24 minute read
RED CELL: MP5 SPECIAL
RED CELL
MASCHINENPISTOLE MAX!
IT IS OFTEN STATED THAT THE MOST ICONIC AND EASILY RECOGNISED FIREARM IN THE WORLD TODAY IS THE VENERABLE AK47, AND MUCH AS THIS MIGHT BE TRUE IN OUR MIND IT IS VERY CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY THE DIMINUTIVE “MASCHINENPISTOLE 5” FIRST DESIGNED BY HECKLER & KOCH GMBH IN 1964, THE YEAR BILL WAS BORN AS IT HAPPENS. SO YOU COULD SAY THAT THE MP5 HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, JUST LIKE HIM!
Pretty much every airsofter I know either owns, or has owned and MP5 replica during their airsofting “career” and said ownership is somewhat a rite of passage. I have owned early plastic versions, sold them, moved up to full metal versions, and there are still a couple of classic slidingstock versions lurking at the back of the “man cave”, one AEG and one GBB. They rarely come out to play these days but those little MP5s have been with me an awfully long time now, and have been involved in some awesome “actions-on” both at home and abroad!
Nearly twenty years ago I had the chance to go and live in the USA, and spent four extremely happy years living, playing airsoft, and running airsoft games in Florida. Back then the Star SLR was still a “WIP” and the L85 was eagerly awaited, so what was a “Brit Abroad” to do (a question our resident émigré Stewbacca no doubt asks himself these days too!)? Whilst all of my American friends were more than happy with their woodland camo and ALICE gear, and some great “M4s and M16s” I was intent on retaining my British-ness; this was easy when it came to kit as I simply continued to wear my S95 DPM and Arktis rig, but what to choose as my AEG?
My choice gradually whittled down to the diminutive “Maschinenpistole 5”, or MP5 as we all know it; carried by the SAS at the Embassy siege, back in those days it was viewed as being very “Brit SF”, and actually it was the natural AEG choice for use among the crowded mangroves and palmettos of coastal Florida, and I still have a very soft spot for it even today!
So what makes this little SMG such a “must have” for any airsofter? The simple reason is that it has been used by military and police forces worldwide, has appeared in the hands of most screen “action heroes” and of course was the firearm carried by the SAS on that fateful day on May 5th 1980 when they stormed the Iranian Embassy. It’s been used by the SAS, by the USN SEAL Teams, GSG-9 and virtually every special operations unit in the western world, and even today we see the MP5 in the hands of our firearms trained police officers. Whatever your style of airsoft loadout the MP5 fits it.
Like all H&K firearms the MP5 is a modular design that allows the assembly groups, to include butt stock, trigger group and forearm to be exchanged on a common receiver by the user in the field to reconfigure it for varying mission requirements, mostly without resorting to tools. The real MP5A3 has an 8.85 inch barrel, is 21.00 inches in length with the retractable stock closed and weighs only 2.55kg unloaded. It can be fired in some of the variants in semi-automatic, 2 or 3-round burst or fully automatic mode depending on the trigger group mounted and at a cyclic rate of fire of 800 rounds per minute.
It should be noted that the “Navy” variants of the MP5A3 can be fitted with optional suppressors which reduce the sound signature by more than 38 dB and allows it to be fired immediately upon emergence from the water. In repeated and exhaustive testing though the MP5 has proven capable of firing more than 30,000 rounds without a single stoppage or parts failure and it is not uncommon to find MP5’s still serving with in excess of 500,000 rounds through the
original barrel and receiver!
Still regarded of as one of the most reliable and effective submachine guns in the world nearly sixty years of service has seen the MP5 become the choice of the worlds’ most famous elite anti-terrorist, special operations and special law enforcement organisations. While more modern submachine guns have been designed since the introduction of the MP5 it is still the user’s choice when lives are at stake!
So, with all of this in mind I asked the “old sweats” of Red Cell about their own experiences past and present when it comes to the MP5, and I believe what we offer here can certainly help you choose the right variant for your own armoury. All of these models have seen a LOT of action, so although you’ll be potentially looking at buying new, I hope our experiences will aid you in your own choice!
Stewbacca: For me the MP5 is perhaps the definitive submachine gun; of course there were earlier contenders within the world wars and intervening years when the concept was initially developed and the Thompson is also a favourite and classic firearm in its own right. However, Heckler & Koch’s mid-1960s 9mm derivative of their already popular G3 full tilt battle rifle system’s roller-delayed action is perhaps the culmination of all the important features in terms of both a highly functional, reliable and controllable action, ease of mass manufacture with the more modern stamped steel. The Germans pioneered and use of polymer for furniture, as well as the early modularity concept of the whole system, but of course all of these benefits being delivered in the platform’s sheer aesthetically appealing, ergonomic and now immediately recognisable profile; clearly they got the marketing mix right as even to this day it retains its popularity and is still the yardstick by which most new contenders are measured, including HK’s own subsequent simplified designs that were intended to be more economical and allow HK to somewhat phase out the comparatively more expensive to make classic MP5s. The people evidently still want them.
With saturation in media, typically being used as ‘good guy guns’ and their large prevalence in law enforcement as well as military, paramilitary and security forces, they’re timeless and applicable to so many scenarios, not just for cosplaying as your
favourite action star.
Personally, aside from my earlier use of JG’s MP5J (Japanese police variant), MP5A4 (solid stock) and the Galaxy MP5k PDW (short, folding triangular stock) variants, all of which served me very well for personal use and loaning out to numerous guest players, I have more recently scratched the GBB itch since coming to Taiwan which I never had the opportunity to previously. The WE Tech Apache series is still well regarded despite being harder to come by and some players still ask me how I sourced mine and if they are available anywhere, despite newer variants from competitors reaching the market.
