Hatsan Flash QE .25 First Two Weeks

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StanM.

Member
Jan 17, 2021
16
2
New Jersey, United States
Hi,



I have been putting the Flash QE .25 through the paces for the past two weeks and would like to offer my observations and ask for advise from the experienced people here. First the good, accuracy is great, backyard quiet for sure, the trigger pull is ok, I will adjust it and it will probably enhance accurate shooting. I've been using it for squirrels and it has accounted for many, all have been a one shot deal. Farthest distance was a 50 yds head shot, but most were at 30-35 yds. Now the issues that may or may not be issues at all. While the gun is quiet, it didn't seem to be putting out at the advertised 870fps. I'm using H&N Crow Mag 26.25gn and noticed that while it puts the smack down on squirrels, it doesn't get pass-through penetration most of the time. I checked it over the chrony a few days ago and at 150 bar it got 675 fps. I pumped it back up to 200bar and got right around 800 fps the first few shots, then it drops 10-12fps till it gets down around 175bar and then it will settle in at around 680 fps for about ten shots, and then start dropping 10-12fps per shot again. I have tried adjusting the hammer spring out, 4 turns out CCW yielded 830 fps first shot and then drops 10-15fps each successive without stabilizing at all. If I could tune this to get 870fps and a dozen or so shots in that range with a 25 grain pellet I would be satisfied. Primary reason for getting the Flash was to control foxes that are terrorizing our chickens and ducks, I don't feel 700 fps is up to that task, and I would rather not use a .22lr. I watched all the youtube videos on tuning the Flash, and they were getting much better results with stock guns before tuning (and with heaver 32gn pellets) than I have been getting. Anyway, I went through a tin of H&N Crow Mags, shooting over the chrony and adjusting the hammer spring in and out, and couldn't get any better result than where it was set from the factory. Any suggestions on adjusting or tuning, or should I just look at getting a different .25? I own 3 Hatsan springers and a blitz, and they all perform at or close to advertised fps, this Flash just seems to be under performing to me. 

Thanks


 
I would check port alignment in the barrel first of all. Hatsans are notorious for having misaligned air ports. Mine was about %50 obscured in my 177 novastar. I basically tapered the barrel port toward the transfer port to get them to work better together. Mine gets 26fpe in 177 with power turned wayyyy down. Valves should be very similar if not almost identical
 
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I have 2 .25 cal Flash's. The most I can get out of mine is around 800fps.with and 25gr. Kings. I have added a huma reg to one of them. I have a ferrel cat problem in my neighborhood, with head shots they drop like a rock. So I think under 50yrds you would be ok on fox size critters.Airgunners edge on youtube has done some port work and increased his fps quite a bit. One thing I found out if you add a regulator, your air gauge will only read what the reg is set at regardless of your fill pressure.
 
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Another thing to consider it once you get your gun shooting faster, the days of 50yrd head shots with Crow Magnums might be over. I understand you wanting to make the gun more versatile power wise for larger animals but you might not be able to use your favorite and very effective pellet anymore. Getting a Crow Mag to shoot accurate out of any gun is not easy because guys push them too fast or big transfer ports damage them when chambered.
 
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Initially I sighted in with Benjamin pellets in the basement @ 30'. I looked at my pellet stash and found I had 5 unopened tins of Crow Mags, so I switched over to those. They probably aren't the best grouping pellets, but they sure do whack the snot out of squirrels. I plan on putting the gun on the table and just check everything out and finesse here and there if required. My thing was the expectation of 870fps, I should try the other three types of pellets (H&N Silverpoint, Hatsan Vortex and Benjamin) I have on hand to see if there is any difference, they may be better for larger varmints and also might shoot straighter. Only shot the Crow Mags over the chrony thus far because I have more of them to experiment and tune with. I watched the Brothers in Air and Airgunners Edge youtube segments over the weekend and just wanted to get right to tearing the gun down and trying everything possible to get more zing. Thanks for the input, I'm a bit more hesitant now that I may screw up a good thing by rushing into mod's. At least not until after evaluating the other ammo types first.
 
