Hatsan manufactures a huge selection of airguns and as a result, its product catalogue is unfeasibly thick. New designs arrive on a regular basis, and it really is difficult to keep up with all their latest kit.

Plenty of features

On test here is the new Speedfire Vortex model and whilst it may look like a conventional break-barrel, there’s a whole host of features built in. Look to the breech area and that rather ugly block arrangement is the big selling point. For what we have here is a gas-ram power plant, hence the Vortex suffix, and also a multi-shot magazine system! Suddenly it’s all in vogue and there’s no doubt that the fanfare and fuss caused by Gamo and their Swarm multi-shots have had a big influence on this model from Hatsan.

Visuals

First impressions of this model, certainly with regards to my test gun, are of a big, bold airgun that’s just a little rough around the edges. There are a lot of synthetics on show, with that full-length barrel shroud and synthetic breech block all one moulding. The muzzle assembly looks dramatic and coupled with the ambidextrous synthetic stock, there’s definitely a purposeful feel. The steel cylinder gets bluing applied and whilst the metal finish is a little unsubtle and patchy, the dullness is practical, plus matches the raised scope rail. An angular forend and plenty of grip panels all designed into the stock moulding, result in a gun that definitely feels good in the aim. This is helped in no small part by Hatsan’s fully adjustable Quattro trigger.

Main attraction

Right, no more delay, as we need to focus on the main attraction here - the multi-shot system. Look closely at that whole block assembly sitting on top of the breech and you’ll notice the Tru-Glo fibre optic open sights. There is a finger-wheel-adjustable rear sight, complete with green elements, plus a red element foresight that neatly folds down out of harm’s way when not in use. They offer a great sight picture, but these days, it’s hard not to be lured into adding a scope, given there are so many bargains available. Opt to fit glassware and Hatsan’s dual scope rail makes the job a cinch. The inner rails are 11mm dovetails, while the outer rim is Picatinny/Weaver. It’s a great design and neatly covers all the bases.

The Speedfire is supplied with two Rapid Performance Magazines (RPMs) - 12 shot in .177 (on test) and 10-shot in .22. To fill the mag, hold it with the writing uppermost and drop a pellet into the bottom aperture. Then, keep turning the drum anti-clockwise and dropping pellets in until it’s full. Now, snap the magazine into place and we’re ready for some action!

Trigger set-up

As mentioned, Hatsan fits its fullyadjustable Quattro trigger on this model, which certainly elevates handling in a vital area. The unit enables the user to adjust the pull weight on the first stage, the length of travel for the blade and the second stage release weight. Judicious tweaking needs to be carried out carefully, and if you don’t feel competent, then find someone who is more familiar to have a dabble. One thing is for sure, that curved set-back blade is just a great design and feels really comfortable.

Performance feedback

Cocking the action is pretty easy, which is no surprise given the long barrel and leverage afforded, plus the stroke is super-smooth. This is a gas-ram system remember, so no spring to ‘graunch’about. The clever bit here is that each time the action is cocked and closed, the mechanical device around the breech automatically feeds a pellet from the magazine into the barrel. So, 12-shots are available just as fast as you can cock the action. Well, almost. The minor irritation is that the safety catch sitting at the rear is automatic, so it just needs to be pulled back each time, before firing. In practice, to be fair, it can all be done quite quickly.

My test gun dieselled a lot at the start, but very quickly burnt off the excess lube and settled down. The Speedfire is quite noisy, but the snap of the gas-ram feels slick, save for a small amount of resonance travelling through the trigger blade. No big deal, but a bit weird at first.

Over the chronograph, 10-shot strings using Air Arms Diabolo Field ammo returned a total velocity spread of 15fps, and with average energy of around 11.2 ft/lbs, those are healthy figures indeed. Accuracy-wise, BSA Goldstar pellets just shaded it, but the Speedfire Vortex proved pretty accurate with most pellets sampled. Expect groups of around 1” at 30 yards, and you won’t be disappointed.

Fun Factor

With this style of gun, the fun side is a big factor. As the mag works through the shots, you’ll see a white splash show in the top indication window. The instructions suggest that this means it’s empty, however, I found this meant that there was one more shot to go. And on that basis, a safety regime makes sense with this type of gun, as it’s not always clear if it’s loaded. Basically, the magazine can be ejected at any time by pressing the small button on the left side of the block. Count the shots as you fire, and don’t re-cock without firing, as it is possible to load more than one pellet at once into the barrel. Avoid firing without a pellet too, as this may damage the internals. Stating the obvious, but never leave the gun cocked either. Stick to these basic safety pointers and this gun is just an awful lot of fun. The repeating system is an ingenious piece of design, and on test, it worked brilliantly without a hitch.

Thanks to Range & Country Shooting Supplies in Sleaford, Lincs., for the kind loan of this rifle.