MP5

Lore & Background

The MP5 was created as the HK54, a selective fire carbine chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum. Development began in 1964, and in 1966 it was adopted by the Bundesgrenzschutz and Bundeswehr special forces, initially as the MP64, before being redesignated as the MP5. The MP5A1 was introduced in the late 1960s. In 1970, the MP5 and MP5A1 were superseded by the MP5A2 and MP5A3. In 1974, the MP5SD, an integrally-suppressed variant, was introduced, and in 1976, the MP5K, a compact variant, was developed. In 1977, the original straight magazines were replaced by curved steel magazines. In 1978, the 'Tropical' handguard was introduced. In 1980, the MP5 achieved iconic status during the Iranian Embassy siege, when British Army Special Air Service operatives used MP5s with top-mounted flashlights. The MP5 has since become a mainstay in militaries, special operations forces and police tactical units across the world, but has gradually been replaced since the late 1990s by rifles, carbines and personal defense weapons due to changes in armament trends, including growing access to body armor that can stop handgun projectiles.

In Their Own Story

The corridor smells of wet concrete and old blood. Max racks the MP5's charging handle, feels the bolt cycle home, and steps through the doorway. Three figures in the next room turn. He presses the trigger once, twice—each round a small thunderclap stretched into a long, wet hiss as the world slows. The first man's eyes widen. The second drops. The third never finishes drawing his gun. Max exhales, lowers the weapon, and the rain outside the shattered window sounds like applause.

Reader's Guide

The primary version of the MP5 family is the MP5A2, a selective fire delayed blowback-operated 9×19mm Parabellum weapon that fires from a closed bolt. It has a fixed, free-floating, cold hammer forged barrel with six right hand grooves and a 1 in 250 mm rifling twist rate. The MP5 uses a hammer firing mechanism. The trigger group is housed inside an interchangeable polymer trigger module with an integrated pistol grip and equipped with a three-position fire mode selector that serves as the manual safety toggle. Most MP5 variants have the option of 'SEF' or 'Navy' trigger groups. The non-reciprocating cocking handle is located above the handguard and protrudes at approximately a 45° angle. The bolt rigidly engages the barrel extension, and the delay mechanism is of the same design as that used in the G3 rifle, using a two-part bolt with rollers and a bolt carrier.

Did You Know?

• The MP5 was originally designated the HK54 under Heckler & Koch's naming system.
• The MP5 achieved iconic status during the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege, when British SAS operatives used MP5s with top-mounted flashlights.
• The MP5 has over 100 variants and clones, including suppressed, compact, and marksman variants.
• The MP5 is manufactured under license in Greece, Egypt, Iran, Mexico, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.