What Are Your Top 3 Semi-Autos?

[DevilsLuck]

Semi-autos seem to be becoming more available on the market today. However some of these can be pretty pricey. So I thought we could get some board input as to what you consider to be the top 3 semi-autos, on the market today, and why. We can include those with the fun switch if it suits you, as they also incorporate the semi-auto feature. I look forward to hearing y'alls take on this. Thanks.

 

[wimpanzee]

huben k1 .22
huben k1 .25
huben gk1 .22

 

[_CTAIRGUNNER_]

The Huben K1 was really the first reliable, efficient, accurate semi auto. Many manufacturers have copied their system, like the rattler an sidewinder both of which have gotten great reviews but are a bit heavier than the huben. Lots of people like the L2 as well. My first vote would be the huben k1 though for sure.

 

[tnbndr]

I just purchased a Leshiy 2, which seems to be a nice semi auto. Just getting it scoped up and haven't had any range time yet.

 

[Revoman]

While it only has a five shot magazine, the Steyr Hunter 5 was still a lot of fun to shoot in semi-automatic. Very well assembled rifle and very accurate/quiet.
The magazines will immediately show any misshaped or dented skirt pellets as you will readily see the flaws when loading.
My single gripe about the rifle is that the air tube rattled against the barrel shroud, not a big issue, but annoying none the less.
The air tube empties pretty quickly when using semi-automatic alot as well. Overall, an excellent rifle however.

 

[RM100GUY]

Can't help you with three but I can say with confidence that the Steyr Pro X is a class act and has made a believer out of me.

 

[dan_house]

My AEA .22, Leshiy2 .177 and the one on my hip....

 

[Lotus7]

I have 2, a Steyr Auto 5 and a Steyr Pro X Scout. I agree completely with Revoman's take on the Auto 5 and also with RM100GUY on the Pro X. I really enjoy shooting the Pro X and it of course shoots better then me.

 

[silvershooter589]

Freightliner Cascadia, Kenworth T880 & Peterbilt 579 Sleeper

Nyuk nyuk nyuk!

 

[grackleblast]

I have only had experience with two semi auto air rifles: first; a FX Monsoon in .22 cal............cool gun, ahead of it's time....would only cycle with JSB 13.43 gr pellets, accurate and kind of loud. 2 LCS .25 cal............super accurate and a very consistent shooter. I don't own either now and am quite happy / satisfied with side lever / bolt action air guns. They were fun but I found myself just wasting pellets and air 'cause I could..........

 

[DonEnzone]

The Leshiy 2 and my Hatsan Blitz Bullpup (both in .30) are my personal favourites. Obviously, the Blitz is not a class act in terms of accuracy, but gosh darn if it isn't fun shooting it at mid-range. Especially with the extended 33 round magazines, and of course the "fun switch".

I briefly owned an SK19 but it wasn't really for me, so I doubt the Rattler and Sidewinder will do it for me either. Not that they're available where I live anyway. The AEA semi-auto lineup has left a sour taste in my mouth after my valve pin broke on day 1, and spare parts were impossible to get in my country. I've read that quite a lot of people experience similar problems, even with the newer models. Broken valve pins and busted magazines galore. Unless they fix these issues and make spare parts more readily available here, I don't think I'm gonna revisit AEA anytime soon. It's a shame because the guns look beautiful and pack a punch.

And that's where my experience with semi-auto rifles ends. I've never had the privilege of shooting the Huben K1 unfortunately, but given it's popularity, I have no doubt that it's amazing.

When it comes to pistols, I'd say the Evanix Viper is currently on top in terms of power and size. I have the Hatsan Sortie, which barely classifies as a pistol in my opinion (way too bulky) and has less power than the Viper despite it's bigger size. But with the Huben GK1 around the corner, I think it's safe to say that it will take the crown. More power and a better shot count. Looks better too!

 

[ChRiSiS]

Here is my perspective on a few…

My perspective on 3 Semi-Auto Airguns - Huben K1, Leshiy 2 and Steyr Pro X

A few months ago I got a hankering for a Semi-auto air rifle to go with my stable of FXs. I posted in this sub-forum asking for opinions on the three listed above. There were a number of responses, and I eventually purchased, through a series of events I discussed in that thread, a Edgun Leshiy...

www.airgunnation.com

 

[Daniair]

I owned two Huben K1, the second one was a keeper and quite happy with it.
Love my S45 too with the right ammo it's a very reliable semi auto.
Think the next one would be a Blitz Bullpup (I can pick one up during a trip August for a decent price, really looking forward pulling the trigger on that one)

 

[AlanMcD]

I have had a Huben K1 in .22 for a two years and love it. It is a fantastic, reliable gun. It is accurate, ergonomic, easily tunable, and very quiet once an LDC is added (it is not horrible without an LDC, but for comparison it is not as quiet as a Marauder at similar power levels).

