Hatsan Factor

Air rifles based on or even loosely styled on the AR-15 are being released with increasing regularity, so despite the like or loathe attitude shown towards them, they’re proving highly popular. The reason is, the chassis or parts fitted to an AR are very useful for gun fit, practicality and overall ease of use. The Factor on test is the standard model but there’s a regulated (RC) version, plus FAC models with power adjustment. Also, it can be purchased in all black as shown or Flat Dark Earth. It comes with 2x magazines, a single-shot carrier, a Foster coupling, a magazine lever assist tool, an adjustment tool, spare O-ring seals, a detachable foregrip with an integral bipod and a quality ABS case.

Big bottle

The standard Factor comes with a 500cc detachable aluminium buddy bottle, while the RC is carbon-fibre. The rifle takes a 250bar fill via a foster-type filling connector on the underside of the action and returns
approximately 300 shots in .177 and 340 in .22 and .25 calibre. There’s an air gauge on the right-hand side of the stock that’s positioned at the neck of the buddy bottle. A minor gripe is the fill port doesn’t have a cover cap, but I’m sure you’d find one produced for another rifle that’d probably fit if it overly bothers you.

Hybrid handle

The ambidextrous aluminium and ABS stock consist of a length-adjustable butt section, a height-adjustable cheekpiece, plus a relatively spongy black rubber butt pad. The collapsible butt shows a spring-loaded lever on its underside and once depressed, lets the butt slide along the buffer tube, allowing you to tailor the length of pull to suit (12.4” to 15.6” max). The height-adjustable cheekpiece is positioned and secured by a generously-sized finger-friendly thumbwheel on the right-hand side of the stock. This can be reversed to operate from the left should you prefer it that way. As you’d expect of a rifle of this style, it also has a steep drop-down rubberised pistol grip with finger contouring on the forward face.

Going forward

The slab-sided action forward of the integral trigger guard pretty much serves as the forend. However, Hatsan has installed a small run of Picatinny rail that runs under the neck area of the buddy bottle. This has cleverly been made comfortable to hold, as it can be fitted with a removable rubber shroud (included). For off-hand shooting, it naturally sits in the palm of the leading hand, while your fingers can stabilise your hold by gripping the buddy bottle. I think more manufacturers should take note of this superb idea, as some rails do dig into your hand. Nice one Hatsan! Should you choose not to shoot in this way, you can fit Hatsan’s ABS vertical forend grip to the rail. The grip serves a dual purpose, as not only is there a run of Picatinny rail on the top side of the grip but the grip itself holds a telescopic, spring-loaded bipod. If you attach the grip with the attachment screw to the right (rail to the left), there’s a button at the very top of the grip directly facing you that you push in with your thumb resulting in the spring-loaded legs of the pod being deployed. It’s a very basic design but one that can be of use. However, you don’t have a tilt and pan facility, so I’d say it’s usable but if you shoot regularly off a bipod, then there are plenty of models that will fit the underslung accessory rail instead of using the grip.

Mr T

The Factor has a T-bolt-style handle on the end of the side-lever, which is also designed with a spring-assist mechanism, making the operation of the lever quite unique. Just slightly moving the lever outwards sees it flick out approximately 90º to the action, then you manually need to pull it fully back to cock the rifle. The lever operates quietly and smoothly, plus due to its configuration, it’s easy to access, making the cocking operation a doddle. Incidentally, the side-lever can be reversed to the opposite side of the rifle for southpaws. At the breech, the rifle has an integral articulating cradle that holds a single-shot loading carrier. If you want to use the high-capacity magazine, the cradle needs to be turned outward from the breech and the single pellet holder slid off. Then, leave the cradle in the open position for magazine insertion or removal. Talking of which, the magazine is positively huge in comparison to what many are used to, but it is a well-designed unit that has a unique method for filling. It holds 24 shots in .177, 21 in .22 and 19 in .25.

Big unit

The magazine might well be a big unit but works in the same way as many self-actuating systems. With the Perspex cover plate facing you, and the hook and clip point to the left, you swing the faceplate around anticlockwise until it’s fully clear of the inner rotor. Once the cover plate has been swung around, you need to tension the red-coloured inner rotor. This is achieved by turning a large nut on the rear of the magazine until the rotor comes to a natural stop. It’s quite a big arc of turn and should you require it, there’s a winding tool supplied that mates over the rear nut, so you have a lever to make it easier to rotate. However, I found the nut is large enough to operate using my fingers. Once the natural stop point is reached, you drop a pellet into the first chamber, this is the chamber that will now show as a pellet-sized hole straight through the magazine. Once a pellet is inserted head first into this chamber, it holds the rotor in place so that you can then fill all the other chambers. Once filled, you then return the faceplate to its original position and insert the mag into the right of the action, aided by the swing-out breech cradle. Hatsan supplies 2x magazines and these can be slotted together so that the spare is immediately to hand when the first becomes empty. However, a single magazine dominates the right-hand side of the action and extends far enough out from the side as it is, so if you had two linked together, I think this would be a bit over the top! Although the magazine protrudes quite high above the action, you won’t encounter any major problems when fitting a scope, as long as it’s in high mounts. The scope rail consists of a lengthy run of Picatinny rail, with standard-width dovetails in between. Due to most scopes having to be mounted in high mounts, you’ll be glad of the height-adjustable cheekpiece.

Shoe in

The 2-stage adjustable Quattro trigger unit is of a post and shoe design, so you can alter it to the optimum position for finger-to-trigger blade contact. It utilises a rocker-style manual safety lever that’s positioned in a slight recess in the action, directly above the blade. Push forward to FIRE and pull back to put on SAFE. The trigger needed no adjustment, as it came pre-set from the factory and released shots predictably and cleanly. The rifle has a long shrouded barrel which uses Hatsan’s QE (Quiet Energy) shroud system. This tames muzzle report to a very acceptable level. However, should you require more sound suppression, the muzzle is screwcut to take a ½” UNF silencer. The only problem with this is that you will be making a potentially long rifle much longer.

Conclusion

Without a doubt, the Hatsan Factor is capable of accurate groupings, but it did tend to be a bit pellet fussy. However, find a brand of quality ammo that suits, and you’ve got yourself a highly effective, well-priced pest control tool with a high shot count. Now, there’s no getting away from the fact it’s a long gun dominated by the shrouded barrel and big buddy bottle, but if you can cope with a very short length of pull, then it becomes far more manageable. Plus, when scoped up, the balance still stays at the midway point. Also, the rifle has a very slim action, which combines well with the well-configured butt section. Overall, considering the price, it’s a rifle well worth checking out. Thanks to T & J. J McAvoy LTD for supplying the rifle on test.