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Definitive Guide to Hatsan Galatian
The Hatsan Galatian QE Air Gun sits at the very top of the Hatsan lineup, and for good reason. The Galatian is a larger than life PCP with features not seen on other guns within its class. The classic lines, smooth side lever action, interchangeable air tubes, exceptional sound suppression and the highest shot capacity in its class make the Galatian simply one of the finest air rifles available within its price range. Whatever way you slice it, the Galatian is a perfect air rifle for the person who is looking for an accurate, do-all type of airgun, but still wants the look and feel of premium materials.
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Detailed Review
The standard unshrouded Hatsan Galatian has become a favorite amongst hunters due to it's excellent power and accuracy, but it was too loud for backyard and suburban use. It also made a fine field target rifle in lower calibers, but again the loudness was a bit much to put up with for an afternoon of target shooting. Hatsan added the missing piece by integrating their Quiet Energy (QE) sound suppression technology to what was already an excellent gun. Discover why this air rifle is one of our current favorites.
The Basic Anatomy of the Galatian
The Galatian comes in a few different configurations, each available in either hardwood or synthetic furniture. The hardwood stocks are carved from Turkish walnut and feature nicely checkered pistol grips and forends. The walnut stocks present particularly well and have an heirloom quality about them. There's just something very eloquent about the Walnut Galatian. The synthetic version is equally as nice as its wood counterpart but gives the added ruggedness of a worry free, all weather, finish. The Synthetic Galatian is a great option for those who like to spend as much time as possible in the hunting blind. It also features the added benefit of a picatinny tri-rail on the forend, perfect for bipods, lasers, or illuminators. The Hatsan Galatian Air Rifle features Hatsan's two stage adjustable Quattro Trigger. The Quattro system has been used across Hatsan's entire lineup and features a light first stage and a crisp second stage. Out of the box the second stage break was a bit heavy and somewhat stiff, however Hatsan includes all the tools needed to adjust it to your liking. You can adjust the pull weight to as low as 1 lb, though out of the box it's just under 5 lbs. The Quattro trigger is, in our opinion, one of the best airgun triggers on the market. A crisp, clean break and easy adjustability go a long way in our book. The Galatian features a smooth side cocking lever that is incredibly easy to use and perfect for quick follow-up shots. We think more manufacturers should incorporate side levers as it lends to a more enjoyable shooting experience. Besides lowering the effort needed to cock the gun, the polished handle of the charging lever adds to the overall premium look and feel of the gun. One of our favorite features of the Galatian series is the magazine system. The Galatian features one of the largest magazines in the PCP world. The .177 can hold 16 rounds, the .22 14 rounds and the .25 features a 13 round capacity. Not only are the Galatian magazines large but they are also very easy to load. No springs to wind or loading gates to fiddle with, simply drop the pellets in and you are good to go. One handed loading with the Galatian is no problem at all. All these features mean more time shooting and less time loading. You'll also notice that Hatsan designed the magazine well as to not interfere with the mounting of most scope rings. Unlike other rifles, it's nice to not be stuck using only high rings. The ambidextrous stock of both the walnut and synthetic Galatian PCP feature an adjustable cheek piece and butt plate, as well as a slot to store an extra magazine at the bottom of the stock (a well designed feature we think is really great). The weight of the walnut stocked Galatian without scope is right at 9.5 lbs.. With a scope expect that to be closer to 10.7 lbs. With all that wood the Galatian is by no means a lightweight gun, but it does have a very balanced feel when shooting off hand. The synthetic stock is about a pound lighter at 8.6 lbs without a scope.Innovative Air Cylinders
There's so much to love about the Hatsan Galatian, but one of our favorite features is the innovative removable air cylinders that are featured on all of Hatsan's PCP air guns. The Hatsan air cylinders screw out of the gun so you can swap cylinders whenever you'd like (the cylinder doesn't need to be empty to be removed either!) The convenience of removable air cylinders is a great feature for hunters as it's much easier to carry an extra pre-filled cylinder or two opposed to carrying a carbon fiber tank or even a small fill bottle. For those who use a hand pump, you'll also find it easier to remove the cylinder instead of having to lay your gun on the ground. Recharging with the extra cylinder is as simple as screwing out the empty and replacing it with a full one, it's a quick and easy solution to one of the most common problems in airgunning. The 255 cc removable air cylinder includes a built in gauge and fill port dust cover. Shots per fill range from 60 up to about 80 depending on caliber and pellet size. The maximum fill pressure on the Galatian is 200 BAR or 2900 psi. The fill probe system used on the Galatian and all Hatsans is a plus in our eyes. Many people say that they prefer the more universal Foster Type valve, and while Foster Valves are more convenient because many pumps and fill stations come with them pre installed, we still find the probe system to be faster to connect as well as disconnect.The probe system is also easier to keep from getting banged up or damaged as the fill port cover is integrated into the gun. No caps or covers to have to worry about losing.Shot Groupings, Velocity and Decibel Readings
