The HC in .177 will never as pleasant to shoot as the full length due to the very short barrel. They're actually quite harsh in comparison,to a .22 or full length. Because the barrel is so short you get a fair bit of piston slam. The lighter the pellet the more noticeable. Apart from the balance shot cycle wise the full length is far more refined to shoot
I have noticed that the .177hc seem to be getting more popular lately.
http://www.airgunshooting.co.uk/expe...0-hc-1-4566409
Also Im not sure the PS crowd would think that the short barrel was harsh