| Heckler & Koch MP5 | |
|---|---|
 An MP5A3 without magazine. | |
|
Type |
Submachine gun |
|
Place of origin |
West Germany |
|
In service |
1966-present |
|
Designer |
Tilo Möller, Manfred Guhring, Georg Seidi, Helmut Baureuter |
|
Designed |
1964-1966 |
|
Manufacturer |
Heckler and Koch |
|
Produced |
1966-present |
|
Cartridge |
9x19mm Parabellum 10mm Auto (MP5/10) .40 S&W (MP5/40) |
|
Feed system |
15- or 30-round detachable box magazine 100-round Beta C-Mag drum magazine |
The MP5 is a compact 9mm sub machine gun that has been used widely by many Special Service regiments across the world, namely the British SAS, and the American SWAT. The MP5A3 variant, with a collapsible stock is ideal for close quarters combat and was the weapon carried by the majority of the troopers involved in Operation Nimrod. The 9mm round fired by the MP5 is preferred in hostage rescue scenarios as it is less likely to pass through the target (or walls) and strike a hostage
History[]
The Heckler and Koch submachine gun, MP5, is one of the most famous and wide-spread firearms of its class, developed since the Second World War. Its development began circa 1964 under the company designation HK MP-54, or simply HK 54. In 1966, the German police and the Border Guard adopted the HK 54 as the MP5. Over the years, the MP5 was adopted by a huge number of police, security, and military forces around the world, including the German police and border guard, the British police and the elite army SAS units, the American police, the FBI, the Navy and the Marine Corps
Variations[]
There are many variations on the German MP5, including the MP5k (Kurz - the German word meaning short) that was designed for CQB, the MP5-PDW, a modification on the MP5 designed for personal defence, and the SP89, designed for civilian use, it is semi-automatic, and has a different grip. For a complete list see here.
