The Hatsan Dominator 200W

The Turkish manufacturer, Hatsan, has become a real presence in the airgun marketplace over the last decade or so, and their range of guns has cleverly evolved and expanded to meet global demand. Their PCPs are well known for the level of specification and features included in the asking price, yet take a closer look, and there are some intriguing spring-powered models in their line-up too.
On test here is the Dominator 200W, and this model is best described as a beefy piece of machinery, aimed fairly and squarely at the adult shooter.

Going large on the deal
Whilst underlever spring-piston-powered airguns are notoriously weighty, courtesy of all that necessary on-board metalwork, at just under 46” in length, and 9.9 lbs in weight, the Dominator 200W still takes you by surprise, as it’s one of the heaviest guns in its class. The oversized compression cylinder accounts for some of that weight, of course, and this allows Hatsan to offer FAC options to various markets, in much the same way as Weihrauch does with their large framed HW80. We are talking big, brash, and bold here, but if you can handle the heft, then there’s an intriguing package on offer, plenty of character, and some half-decent performance!
There are a lot of features built-in, and with sling swivels, Hatsan sling, and even a bipod attachment all part of the deal, there’s plenty to mull over. An adjustable walnut stock, fibre optic open sights, adjustable 2-stage trigger, automatic safety catch, safety release bar for the breech, a Picatinny style scope rail, and Hatsan’s SAS system, are all here. So, it’s time for some serious evaluation.

First impressions
The stylish Turkish walnut stock fitted as standard here is very appealing, and with those sizeable areas of machine-cut chequering, there’s plenty of grip afforded where it matters. Matte lacquer is always preferable to gloss in my book, and there’s some nice grain pattern on show. The sling supplied is a bit crude to be fair, with the company name emblazoned in Hi-Viz orange! I did find that the simple attachment clips utilized, scratched the stock finish slightly around the swivels, just by moving the gun around in and out of gun bags. That said, back in the real world, use this rifle as a tool, and does such minor detail really matter? The sling does its job at the end of the day, and all the hassle of fitting aftermarket swivels is avoided.
For the record, the finger wheel adjustable fibre optic open sights fitted as standard, are excellent. However, given this is no junior model, by virtue of the weight alone, sadly, I can’t see them getting much use. The front sight element is all part of the underlever catch muzzle assembly, which I should point out, has the barrel running to within half an inch of the tip, so it is not a silencer.

Preparation
The cheekpiece is adjustable via those large, slotted bolts, and that means that eye/scope alignment can be perfectly tailored to the individual, which is a great advantage. Fitting a scope to this model is easy too, with the option of either conventional mounts or Picatinny style, given the dual feature scope rail. Get the scope tightened up and in place, and then gently slacken the cheekpiece bolts and raise or lower the cheek until the stock gently applies pressure to maintain that sight picture. Re-tighten the bolts and you’re all ready to go.
Cocking is via the front-mounted underlever, which, admittedly, does feature a highly irritating catch arrangement, reminiscent of Weihrauch’s early attempts with the HW77. It is fiddly, but I found the best approach was to push the brass catches forward and just let the lever drop, instead of trying to pull it down at the same time. Pull the lever down in one positive sweep, until the trigger engages, and then all the safety features are set. Hold the lever with the left hand (always safe policy with this style of action) and push home a pellet directly into the exposed lip of the barrel. Now, press the safety bar on the right side, and at the same time, close and snap shut the underlever. Pull back the safety catch at the rear of the action, and the shot is now ready.
Fancy using the bipod that comes in the box? Well, it’s nice and simple, with a spring-loaded design that just clamps around the underlever. It works too, either for stable shooting from the prone position or just as a temporary gun rest on the range. Either way, it all adds to the Dominator’s appeal.

Performance
Time to see how the big Hatsan shapes up where it matters. I’ve encountered the company’s Quattro trigger on a variety of their models, and I have to say, it’s surprisingly sophisticated. The pull weight, first and second stage, and main sear engagement can all be adjusted, putting this trigger way in front of a host of cheaper rivals. Spend some time on careful adjustment in conjunction with the instructions supplied, and the end result is a very competent unit indeed. The broad, setback blade just feels spot on, and with a modest release weight, both consistent and predictable, good down-range performance gets off to a flying start.
Hatsan’s other internal feature, emblazoned on the cylinder, is their Shock Absorber System (SAS), and here, I’m not convinced. The idea is that the stock mounts onto a metal leaf spring, which, in theory, absorbs recoil, but on other lighter models tested, with SAS fitted, I’ve still found plenty of recoil. The sheer weight of the Dominator is enough to minimize movement here in any case, but on the plus side, the firing cycle does feel super slick, with a fast lock time. The action goes off with a quick snap, devoid of spring twang, which shows plenty of thought at the production stage, to the internal setup. Action noise, however, is still rather loud.
Over the chronograph, the consistency with FX pellets was nothing short of superb, with 10 shot strings returning an average total velocity spread of just 6 fps. This is just about as good as it gets! Accuracy over 25 yards, again using .22 FX pellets, returned ½” groups c-t-c. So again, well up to the mark, and very satisfying.

Conclusion
In this price bracket, Hatsan’s Dominator 200W has some serious competition to contend with, but it has so much character that it may just hold its own, certainly with the growing army of brand-loyal enthusiasts. On-board features such as the adjustable cheekpiece and the highly attractive woodwork, all help the cause. Yes, it’s one beefy, bulky airgun, that’s strictly for adults only, but if the sheer heft doesn’t put you off, then this is a serious piece of machinery, capable of good performance.