World’s Most Powerful Air Rifle: “The PileDriver”

I’m thinking of names for the next one. How about “Doggy-Style”?

Every so often, someone introduces a new gun with a name so badass that I just can’t help paying attention, and Hatsan has definitely scored with the introduction of its new “PileDriver” pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air rifle, which is capable of producing over 800 ft.-lbs of energy in its .50-caliber chambering. Touted as the market’s most powerful production PCP rifle, the PileDriver was created specifically for big-game hunting. The tale of its engineering is almost as convoluted as the act that its name describes, but also as ultimately satisfying.

Producing an air rifle that can generate this amount of terminal velocity requires a very long barrel, which can quickly make a rifle unwieldy in the field. Hatsan solved this problem by incorporating much of the PileDriver’s barrel into the body of the gun itself, creating a true bullpup design. It uses a side lever cocking mechanism, and its 480cc carbon fiber bottle fills to 4350 PSI–providing up to six high-powered shots on a single fill. The PileDriver’s unique, patented hammer design eliminates traditional steel coil springs in favor of a smoother, easier-to-cock, gas piston mechanism.

The all-weather synthetic bullpup stock features an ergonomic pistol grip with textured grip surfaces for enhanced feel and control. The soft rubber buttpad is both elevation- and angle-adjustable to ensure controlled recoil and a comfortable fit. An elevation adjustable cheek rest ensures proper sight alignment with any optic. The rifle’s 14-inch-long scope rail is cut to accept both Picatinny and 11mm Dovetail mounts, offering plenty of real estate for a wide variety of optics. Three Picatinny accessory rails are attached around the air bottle for added customization. The high-strength steel barrel is precision rifled for long-range accuracy, and the absence of a shroud allows for the use of sabot rounds, further expanding one’s ammunition options.

Make no mistake; the PileDriver is a beast. At 46.5 inches long and 10.4 pounds, it’ll take almost as much muscle to carry this bad boy in the field as it does to perform a piledriver in one’s home, but I want to give it a try anyway…just to say I did. The MSRP is $1199.99. Click here for more information…or just scroll down to the comments section and leave us some ideas for what they ought to name the next one. (“Angry Dragon” comes to mind.)

PileDriver Specifications:

• .45 Caliber
  • Max Energy: 700+ Ft-lb
  • Number of Shots: 4-6
• .50 Caliber
  • Max Energy: 800+ Ft-lb
  • Number of Shots: 3-5
• Air Cylinder Volume: 480cc
• Fill Pressure: 300 BAR (4350 PSI)
• Tactical synthetic pistol grip stock with adjustable cheek rest and butt pad
• Overall Length: 46.5″
• Barrel Length: 33″
• Weight: 10.4 lbs