Which would you buy?

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Imyourhuckleberry

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Apr 22, 2019
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MO, United States
Wife will buy me a nice birthday present. Which would you rather have, the Hatsan Lightning or the Air Venturi HPA 4500 compressor? It looks like the same manufacturer out of China to me, with a few additional adds for the Hatsan over the AV unit. The AV has the better reviews and longer time in service, but the Hatsan is $400 cheaper and is basically the same product. Which one do you tink is the way to go?

Mod Edit: moved to Air Tanks, Pumps, Compressors and Filters forum
 
Huckleberry, I purchased a Lightning a year ago and am still happy with it. I have 22 fills of my SCBA tanks. The hidden costs of having my tanks filled led to the purchase. I’ve recoup 1/3rd of the cost of the compressor in less than a year. And I definitely shoot a lot more than I use to. Good luck with your decision.
 
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I've "looked" at the Omegas, and like just about everything out there, there just isn't much to see in terms of longevity and reliability. So many of these compressors are new and there just aren't that many good reviews available. The Air Ventura does have more reviews than most, and they're mostly favorable, which is why I was leaning in that direction. I'd like to stay under $1500 and still get a reliable unit that will last me for several years without constant maintenance!
 
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Well, I've had a PRE - Omega Air charger since 2014. No issues so far. Fill a guppy and tiger shark. I'd buy one again if I was looking for another compressor.

I've attached a photo of it right out of the box. I added a radiator, fan, hour meter and temp gauge very soon after purchase. Added the gold filter with molecular sieve about a year ago.

1566854452_13096556175d644d34652f39.19674368_photo.JPG

 
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Make certain whatever compressor you decide to buy has excellent service available to you. The percentage of compressors that need service is very high, very nearly 100% if you look out a few years down the road. Are spare parts available (now and in 5 years), and do they have instructions for doing your own maintenance? Is it easy to work on? Are you within driving range of a servicing dealer? Do they have actual experience working on these, or do they just ship boxes?

A compressor is a lot like a car. They need maintenance and occasional repair. The lower cost units often need more repair than the more expensive models.


 
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That's pretty much the fly in the ointment here! I'm in SW MO and don't know of any service on high pressure compressors anywhere around here. I'm not that mechanically oriented that I want to be working on it myself, so the reliability factor is definitely needed. It won't get a tremendous amount of use, but I'm sure my number of guns will increase over time, so I really do need a reliable source of air for home usage. Money isn't really the problem, I just don't want to spend $3k for a compressor for a hobby if I don't need to.
 
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That's pretty much the fly in the ointment here! I'm in SW MO and don't know of any service on high pressure compressors anywhere around here. I'm not that mechanically oriented that I want to be working on it myself, so the reliability factor is definitely needed. It won't get a tremendous amount of use, but I'm sure my number of guns will increase over time, so I really do need a reliable source of air for home usage. Money isn't really the problem, I just don't want to spend $3k for a compressor for a hobby if I don't need to.
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Yeah, I get that. However, think of it this way. You say money isn't really a problem, you are not mechanically inclined and you want something reliable. A decent Chinese made compressor will cost you $1400 plus (you can spend up to $2K). If it breaks, and you can't get parts for it in the future, you are out $1400. An Alkin is about $3k, it's made to run daily, it will probably outlast your interest in this sport and if you need to sell it, you'll recoup a lot of that investment. If you decide to get some higher end PCPs in the future, you'll want a reliable commercial grade compressor with dry air to feed your guns. Knowing what I know now, I should have bought a better air source after my first PCP, I think it would make the sport much more enjoyable knowing that I have a reliable and dry air source for pretty much ever. I know you are asking about the Hatsan and Air Venture, so sorry for derailing the topic. Good compressors are a lot of money and a hard pill to swallow if you are not ready for the sticker shock.
 
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Believe me, I understand the fallacy of going "cheap" when it comes to these compressors. I haven't seen one yet that's been reviewed by several people that hasn't had problems, and that's my biggest concern. I don't know anyone around this area that does service these things, and I need to do some more research on that. The scuba shop is convenient, and I need to ask them about filling to 4500 psi if I had a big CF tank...also who services their compressor when it needs it? A shoebox seems to make a lot of sense if you're not filling a big tank, and I can get by with a guppy/buddy sized tank and filling my guns, so that may be the way to go. And, I already have a good sized shop compressor that would be more than adequate to power the shoebox The Omega Air Charger has about the most consistent reviews of anything out there under $2k. I could buy 3 of them for what I'd pay for a really good compressor, and surely 3 of them would last several years at least. Then again, Davv makes a 2 piston unit for $699 on Amazon that seems to get good reviews.

This is a very confusing equation, made much more difficult by a lack of service that would be even remotely convenient! My thanks to all of you for your input, and I'll probably be back with more questions down the road before I make a decision on this.
 
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Believe me, I understand the fallacy of going "cheap" when it comes to these compressors. I haven't seen one yet that's been reviewed by several people that hasn't had problems, and that's my biggest concern. I don't know anyone around this area that does service these things, and I need to do some more research on that. The scuba shop is convenient, and I need to ask them about filling to 4500 psi if I had a big CF tank...also who services their compressor when it needs it? A shoebox seems to make a lot of sense if you're not filling a big tank, and I can get by with a guppy/buddy sized tank and filling my guns, so that may be the way to go. And, I already have a good sized shop compressor that would be more than adequate to power the shoebox The Omega Air Charger has about the most consistent reviews of anything out there under $2k. I could buy 3 of them for what I'd pay for a really good compressor, and surely 3 of them would last several years at least. Then again, Davv makes a 2 piston unit for $699 on Amazon that seems to get good reviews.

