid. No-one cares much about the twang. The point isn't to avoid scaring rats, it's to avoid scaring neighbours. But I'll go to the shop tomorrow and have a look.

You'd think that up in Scotland they'd be giving away air rifles just now. I believe you can still order them by mail order, right? I realise it's a cheap gun, but for the limited use I have in mind, I'm not going to spend £500, although I do like those Air Arms rifles...
 
Oh, you can try before you buy? That's unheard of! Not once in my life have I ever been able to try a gun before buying it! I think I'll be bunking off work tomorrow afternoon...
 
A bit left field but have you thought about CCI CB Longs? I don't know where you live so don't know how feasible that is but they're unbelievably quiet through a moderated 22lr.
In a similar scenario I have seen them used against rats/squirrels by baiting in front of some bags of sand from B&Q. Very safe backstop but obviously limits your shots to that spot only. Peanut butter is good for keeping them static for a minute, as is liquidised fish cat food.
 
Jim, this is a suburban garden with a school at the end of the garden, so not happening I'm afraid. I mean I have everything I need to despatch rodents, but not there unfortunately. But the garden is surrounded by a wooden fence, and I intend to shoot squirrels off the middle one which is lower than the surrounding ones, so no pellet should ever leave the garden. And the rats are on top of the compost bin or on the ground, so again, pellets going nowhere.
 
Pellets bounce for a pass time on a lot of material and will pass through most commonly used fence panels, what if you miss low on the middle fence and the pellet skips off the top straight over the fence behind?
 
Jim, this is a suburban garden with a school at the end of the garden, so not happening I'm afraid. I mean I have everything I need to despatch rodents, but not there unfortunately. But the garden is surrounded by a wooden fence, and I intend to shoot squirrels off the middle one which is lower than the surrounding ones, so no pellet should ever leave the garden. And the rats are on top of the compost bin or on the ground, so again, pellets going nowhere.

Bugger, those CB longs are authoritative
 
I would be very wary about buying a used springer air rifle, even from a shop, and especially a cheap one. Very likely to have been messed with. I'm familiar with the Hatsan 900X and it's not too bad for a cheap air rifle. Most of the Hatsan springer range are surprisingly good. If you are new to springers then I would recommend you buy a .22 as they are a little more forgiving about the hold. You can only order air rifles by mail if they are sent to a dealer for you to collect.

At the distance of about 15 yards you might better consider a red dot scope. Some can be had for quite good money.

As far as the 'bang' is concerned there will be some sort of noise which the neighbours are likely to hear. You will need to zero the rifle and practice. Build a good backstop and pad it well. If there is an air rifle club near you it may be worth a visit but take any advice offered with care, there are some 'different' people in the airgun world.
 
15 yards? Weihrauch HW40 PCA + red dot + cheap cat food to keep 'em still!

All seriousness, no springer will be noise-free - the only truly silent air gun I have (and I have a few) is my HW100 - true stealth + power.

If you must have a springer, try perhaps to hunt down a little-used BSA Lightning XL SE - nice guns these and won't break the bank - alternatively, depending on where you are in London you're welcome to borrow my (lend-out-gun) .22 AA ProSport.

BEWARE - air gun purchasing can be addictive (well, it is for me anyway) :D

Pellets do ricochet though - much more than .22lr - I have used the .22 quiet lead (CCI) in my garden through my Anshutz and was surprised by their capability at short range.
 
From my limited, or rather long ago experience, a .22 is just as good at ranges under 20m for squirrel as any .177 at that range. There is no trajectory advantage of the smaller over the larger until you get past 30m....so either, or either, will do the job.

I used to bodyshoot squirrels when I shot them with my father's BSA Airsporter but got the odd runner. Which in your circumstances I'd be desparate to avoid becoming the "Squirrel Killing ******* Next Door". So "runners" are your greatest worry. Thus...

So headshots are the order of the day! After a gap of twenty-five years...yes that long...I shot my last squirrel last year using a BSA Scorpion T-10 PCP in .22. And that was accurate enough for a headshot. The .22 won't penetrate through the head but it will crack the skull and kill instantly. Squirrel won't move an inch.
 
What about a crossman rat catcher? Works off CO2 capsules, mod on it should make it nice and quiet like real PCP
 
15 yards? Weihrauch HW40 PCA + red dot + cheap cat food to keep 'em still!

All seriousness, no springer will be noise-free - the only truly silent air gun I have (and I have a few) is my HW100 - true stealth + power.

If you must have a springer, try perhaps to hunt down a little-used BSA Lightning XL SE - nice guns these and won't break the bank - alternatively, depending on where you are in London you're welcome to borrow my (lend-out-gun) .22 AA ProSport.

BEWARE - air gun purchasing can be addictive (well, it is for me anyway) :D

Pellets do ricochet though - much more than .22lr - I have used the .22 quiet lead (CCI) in my garden through my Anshutz and was surprised by their capability at short range.

And if they leave your boundary it's a criminal offence....
 
Shooting squirrels is undeniably satisfying, but hard to do in silence and sooner or later you'll have one get over the fence before it expires. So I'd recommend a different kind of trap.

I have a couple of bird-box type steel enclosures that take Mk4 Fenn traps. They are positioned with the entrance hole on the side level with the top of the fences the squirrels run along to get to the bird feeders and are baited with peanuts.

The anticipation of seeing a squirrel approach, and the satisfaction of seeing the box jolt slightly as the trap is sprung are not inferior to those derived from a successful shot but the outcome is both more certain and tidier, and the trap is always on the job.

So, if you were to ask me I'd say: buy an air rifle for fun, but upgrade your trapping to sort out the squirrels!
 

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Hello everyone.

Yesterday evening I finally had my first squirrel from under the bird feeder using the air rifle that Mungo kindly let me rescue from Scotland. I hadn't used it so far as I was waiting for the new hat to complete the set. I'm glad to say they both work!

2016-09-28_07-53-59 by pinemarten, on Flickr
 
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