I bought a .22 Sidewinder almost 2 months ago to "scratch the itch," and it is nowhere near as a good a gun as the Huben - the trigger is lacking, the gun is much louder than the Huben even at much lower power levels (and after modding it to wear a quality LDC), and the ergonomics, fit and build quality are not as good. A lot of the noise comes from the action itself, and a moderator does nothing for that noise.

That said, if I did not have the Huben I would probably absolutely love the Sidewinder. The Sidewinder is accurate, fun to shoot, and like the Huben easily tuned and adjusted for power - and the added full auto is fun on occasion.

I will say that the removable mag system on the Sidewinder basically solved a problem that was not a problem to begin with. It is nice to be able to swap a mag after 15 shots, but at ~$ 150 a magazine having spares is costly, and reloading them is actually a bit slower than reloading the Huben as they are a two part magazine. The biggest time element in reloading is picking up the pellet and orienting it to insert it into the magazine. It is nice to have the mag flat on the table to reload, but I have no issue reloading the Huben mag with it still in the gun (especially with the new aftermarket loading gates that are available - I don't know why Huben has not switched to one of these on their own).

 

[Perle]

HP SS+
HP carbine both in .25

 

[cmatera]

I have had a Huben K1 in .22 for a two years and love it. It is a fantastic, reliable gun. It is accurate, ergonomic, easily tunable, and very quiet once an LDC is added (it is not horrible without an LDC, but for comparison it is not as quiet as a Marauder at similar power levels).

I bought a .22 Sidewinder almost 2 months ago to "scratch the itch," and it is nowhere near as a good a gun as the Huben - the trigger is lacking, the gun is much louder than the Huben even at much lower power levels (and after modding it to wear a quality LDC), and the ergonomics, fit and build quality are not as good. A lot of the noise comes from the action itself, and a moderator does nothing for that noise.

That said, if I did not have the Huben I would probably absolutely love the Sidewinder. The Sidewinder is accurate, fun to shoot, and like the Huben easily tuned and adjusted for power - and the added full auto is fun on occasion.

I will say that the removable mag system on the Sidewinder basically solved a problem that was not a problem to begin with. It is nice to be able to swap a mag after 15 shots, but at ~$ 150 a magazine having spares is costly, and reloading them is actually a bit slower than reloading the Huben as they are a two part magazine. The biggest time element in reloading is picking up the pellet and orienting it to insert it into the magazine. It is nice to have the mag flat on the table to reload, but I have no issue reloading the Huben mag with it still in the gun (especially with the new aftermarket loading gates that are available - I don't know why Huben has not switched to one of these on their own).

I agree, somewhat. I have owned 2 Huben K1's (.22 and .25) and a .25 LCS SK19. I own none of them currently. I agree that the Huben K1 is the lightest, quietest and most ergonomic, and has the best trigger. I disagree that the removeable magazine on the Sidewinder solved a problem that was not a problem. Yes, the magazines are costly, but generally if one can afford a $2200 gun, $150 more is not a big deal. Reloading speed is only one factor. To reload the Huben K1 you will need to find a place in the field to lay the gun on it's side. It also ignores the fact that the best results are often obtained after seating the pellets with a small hex key, after having the magazine polished.
Couple of other things you missed. The ability to remove the magazine allows one to clean the Sidewinder barrel without removing it from the gun, and the Sidewinder with its 2 safeties vs 1 on the Huben K1 can be rendered completely safe by removing the magazine.
Because I prefer a .30 (not available in the Huben) for trash panda hunting, I want to easily clean the barrel if necessary, and like a safe gun, especially a semi auto shooting pellet from the magazine that is "always loaded" as long as there are pellets in it, I have a .30 Sidewinder with 2 extra magazines, and the Donny FL adapter (installed) pre-ordered. JMHO

 

[AlanMcD]

