Hatsan Galatian 3 Carbine in .22 / 5.5mm

[Waterdiddy]

Hatsan Galatian 3 Carbine in .22 / 5.5mm - Honest (TOTALLY Biased) Review

Background.

After a long break from airgunning (due to circumstances, family and so on) while pootling around the web, I spotted

a Hatsan Galatian on Giles' airgungear youtube videos review page. I was absolutley entranced with it from the first

- this was a rifle to get me back into my shooting! (Thanks Giles! - and yes, I have subscribed mate!)

My rifle was ordered from The Sportsman Gun Centre website for £406-99, with the option to deliver to their Dorset

outlet for pickup being chosen. (Thanks to all there for their efforts on my behalf!)


1. Opening the box.

On opening the cardboard box, I was met with a nice, solid, black plastic case bearing the Hatsan logo on one side.

It comes with four slide-type closures and was padded internally with nice peaked foam. Nestled with the bubble-

wrapped rifle, was a box of spares and accessories, the Edgar Bros warranty cards and a Hatsan manual.

The spares/accessories are:

Pack of 4 filling probe o rings (in a clear solid plastic container with snap lid)
Pack of reservoir seals (in a bag)
Trigger adjustment allen key (in a bag)
Cylinder depressurising cap (in a bag)
Filler probe (in a bag)
Stock adjustment fixings tool (those who have used dzus fasteners will recognise it)
Trigger lock and key
Hatsan Sling (much maligned for being orange - wrongly imho)

A very impressive and a well thought-out package I think you will agree.

2. First impressions

I will freely admit to the frission of excitement I felt when I first removed the bubblewrap bag. The rifles metal

action gleamed at me, the tactical stock invited my touch. On lifting it from the case I find it's HEAVY, but in a

very nice and reassuringly solid way. The stock is lovley to touch, not having a plastic feel at all, more like

rubber - it's very, VERY nice! The metal parts are black, glossy and finished SUPERBLY well! This one, providing it

shoots well, is a keeper.

The styling of all Galatians is obviously shotgun-esque - Hatsan being a manufacturer of shotguns and it shows in

these rifles. This is not a bad thing for me, as a lot of rifles can be same-same - I actually LOVE the

individuality of these weapons and think the variations in style and finish are just what was needed. They certainly

raise their heads above the parapet of the market, like it or not.

3. Closer examination

From the Butt, which is adjustable for reach and buttplate height, we come to the adjustable cheekpiece,

ambidextrous thumbhole stock, containing the spare magazine and finally the receiver. This a a lovely piece of work,

with the rifle details on the left in a painted lined-out panel and the Hatsan and Galatian names on the right.

Finished in what I can only say is exceptional anodising, it is amazing in looks and sheer depth of liquid black

glossiness.

The sidelever is on the right of the receiver and is very smooth from the off, cycling the action and magazine

easily. The magazine can be tricky to replace, but not for long - you get the knack very quickly. It is replaced by

cocking the action, flicking the retaining slider forwards and then removing the empty mag. Fitting is just the

reverse. The receiver has dovetails for 11mm and 22mm mounts and the 11mm features weaver type styled cutouts, which

provide ample fixings for scope stops or other types of sights.

The Galatian has an anti-double load feature which works very well and the 14 shot magazine can be filled in situ,

being quite large it sticks out enough to accomplish this easily, if a situation demands it (though I can't imagine

one since the film Zulu!).

The safety is an ambidextrous manual affair, which I prefer to the auto-safety employed on so many rifles and is

easy to engage/disengage with trigger finger. There is also a red band indicator at the rear of the receiver, on the

hammer indicator stud, telling the shooter the gun is loaded.

The forestock has nice chequering and three weaver/pciatinny rails on it, 2 side, 1 under. It too, feels very nice

indeed. Recessed into this is the reservoir, which can be unscrewed and spare res's are available. Finally, topping

these is the fully shrouded barrel, anodised to the same deep, glossy black as the receiver, flaring about 6 inches

before the muzzle to accomodate the final moderating stage. A small shroud vent is visible about a third of it's

length forward of the receiver, just above the res.

The Galatian is filled with a quickfill probe, the opening hidden under a handy rotating dust cover, the guage

easily visible while doing so, on the end of the res.

Sling swivels come as standard too.

4. Firing

After filling the mag, inserting it, then cycling the action with the sidelever, the trigger was set a little too

heavy for me, so some adjustment was made on travel and second stage pull. The firing is quite quiet, but by no

means silent. As these are made FAC, the hammer strike is quite noticable on the sub 12 ft/lb examples, of course.