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Hi,

Thanks, I haven't checked the ports alignment yet. If I pull the barrel off, I might as well enlarge the ports and debur everything. Is there just the one set screw securing the barrel?
Click to expand...

Careful when working on the barrel TP. I messed one up once by using a drill bit. No more drill bits -- dremels and incrementally fashioned oval barrel TPs (towards muzzle and breech) are the ticket.

I thought there were 2 set screws to fix the barrel -- I had to remove the scope rail on my flash pups to get to them.

These are accurate guns, hold their air seemingly forever, and I really like the sideways orientation of the gauge. They shoot the H&N Grizzly slugs and the JSB Kings very well. You might also try the JSB Hades. I regulated mine, one with an Altaros and the other with an Audrius. 20 consistent 40 FPE shots, 140 bar reg set point.

🐦
 
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The JSB Kings have always done the best for me.

I tried finding a picture of my barrel port, but could not.... It's clocked wrong, and it's forward of the transfer port. I basically cut a diagonal transition.... almost like a feed ramp into the barrel to channel air toward the port bore.

I did shoot some crow mags in .22 earlier and I got them to group very well thru a 1st gen impact barrel. But only at the absolute lowest power setting (maybe 700 fps?) They have aerodynamics of a wadcutter. And those don't like going fast either, so I guess no real surprise.

Let us know how the tune up goes. I would be wary of opening ports up, myself. But it does not hurt to radius the 90 degree turn inside the barrel.


 
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Tried the few different pellets over the chrony and it went like this... @200bar H&N Silverpoint 840fps, Benjamin RN 820fps, Hatsan Vortex 820fps, H&N Crowmag 807fps. At 150bar Silverpoint 817fps, Benjamin RN 810fps, Hatsan Vortex 805fps, H&N Crowmag 788fps. Still not close to the 900fps claimed on the Hatsan website, (870fps in the owners pamphlet). Not quite at the point where I want to return it, but somewhat disappointed just the same. I'll call Hatsan to see if they will give out any tuning tips. I guess the lighter zinc pellets would shoot faster, but i'm not interested in trying them out. I will post an update after checking the port alignment. This is my second PCP, the first one I got was a Hatsan Blitz .22. The blitz is so much fun to blast away with, uses lots of lead and air, and the trigger is about 10-12 lbs. But it got me into the PCP thing. I have a hand pump and a YongHeng compressor. No bottle yet. Does anyone know if medical breathing oxygen bottles can be adapted for PCP filling? I have a lot to learn going ahead. Thanks.
 
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Since you are relatively new to PCP’s, I will give you a couple tips. Don’t sweat your speed more than your accuracy unless the gun is way too slow. Way too slow is an indication of a problem that should be addressed. Next, your choice of gun is a Hatsan. You need to allow a lot more leeway on your expectations than if you had a Edgun or Taipan. Hatsan says 870fps, we don’t know what projectile and what day of the week that test gun was assembled. With lower quality guns there are just too many variables to consider when you want to hold them to a specific spec. If it’s accurate, isn’t broke or leaking, just shoot it.
 
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DSCN0047.1614286382.JPG


Yes definitely a utility entry level gun, but I like that. Its working well thus far, just a bit lower fps than expected. I zapped this mangy robber earlier today, about 40yds facing front on, held between the eyes, he kicked a few times- a clean dispatch. I've got a little more confidence that the Flash will do what it needs to do now. From the looks of this one one I did him a favor by putting the lights out, one less chicken thief in the hood!
 
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Absolutely. My 2 regulated flash pups are remarkably consistent for such low cost guns. 820 fps with the Kings, 20 shots per fill. Of course you could crank'em up higher. But I don't want to. What I need are those 20 consistent and accurate shots out of that small cylinder. 

I subscribe to the similar statements made by Brothers in Air and a grizzled Air Gunner. "I used to turn all of them up, as hot as I could get them. But I have since learned to let each gun speak for itself, give what it has to give without stress."

Wise words.

🐦
 
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