Hello bootneckbob. Yes I have as I've owned a few Hunting 5's in the past, in both lengths and both formats (manual and S/A). You're right about little difference between speed of shooting, the manual cocking version is fast enough for most people and for either format, you don't need to break position to index the Magazine. The real difference in my opinion is shot count and accuracy. Both my S/As had a much higher shot count than the Manual version and knocked spots off the Manual as regards accuracy. I could get over 200 shots from my full length S/A and long range accuracy was unrivaled by most guns I've ever owned.

Vic Thompson.