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Reader Survey >Hatsan Escort Hushpower .410 Review: The Ultimate Quiet Vermin Gun?
- Last updated: 13/08/2025
I tested the Hatsan .410 Escort Hunter a few years ago and was mightily impressed with its performance, features, and the price point. It was exceedingly good.
Well, it was only a matter of time before the chaps at Saddlery and Gunroom in Biggin Hill converted this .410 pump into one of their excellent Hushpower models. So, instead of a full-length moderator shroud, as seen on their other .410 to 12-bore Mossberg pumps, this Hatsan model uses the Escort’s multi-choke system with an extended full choke that accommodates Saddlery’s Hushpower .410 muzzle-mounted sound moderator, which can be easily fitted or removed for cleaning.
It’s an ideal solution for vermin controllers who need a silenced shotgun for rats, squirrels, rabbits, or discreet shooting. Priced at £599.99, the walnut-stocked version is a bargain!
This wood-stocked Escort version actually balances better in my view, as a polymer stock, although excellent for weather protection, is light at the rear and can make the gun muzzle-heavy. Here, this wood-stocked Hushpower weighed in at 6.82lbs on the scales.
The walnut is plain and light in colour, as you’d expect at this price point, but it’s strong and features a versatile, easy-to-maintain oil finish.
The fore-end is very generous at 9” long and 2” wide, with a pronounced finger groove to the upper lip that allows the supporting hand’s fingers to wrap around it for a good grip when pumping the action.
To enhance grip further, there is a comprehensive wraparound, diamond-patterned chequering panel that is laser-cut and not only feels secure in the hand but also looks quite sporty too.
The pistol grip features a more conventional cut chequering pattern on both sides, along with a few additional accent panels. It has a narrow, slim profile and a slender shape designed to suit a wide range of hand sizes.
The comb is low and there is no cast, while the length of pull measures 14.25”. It is surprisingly comfortable to shoulder, thanks to the soft black rubber ventilated recoil pad.
This wood-stocked version of the Hatsan Escort features a matte-black painted finish over a lightweight anodised aircraft alloy receiver. On top, it has practical 11mm dovetails for scope mounting, and on a compact .410 like this, the option to use a red dot or thermal sight is particularly appealing.
The mechanism is well thought out, featuring a sliding bolt carrier that locks on closure, finished in matte blue, and including a customary extended hooked extractor claw for flawless extraction.
The bolt is driven by twin parallel steel action bars attached to the fore-end, helping to prevent binding. With only 4” of travel, the action is quick and smooth for that second or third shot in the field. Once cocked, the bolt remains locked until fired. However, a small auxiliary lever located on the left side of the action, just in front of the trigger guard, can be pushed in to unlock the bolt and allow a chambered round to be removed.
In front of this lever is the loading gate, finished in matte black, with enough space to slide a long 3” .410 round into the magazine. As expected, this shotgun’s capacity is 2+1.
Trigger pull is rarely an issue with a shotgun, but I tested it anyway. On the Lyman trigger gauge, it broke cleanly at 4lbs 13.6oz, which was 2lbs lighter than the previous Escort .410 I tested.
The safety, as with most semi-autos and pump-action shotguns, is a push-through or cross-bolt catch located at the rear of the trigger guard. When pushed to the left, the shotgun is ready to fire; when the button protrudes on the right, the trigger is blocked and the gun is safe.
The barrel on this model measures 24” and features a black finish throughout, complementing the action area. It is chambered for 3” ammunition or shorter. I like the slim 6mm rib, as it doesn’t obscure too much of the target when using the single small brass bead sight.
Internally, the bore is finished to a high standard with a tough, oxidation-proof chrome plating. The barrel is made from chromium, nickel, and molybdenum steel, and is proofed for use with steel shot.
Best of all is the ability to change chokes, allowing the addition of the Hushpower .410 muzzle-mounted sound moderator. The system uses extended multi-5 chokes (F, IM, M, IC, CYL), so you can select the one that best suits your patterning needs, although Hushpower recommends the extended full choke for optimal performance.
This .410 Hushpower moderator is 9.25” long, has a diameter of 1.50”, and is made from aircraft-grade lightweight aluminium. It is finished in satin black paint and weighs just 310g.
The extended full choke is bonded to the moderator’s end cap, which is removable, with 1.5” of the choke, i.e. the threaded section, sticking out the back for a flush fit to the Escort’s muzzle. It’s a concentrically fitted mod, so it does not drop below the sightline, but it’s no issue, as both-eyes-open shooting allows use of the bead as normal.
With the end cap removed, you can see that the baffle stack consists of six dished-profile baffles, pressed into the aluminium body and not designed to be removed. A generous expansion chamber sits just before the first baffle.
At the muzzle end, there is a 0.5” deep aluminium end plug with a central hole measuring 0.560”, providing 150 thou of clearance over a .410 shot column. This is a sensible margin, and after extensive testing, there were no signs of pellet strikes on the baffles or any tell-tale rattle from trapped pellets, which is clear evidence that the design works effectively.
I have to say, this Hushpower conversion is my favourite. Despite the obviously longer overall length, it handles extremely well, thanks to its light weight and the gun’s shorter 24” barrel. Aiming with the Hushpower was straightforward, and all the shot patterns were centrally placed.
So, how quiet is it? You have both supersonic and subsonic ammunition options, and while subsonics are the obvious choice, I have to say this Hushpower handles all .410 loads with equal efficiency.
The subs were stupidly quiet, producing just a very low, hollow throng as the pellets exited the moderator. The supersonic or standard .410 loads were also very quiet, sounding more like a pre-charged airgun.
Pattern-wise, I usually test my .410s at 25 yards, so I set up the pattern boards at that distance and started shooting.
First up was Lyalvale’s Supreme Game Subsonic cartridge, loaded with 17g of No.5 shot. It was spectacularly quiet, with no noticeable recoil, and produced a nice, tight pattern thanks to the full-choked Hushpower moderator. A total of 139 of the larger No.5 pellets hit the board, forming a dense and slightly right-biased pattern—likely down to me—with 117 inner strikes and just 22 in the outer ring, meaning you can push the range of this Hushpower out further and still be stealthy and effective on vermin.
Next was the Winchester Super X cartridge, which is expensive but superbly effective and hard-hitting, loaded with 11/16oz (19.5g) of No.6 shot. I love this round, as it always performs, and my God, did it pattern well, with a dead-centre pattern of 162 pellets overall, distributed with 133 inner strikes and 29 outers. Just like the previous subs, that’s a cracking pattern by anyone’s standards, and quiet too – more of a startled squeak!
Eley’s Trap cartridge is my all-time favourite, and anyone who shoots .410s will know how versatile it is across shooting disciplines, thanks to its 19g load of No.7.5 pellets. We had a total of 286 pellet strikes, with a monstrous swarm of 250 in the 15” inner circle, and only 36 malingerers around the 30” circumference.
“The pattern was exceptionally well-positioned, dense, even, and hard-hitting. I was thoroughly impressed. Overall, this Hatsan Hushpower is superbly quiet and probably the best .410 I have tested! It functioned 100%, and it’s worth noting that you can load any size .410 cartridge, all of which feed reliably, making this an incredibly useful tool.”
If you are in the market for a very good .410 shotgun, then the Hatsan Escort Hushpower, converted by Saddlery and Gunroom, elevates this small shotgun cartridge/gun to another level. It is so quiet to shoot, and those patterns speak for themselves – a real bargain.
Hushpower Moderator Specifications:
click on image to enlarge
