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The MP5 is a submachine gun, developed by German weapons designer Heckler und Koch (HK) in the 1960s. A typical MP5 fires NATO 9x19mm parabellum ammunition from curved box-type magazines. The MP5's accuracy, reliability, and wide range of attachments and variants have made it the submachine gun of choice for military and law enforcement agencies worldwide.
The Heckler und Koch MP5 is one of the most well-known and widely used submachine guns in the world. The MP5 was designed for reliability, ease of handling, and simple maintenance. It is currently in use by military and law enforcement units in more than fifty nations. The MP5 is essentially a scaled down derivitive of HK's earlier G3 assault rifle. MP5s operate using the same delayed blowback action, roller-locked bolt system employed in the G3. This mechanism was originally developed by the earlier German weapons designer Mauser Werkes during WWII. All MP5 variants are fed by either 15, 30, or 40 round curved box-type magazines or it can be specially fitted with high-capacity, third-party manufactured drum magazines
Like most H&K weapons the trigger assembly is completely replaceable, and includes fully automatic, 4, 3, and 2-round burst, single shot, and safe positions in various combinations. MP5s were long chambered for the 9x19mm parabellum round commonly used in pistols. In the late 1990s more powerful .40 S&W and Bren 10mm versions were introduced, but soon phased out in favor of the new UMP submachine gun.
The original MP5 was available in fixed or folding butt forms. Some variants did not have a 3-round burst capacity, or only had a 3-round burst mode. In 1971 and 1973, HK made several general improvments in the MP5. These improvements had the side-effect of shifting the apperance of the MP5 from the WWII era Mauser Werkes MP40 to the more modern look of today.
The next major development was the MP5SD series (SD1-SD6) introduced in 1974. This model had an integrated suppressor and a specially made barrel which reduced the muzzle velocity of its 9mm ammunition to just below the speed of sound. The result was that the MP5SD series is almost inaudible at distances of more than 15 meters.
Under a special contract from the US Navy, HK developed the MP5N or "MP5 Navy" variant for the Navy's elite special operations units (including the U.S. Navy SEALs). The MP5N features a fully ambidextrous trigger group, a telescoping stock, and a threaded barrel for accessories. In addition, HK replaced many of the metal par ts on the MP5N with lighter and corrosion resistant plastics.
The MP5/10, an MP5 chambered in the 10mm auto cartridge, was HK's first attempt to increase the power of the MP5 series. In 1994, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation adopted the MP5/10 as their standard submachine gun. The MP5/10 series has been plagued by mechanical failures not present in the original MP5. This is most often attributed to the MP5 design being unable to handle the increase in caliber.
The MP5 was first introduced by H&K in 1966 under the name HK54. This name comes from HK's old numbering system. The 5 designates the model as a submachne gun, while the 4 identifies it as taking 9x19mm parabellum ammunition. The current name dates from when it was officially adopted by the West German government for use by its Police and Border Guard as the "Maschinepistole 5", or MP5 in mid-1966.
With the increased use of body armor, the future of the MP5 is uncertain. Several new trends in gun design have begun to eclipse the submachine gun; small caliber PDW like H&K's new MP7 and compact carbines such as the M4, AKS-74U, and the XM8. The only major criticism of the MP5 has been its high cost--approximately $900 for a MP5N, or the same price as an assualt rifle. HK has started to replace the MP5 series with the more powerful and cheaper UMP which is available in both .45 ACP and 9x19mm parabellum calibers.
One famous counter-terrorist operation involving this gun is Operation Nimrod (April 30, 1980) in the UK. The Special Air Service, armed with MP5s, was deployed to neutralize the terrorists who had taken over the Iranian embassy in London.
The MP5 is a very popular image in American culture. The MP5 is a very common movie prop, appearing in countless movies such The Matrix, Die Hard, S.W.A.T, Bad Boys, Cheech and Chong's Next Movie, End of Days, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, GoldenEye, Predator, Air Force One, and The Rock, to name a few. MP5s are ubiquitous in video games. The weapon appears in name or a similarity in almost every first person shooter, most famously Counter-Strike. Recently the public had a very close look at the MP5N variant. A famous photo taken during the U.S. government's operation to capture Cuban national Elian Gonzalez from his relatives shows a SWAT team member armed with an MP5 confronting one of Elian's relatives who is holding him and hiding him in a closet.
Overview
Variants
History
Cultural Impact
See Also
MP7, Uzi