This is a very confusing equation, made much more difficult by a lack of service that would be even remotely convenient! My thanks to all of you for your input, and I'll probably be back with more questions down the road before I make a decision on this.
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Three things-

First, while I'm not a Shoebox owner or particularly a fan, I do believe they will fill large tanks but would take a long time to do so. Others will probably give specifics.

Second, if you are in SW Missouri then you aren't far from Hatsan USA which is located in Bentonville, Arkansas. They might service a unit that you took to them or they might not but you are physically close to their headquarters so getting a unit there shouldn't cost a lot.

Third, I believe the Omega Turbocharger is the fastest version of the Omega line as it seems to use a dual head version of their basic system. AOA had them for just under $2000 last time I looked and I believe the other Omega unit is about $1400 so not a lot of cost difference but the Turbocharger does cost more.

Only you can determine your ultimate best solution for the situation.
 
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Being new to this sport and not having any of their products, I really wasn't aware that Hatsan was in Bentonville, only 1 hr. and 45 min. from where I am here. I've put in a call to them and am waiting to talk to them about what service they provide on their Lightning there in AR. If they are a service facility, it's no problem for me to drop that compressor off there with them if I have a problem with it.

Thanks for the info,very helpful and much appreciated!
 
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Being new to this sport and not having any of their products, I really wasn't aware that Hatsan was in Bentonville, only 1 hr. and 45 min. from where I am here. I've put in a call to them and am waiting to talk to them about what service they provide on their Lightning there in AR. If they are a service facility, it's no problem for me to drop that compressor off there with them if I have a problem with it.

Thanks for the info,very helpful and much appreciated!
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You might want to PM bigragu on this site. He has a pretty good history with the Lightning and can probably answer your questions. I believe Hatsan was supposed to move a few miles south from their original Bentonville location but I think it is still in Rogers, Ar. Basically all one town Fayetteville to Bentonville these days.
 
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First off, I don't own a shoebox compressor but that's going to be the next compressor I buy when my cheap china compressor gives out. IMHO an Oil-less compressor feeding the shoebox with a chain gang setup of oil water separators and driers will ensure dry clean air into the shoebox and should give some dry clean air for your airgun or tank. They are suppose to be very easy to rebuild and maintain with 100% of the parts available here in the USA and I believe USA made. They also give very good support of their product which can't be said for any of the china made products. 
 
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The Lightning is an awesome compressor to me, for the price point. Being mechanically inclined or not, one must be diligent with maintaining the service on this or any compressor you invest in. As far as the consumables go such as oil, coolant, filtration, etc., buy only the best, and don’t try and prolong the service intervals because these consumables cost money. Just like my old Toyota Camry that had over 375,000 miles on it before I handed it to my 18 year old nephew, I truly believe that car lasted as long as it did because I was religious with the service intervals on it. My Lightning is no different. Who knows when wifey will ever give me the green light on another compressor purchase, so I treat it as so. I even protect it from any dust and debris. I watch that thermometer like a hawk when it’s running, and pay close attention to any new noises, quirks, and always feel for moisture anytime I bleed the thing. I have a commercial massive flow fan blowing towards the compressor when I use it during the summer. When done, I don’t shut off the cooling system and water pump till the temps drop down to 100 degrees. Yes, sir, I go out of my way to baby this thing.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that setting instructions off to the side and trying to “figure it out” has bit me many times in the rear during my youth, and with this compressor, I follow all instructions step by step to the tee. If I don’t understand, I’ll ask the question here on this awesome forum.

With some of the fantastic feedback I get from others on this forum, I’ve made my own notes to add to Hatsan’s instructions, such as Centercuts comment awhile back on having a local air fill store fill your bone empty tank for $10 vs putting a two hour strain on your compressor, and just use your compressor for top offs from then on. The one thing I won’t do, is turn my compressor into the neighborhood fill station. The Lightning is a residential type medium duty compressor in my eyes, no way near as built as a commercial one like the Aikin. If and when my compressor fails to beyond no repair, you can bet that Aikin at $3K + will be my next one. It’s just part of being in this hobby. The way I see it, I don’t have cable TV, heck, I still don’t own one of those 55” screens like most folks have. Just a 32” one, lol. No cable TV either. But, when it comes to this hobby, I’ll buy the best I can afford for sure.



Huckleberry, I answered your PM, btw.
 
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Huckleberry I'm going to chime in here. I purchased an Omega Air charger from airgunsofarizona about 3 months ago. I have less than 4 hours on it at this point in time. I use it exclusively to top off an 80 cubic inch minnow tank. I do not have any bottle guns so I'm not filling any of my guns directly off the compressor. It is quiet, easy to service, and has great support through airgunsofarizona. I like you was caught in a quandary of do I spend 1000 or $1,500, or go 3,000 or more. I just did not have the financial resources to spend more than what I spent on the Air charger.
 
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I would go with the hatsan lighting. Its 1093 with free shipping from field supply. If you buy direct from hatsan its gonna be 1350 plus shipping. The av compressor is 1500 last I checked. Why pay more for less? Dont make any sense. Get the hatsan at field supply for 1093. It have auto purge, digital gauge you can program for auto shut off and auto purge time and can even calibrate the gauge to match your tank gauge. 
 
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