I have always liked everything simple and basic. At one time a new car could be purchased without all the deluxe options that only raise the prices and cause more problems down the line. I just never wanted to be sidelined because of something suddenly going on the fritz - like trying to get a car with an automatic transmission running when the battery is dead. So, I would always make sure there was a stick shift because under the same conditions I could get it started without any help. Same with my rifles, they can have plain black synthetic stocks, and even have a matt finish on the metal just as long as they shoot straight. When you buy the Hatsan Edge you are really giving up having all the conveniences common to the more expensive deluxe air rifles these days, with no Quattro adjustable trigger, and no built in vibration dampening system, and not even a sound dampener of any sort. The Edge is as basic an air rifle you will ever find, so be sure it is really what you want before buying it. Two common characteristics about rifles that have always been a priority for me are: It must be light as a feather, and it must be a short carbine.When you look at the product listings at Hatsan, you will see a Striker Edge listed. Mine is just called the Edge, as listed by Amazon and Pyramyd Air. The synthetic stock on my Edge is solid black. The Hatsan emblem has been stamped into the receiver just behind the rear sight, and right beside that it says in big capital letters - EDGE.It was an immediate love-hate relationship upon opening the box. Everything arrived in perfect order, and after pulling the Edge from the box and cutting open the sealed plastic bag it was shipped in, I noticed an unmistakable resemblance in size and weight to my favorite Remington. This Hatsan Edge has a shorter length barrel, short enough for it to be considered a carbine, and I like that. Even the sights are positioned the same, so man I was now in pellet gun heaven. This shooter is quiet enough to clear varmints from my backyard and never arouse any complaints from neighbors. I set up for testing it out and the first shot missed the target entirely. For about the next 30 shots I cranked, and cranked the adjustments until pellets finally began hitting the bullseye. That also gave me a chance to become familiar with how this baby shoots, and so discovered during the process - the Edge really does kick like a mule! I somewhat expected that to be the case, and the Hatsan is also now the loudest air rifle I own, but not so bad to require ear protection.The Hatsan Edge has a good solid build, and unlike many other air rifles that weigh upward of 9 lbs and more, this one is a measly 6.6 lbs making it very easy to handle. The rifle snaps quickly to point of aim, and will easily hold there for offhand shots, very steady, and I was soon taking a real liking to this rifle. After a few shots however, it began to get a little annoying getting slapped in the face by the stock with every pull of the trigger. Don't expect that Hatsan added anything to help dampen the felt recoil from the thrust of the Vortex piston, so I took a closer look at just exactly what the factory did provide. Absolutely nuttin'. The shoulder pad is made of solid hard rubber for zilch cushioning. It is molded precisely to fit in this stock, and the stock itself is hollow and constructed of very rigid polymer. A temporary cushion made of micro-cloth solved the shock problem, so I formed some Kel-Tec cushioning material with its own adhesive backing and applied it directly to the stock. End of that slap-happy nonsense!Breaking the barrel open for another pellet takes a little more effort than normal, but can still be accomplished without setting the rifle on its butt pad first. It also takes a deliberate thrust to reset the barrel straight again, so you must remember that during the process, the safety was set automatically. The safety sits conveniently at the rear of the receiver, so just remember to push it in before taking aim or you might miss a good shot. Also, I know better than to even try to mount a scope on this thing because even if it lasted long enough to get sighted in, it would break soon after, so I'm using the always dependable factory fiber optic sights since that is all that is necessary for shots out to 30 yards.Overall, I fully expect this rifle will accomplish what I need, and do so reliably for many years. It is truly basic, and it’s a combination that works for me. Simply enough, it has a good solid feel and packs a real wallop, and some of that energy is even used to push those deadly 25 caliber pellets out the bore at around 600 fps or more. I'm sure to develop enough confidence in its reliability that it will be, as the old story goes, the rifle I grab while trying to run out the door.TRIGGER:This rifle does not have Hatsan's adjustable Quattro trigger. It just has the standard one they claim is also adjustable for pull & travel. That has turned out to be a real joke. Other than the supposed adjustment screw looking like it was salvaged from a mechanics old spare parts can, there is no adjustment possible, or rather if you try to back off on the travel, be prepared to catch the adjustment screw as it falls out of the trigger housing. So better to not even attempt adjusting the trigger on this rifle at all. There is really nothing to complain about it just the way it came from the factory anyway. And that works for me too.FIBER OPTIC SIGHTS:The fiber optic sights are enhanced by light and are easy to see under most conditions. They quickly line up and I'm hitting the bullseye at 20 yards with the elevation adjustment cranked down just about as far as it will go. The windage adjustment, just like the adjustments on my other air rifles, is now positioned two notches to the right of center in order to hit the bullseye. I don't know why that is because there is no wind here, so possibly it is just my crossed eyesight - or something.