The Galatian Air Rifle we tested was in .25 caliber. Going into testing the Galatian had a reputation for being a great hunting rifle , so we wanted to see what power numbers we could achieve right out of the box with this higher caliber. Airguns are notoriously picky about what kind of pellets they like, however with the Galatian we found it to be very accurate with a variety of pellets. We were testing at 50 yards and the best performers were the JSB Diabolo Exact King and the H&N Baracuda Hunter Extreme, however the Galatian also ran the new JSB Diabolo Exact King Heavies really well and had no problem with the King Heavies thicker skirt size that other PCPs seems to have trouble with. About the only pellet it didn't really love was the H&N Crow Magnum. When it comes to power the Galatian has plenty on hand to get the job done. With velocities averaging at times more than 100 fps faster than competitors out of the box, the Galatian is a great option for someone who wants the power of a performance tuned air rifle but isn't interested in tinkering with the gun to get it right. The Hatsan Galatian QE, which stands for Quiet Energy, is as quiet as they come. When tested using a sound meter we got decibel readings as low as 64 dB, making the QE system one of the most effective sound suppression systems available.Maintenance / Accessories
As we recommend with most PCP air rifles, you're better off biting the bullet (or should we say pellet...) and investing in a carbon fiber air tank. Skip buying a hand pump (unless you really like mixing in a workout when you shoot) and pass on the aluminum scuba tank and enjoy the high psi capacity of carbon fiber. We don't want anything to come between you and some great trigger time, and the effort to hand pump your rifle is an obstacle most would rather avoid. The Galatian really comes with all the extra bells and whistles you can think of, including an extra magazine, a sling, extra seals & even a hard case to store/carry it in. The only item you'll need to pick up is a scope since the Galatian QE doesn't have iron sights. To make it easy we've bundled the Galatian with a Hawke Sport HD IR 4-12x50 AO rifle scope & rings at a great price. The Galatian Air Rifle is an easy gun to care for. Like most PCP's we recommend the use of cleaning pellets every few hundred pellets or so to keep the lead build up in the barrel down. We've also noticed that from the factory you'll probably want to clean out the barrel. Wiping the stock down with a microfiber cloth removes smudges and fingerprints keeping your rifle looking new, and other than the occasional need for a replacement seal (which Hatsan includes) your Galatian air rifle should provide you with years of shooting enjoyment. Removable Air Cylinders One of the highlights of Hatsan PCP air rifles is that they feature 255 cc removable air cylinders with included gauges and fill port dust covers. The added convenience of removable air cylinders is a great feature for hunters as it's much easier to carry an extra pre-filled cylinder opposed to carrying a full size tank or even a small fill bottle. These easily screw on and off creating a quick and easy solution to one of the most common problems with airgunning.
Quiet Energy Sound Suppression The fully shrouded Quiet Energy sound suppression system uses polymer baffles lined with cotton fabric to deaden the noise. Slightly too technical? Put it this way, Quiet Energy is one of the most effective noise dampening systems of any airgun. The .25 caliber Galatian we tested registered just 64 dB. That?s shoot-in-your-backyard-at-midnight quiet!
Power, Accuracy & Pellet Recommendation When it comes to power the Galatian has plenty on hand to get the job done. With velocities averaging at times more than 100 fps faster than competitors out of the box the Galatian is a great option for someone who wants the power of a performance tuned air rifle but isn?t interested in tinkering with the gun to get it right. Like pretty much all Hatsans, the Galatian had a real preference for JSB pellets; our test gun was in .25 caliber and we found the best groups came with the 25.39 gr. Exact King Diabolo. For those looking for a hollow point hunting pellet, the H&N Baracuda Hunter Extreme performed just as favorably from the Galatian.
Fully Loaded Extras Part of the appeal of Hatsan airguns in general, but particularly with the Galatian QE Air Rifle is the amount of features you receive standard: Quiet Energy sound suppression, extremely high magazine capacity, ambidextrous stock in either synthetic or, our favorite, Turkish walnut. But that?s just the start of extras. Add to that adjustable cheek rest and butt plate, three Picatinny rails on the forend for accessories (synthetic version only), two magazines included, magazine storage slot in the stock, extra o-rings, sling studs, sling and even a hard case is included as well. So though the initial price tag may scare some away. Further insight shows the value you receive outweighs the cost.
High Capacity Mags One of our favorite features of the Hatsan Galatian is the high capacity mags. Depending on the caliber you choose, your magazine will hold up to 16 shots! (16 rds in .177 cal - 14 rds in .22 cal - 13 rds in .25 cal). We can?t think of another PCP rifle that allows so many rounds in its magazine. And even though the magazine is large, because of the design you don?t have to limit yourself only to high rings to mount your scope over a protruding magazine. And when you do finally empty the magazine, simply reach under the buttstock and pull out the spare (two magazines come standard with each rifle).
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