I agree, somewhat. I have owned 2 Huben K1's (.22 and .25) and a .25 LCS SK19. I own none of them currently. I agree that the Huben K1 is the lightest, quietest and most ergonomic, and has the best trigger. I disagree that the removeable magazine on the Sidewinder solved a problem that was not a problem. Yes, the magazines are costly, but generally if one can afford a $2200 gun, $150 more is not a big deal. Reloading speed is only one factor. To reload the Huben K1 you will need to find a place in the field to lay the gun on it's side. It also ignores the fact that the best results are often obtained after seating the pellets with a small hex key, after having the magazine polished.
Couple of other things you missed. The ability to remove the magazine allows one to clean the Sidewinder barrel without removing it from the gun, and the Sidewinder with its 2 safeties vs 1 on the Huben K1 can be rendered completely safe by removing the magazine.
Because I prefer a .30 (not available in the Huben) for trash panda hunting, I want to easily clean the barrel if necessary, and like a safe gun, especially a semi auto shooting pellet from the magazine that is "always loaded" as long as there are pellets in it, I have a .30 Sidewinder with 2 extra magazines, and the Donny FL adapter (installed) pre-ordered. JMHO

I agree with most of your points - especially about the lack of the second safety on the Huben. I really would like that, and have said so on multiple occasions. I also agree that the removable mag could help with barrel cleaning too. As for loading the Huben, I find it to be no issue as I actually prefer to load it vertically. I simply put the LDC down on a cloth or pack standing the rife up vertically, and load from the top - the pellets drop right into the mag slot that way and I seat them with my thumb, then rotate for the next few, and once all slots are full I go one more revolution seating the pellets with a golf tee. I have also found the Sidewinder to give better results with seated pellets too, so for me there is no difference in that regard. As for the gun being "live" all the time, I no longer am concerned about that with my Huben - I keep it locked up in my safe when not in use, and I am the only one that accesses it. Since the Huben comes in my preferred caliber, if I could have only one it would be the Huben.

I hope you enjoy the Sidewinder in .30 when it arrives - but I would expect it to be loud even when well moderated. I was hoping to set mine up for higher power but it simple is not backyard friendly enough for that (it is already borderline at 25 FPE, too loud at 35 FPE, and simply unusable at 50 FPE where I live).

 

[cmatera]

Have you done anything to the Sidewinder to attempt to mitigate the sound? Of course any semi auto will be louder than a bolt action, and little can be done about the sound necessary to automatically cycle the mag, but AoA does have an adapter to allow you to replace the stock moderator with an aftermarket one:

Western Airguns Sidewinder Moderator Adapter 1/2x20 UNF: Airguns of Arizona

and this member claims a great result that costs very little:

Best Moderator for Wester Airguns Sidewinder

Don't spend your hard earned $$ on inefficient after-market moderators that don't even fit the gun. Do like me, go get a pipe insulation foam at home depot and cut into slices that fit tightly into the grooves of the baffle. I insist, you have to cut the foam larger than the groove so that they...

www.airgunnation.com

 

[Sicumj]

First 30 cal Terminator. Shoots 47.2 slugs at 940 fps. Second is a TD in 25 cal. Shoots 26.8 slugs at 900. It has a Sumo moderator and short shroud. Both rifles are capable of hitting 12 ga shotshells hulls at 50 yards. I carry one or the other every day in my dog walks. The TD is light and easy to carry in single point sling. I carry this rifle mostly and have taken several racoon size game with it. The Terminator is an animal. Shooting close to 100 ft lb and I have it turned down it is a real hammer. I've removed the OEM bottles and installed a .7L carbon bottle and a Hogue stock.

 

[AlanMcD]

Have you done anything to the Sidewinder to attempt to mitigate the sound? Of course any semi auto will be louder than a bolt action, and little can be done about the sound necessary to automatically cycle the mag, but AoA does have an adapter to allow you to replace the stock moderator with an aftermarket one:

Western Airguns Sidewinder Moderator Adapter 1/2x20 UNF: Airguns of Arizona

and this member claims a great result that costs very little:

Best Moderator for Wester Airguns Sidewinder

Don't spend your hard earned $$ on inefficient after-market moderators that don't even fit the gun. Do like me, go get a pipe insulation foam at home depot and cut into slices that fit tightly into the grooves of the baffle. I insist, you have to cut the foam larger than the groove so that they...

www.airgunnation.com

I have the AoA adaptor on mine, and am running a Huma 40 Compact on it. The Sidewinder became much quieter with the Huma on it. I have not tried the "foam stuffing" idea, but it does look like a good idea - the only drawback is that the foam will break down over time, as it is not made to withstand the severe pressure waves that hit it with every shot . . .