The shot squeezes off very nicely - it is a LOVELY trigger - and the first 5 mags were quite accurate, even with my

shooting being off from 20 plus years of disuse and the sheer excitement of firing this rifle for the first time!

The first shots out of the box to zero the scope at 25m were very smooth and had a fair bit of power. I don't have a

chrono, but they seemed all I could want from what I heard from the heavy strikes downrange.

After zeroing, remembering my lack of shooting in.... mmmm... 22 years, I was mightily impressed. I do remember from

my Rapid 7, PCP's delivering pellet on pellet was usually the norm and this was no excepetion. I enjoyed a group of

about 14mm, which really impressed not with my skills, but the Galatians help! Indeed, I certainly didn't expect it

and got excited all over again! After a break for a vape (I stopped smoking) and cuppa I resumed and pumped out many

more - for me - very impressive groups, most with pellet on pellet. (Perhaps the bipod clamped to the lower

picatinny rail helped a bit!)

This is just what I wanted after my long inactivity with air rifles! What a welcome back!
I have only tried two pellet brands at the moment, but I will be trying more, with AA Fields giving good results,

Bisley not quite as good and looking forward to Webley Accupel FT - said to be the best for the Galatian and some

german equivalents to be fired, too.

I managed to get around 6 full power mags and two more lower-sounding ones out of a fill before it was falling off

rapidly.

5. Conclusions

For the money I paid, I am over the moon! A fully-shrouded barrel, hard case, spare mags, spares and the SUBLIME

finish and looks on this rifle have totally blown me away, I must admit. Value for money is amazing and anyone on a

budget looking for a PCP with distinctive, individual style won't go far wrong with one of these in my opinion.

I will dare to brave taking a bit of flak by stating this rifle beats my rapid 7 in most areas, as I remember

things.

What a package Hatsan have put on the table!

I hope this helps any who are dithering, due to percieved lack of quiality controls or bad image for these beautiful

Turkish airguns - they are SIMPLY AMAZING. SUPERB. End of story, goodbye!

This is a product of the highest quality. (no, I don't work for Hatsan)

I fully intend to buy a Galatian 4 or the 1, with wooden furniture and standard barrel in the very near future! I

may even start a collection. I am now a fully-fledged member of the Hatsan Galatian Owners & Lovers Club.


Mind.... that BT65 looks tasty in side bolt format...

Thanks for your time and patience in reading, hope this helps some find the pleasures I have.

ATB

Pete

[secretagentmole]

It is not the hammer making the noise. I thought that with my Galatian 4 which is why I got rid. Just as bad on my Galatian 2.

You are suffering acoustic resonance of the pressurised air chamber. Or in simple speak your air tube is ringing like a bell!

Ready for the fix?

You will need a set of pliers, a good wire cutter, a baby bottle brush (fibre only type), a smear of silicon grease and a 17mm spanner!

1) Cut the handle off of the bottle brush, leaving a 75mm stem, bend the bottom 3-5mm over to make a hook.

2) Remove the air cylinder from the gun, do this by turning the cylinder anti clockwise.

3) Use the bleed tool supplied (the brass cap with a grub screw in) to empty the air cylinder, trying to catch the valve in your teeth is not to be recommended! Give the grub screw 5 or 6 turns clock wise before screwing it onto the air cylinder. Wait until all the air is emptied and then remove the bleed tool.

4) Using the 17mm spanner remove the valve, take care, if it does not want to come undone, tap around the top of the cylinder where the valve screws in with a plastic mallet and try again. Remove the valve totally from the cylinder.

5) Push the bottle brush about a third of the way down the cylinder and then put a smear of grease around the top of the cylinder where the seal will sit.

6) Do up valve nice and tight.

7) Undo grubscrew on bleed tool so that you can sit the tool on the cylinder to protect the valve, then fill with air and listen to make sure no leaks (please remember a spare seal set for the air cylinder is supplied just in case you mank the seal).

8) If no leaks, put cylinder back on gun, then try firing and listen to the difference!

Believe me until you have done this you won't know how quiet the gun can be!

[secretagentmole]

Galatian 1 - Wood stock Thumbhole design.
Galatian 2 - Wood stock Sporter design.
Galatian 3 - Synthetic Stock Thumbhole design.
Galatian 4 - Synthetic Stock Sporter design.

Carbines are available in any stock.

Rifles are supplied with open sights.

Synthetic stocks have picatinny rails fitted.

Scope mount rails are Hatsan Hybrid, they can take either Weaver or 11mm Dovetail.