My first PCP was a Hatsan AT44 W10 in .22. This was sold as the other half bought herself an X2 she did not like. I got the X2 and let the Hatsan be sold. The X2 was a great gun and was eventually sold for to pay the Super 10. I got another Daystate a while after. But the Mk 3 has a problem, no matter how carefully you load the magazine, you will get pellets entering the cocking reloading mechanism. It costs me about a fiver each time this happens, it can jam the probe and is a ruddy nuisance, happens a lot when roost shooting.

Battery paranoia is another sign of a Daystate owner who cannot remember when they last charged the battery and is wondering if there is enough juice onboard to complete a hunting trip.

The Mk 3 was sold along with a few other rifles that barely got used and now the slimmed down collection required a new .22 and .177.

The AT44 fitted the bill just nicely as a hunting weapon, 2 magazines, 2 stage trigger, screw cut barrel, walnut stock, known German barrel as well as build quality to rival that of German marques. Cost, a mere £329!

Bought the rifle home and took it to the permission the next day to zero the scope in. No joy. Could not hit a shoe box at 10 metres. I found out that at 5 and a half metres it was shooting 20cm to the right, at 10 metres this was enlarged to miss the A4 target, at 25 metres (my chosen zero point) not a hope in hell.

Spoke to the RFD who had gone on holiday and so was dealt with by his staff. Unfortunately (according to them) there was no stock left in the UK, so it would take over 2 weeks to sort this out. I was getting nowhere. I decided instead to phone Edgar Brothers and after reciting the same tale to them, including the trying 4 sets of mounts and 3 scopes, Dave in the Armory told me that there would be a new rifle tested by them on Monday, shipped to the RFD overnight and ready on Tuesday.

Lo, on Tuesday there was a call, the gun had arrived at the RFD and on Wednesday we collected it and left the faulty gun at the RFD.

And so it came to pass that last evening I was at the permission. The scope was mounted and I had it zeroed within 14 shots.

Now the AT has a trigger that is fully user adjustable and I found that a quarter of a turn clockwise gave a usable feel and was light enough to be very accurate. Firing gives a ping that although noticeable is not too bad. A fill to 200 bar gives 50 usable shots.

Grouping is very good. I am using Crosman Premier Ultra Magnums and getting ragged one hole groups at 25 metres. Power averages at 10.96ft lb, peaks at 11.16 ft lb and lowest point was 10.46 ft lb when I stopped the test. Not bad for an unregged beastie.

Whilst conducting the power test a damned Wood Pigeon decided that our chimney was a nice place to start homebuilding. A Crosman Premier converted the squatter to dinner. Nice fat pigeon too.

So the gun is good, the price good, wholesaler customer service, excellent!