I have both the MP5k PDW and MP5A4/A5 with a trio of interchangeable solid, telescopic and side folding stocks; although these only fit on the full sized A4/A5 unfortunately due to the welded tabs on the receiver of the MP5k PDW not permitting the other stocks to be installed. Both of these are second hand but have nonetheless served me very well thus far, the MP5k PDW was acquired a few years ago before I moved to Taipei and I spent a lot of time running it in CQB environments to great effect, even though it has a somewhat short inner barrel and isn’t the most accurate system compared to the likes of my KWA MP7, it is extremely fun to use, with a heavy and stout recoil thanks to its hefty bolt carrier, it is also very durable internally and allows for plentiful full on HK slaps without any worries over severed charging handles as has been experienced by some using other alternatives.
The MP5A5 was acquired around two years ago from a teammate who had already upgraded it with some Poseidon internal components which somewhat softened the recoil impulse compared to the shorter K model, and the longer barrel also makes for much greater accuracy. I recently ran both again at Linkou CQB having neglected them for a good year due to all the other new guns getting in the way, and I had forgotten just how much I loved running them.
The 45 BB magazines are hefty and I did end up dropping them occasionally due to improper seating of them during frantic reloads behind cover, sometimes the dry fire cutoff system doesn’t work as it should in more worn magazines which can be frustrating, or alternatively you forget to set them to the fire position before insertion and get a dead trigger on the first round, but those minor gripes aside the fun factor and effectiveness of the very handy, albeit somewhat heavy MP5 GBBs cannot be overstated. I managed to eliminate two OpFor guys in quick succession at the very beginning of our first round using the MP5A5 to post rounds through a window about 15m away with ease and consistency. And the ease of transitioning shoulders for moving around the left and right hand corners as well as operating both guns ambidextrously makes them superb for such environments. Well worth your consideration if you are a fan of the MP5 and GBB systems.
Bill: I also love the classic MP5, and like Stewbacca I also love the GBB models! Mine though was developed by VegaForceCompany under the H&K licence held by Umarex, and I am going to come straight out and say that their take on the classic MP5 is probably the best I’ve ever seen, and that’s why I still own it!
The MP5A3 GBB shows the result of all the labours put into creating a first rate replica as it is simply stunning. Everything, and I do mean the lot, is truly 1:1 scale and it weighs in at 2.59kg unloaded, just 0.4g heavier than the real thing! Unlike any battery powered electric replica there is no heavy motor and gearbox adding weight to the design but just a cleverly designed bolt which relies purely on the gas in the magazine for operation; if you weren’t told that this is a replica I believe you’d be hard pushed to know this wasn’t the real deal; in fact you can field strip it for cleaning as you would the original firearm.
The entire upper assembly is of a pressed metal finish just like a real MP5. In addition to the enforced fibre frame which incorporates the pistol grip and the removable handguard, everything is finished to an extremely high standard. Going right down to the legend “Kal.9mmx19” on the left hand side above the magwell and an individual serial number this replica looks extremely real with just a small “6mm BB” notation appearing on the top of the receiver.
In operation the MP5A3 is very straightforward and intuitive. Safe, Semi, and Full Auto modes are clearly indicated by the traditional H&K “bullet pictograms” on either side of the body, and the safety catch is fully
JG MP5 JG069 J
Price: iro UK£140.00 Age: Current Model Weight: 1725g Length: 550-735mm Magazine Capacity: 240 BBs Cold Chrono: 0.99 Joule/328fps Hot Chrono: 0.99 Joule/328fps Taclite Compatibility: No Supplied By: www.taiwangun.com
TOKYO MARUI MP5 NGRS
Price: iro UK£520.00 Age: New Weight: 3100g Length: 500-660mm Magazine Capacity: 72 Cold Chrono: 0.72 Joule/280fps Hot Chrono: 0.76 Joule/287fps Taclite Compatibility: No Supplied By: www.allagesairsoft.com
WE MP5A3 APACHE GBBR
Price: iro UK£300.00 Age: Two Years Weight: 3240 g Length: 500-660mm Magazine Capacity: 45 Cold Chrono: 1.49 Joule/401fps Hot Chrono: 1.49 Joule/401fps Taclite Compatibility: No Supplied By: www.weairsoft.com
VFC (UMAREX) MP5A3 GBBR
Price: iro UK£330.00 Age: Four Years Weight: 2820g Length: 495-660mm Magazine Capacity: 30 Cold Chrono: 1.03 Joule/334fps Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/341fps Taclite Compatibility: No Available from: www.jdairsoft.net
WE MP5K PDW GBBR
Price: iro UK£350.00 Age: Two Years Weight: 3200g Length: 330mm/629mm Magazine Capacity: Cold Chrono: 0.83 Joule/300fps Hot Chrono: 0.87 Joule/306fps Taclite Compatibility: No Supplied By: www.weairsoft.com
TOKYO MARUI MP5K
Price: iro UK£200.00 (High Cycle Version iro UK£260.00) Age: Five Years Weight: 1490g Length: 345mm Magazine Capacity: 220 Cold Chrono: 0.49 Joule/230fps Hot Chrono: 0.52 Joule/237fps Taclite Compatibility: No Supplied By: www.fire-support.co.uk
ICS CES SD6
Price: iro UK£300.00 Age: Current Model Weight: 2300g Length: 600-741mm Magazine Capacity: 230 Cold Chrono: 0.92 Joule/315fps Hot Chrono: 0.92 Joule/315fps Taclite Compatibility: No Supplied By: www.fire-support.co.uk
BOLT SWAT SD6 SHORT
Price: iro UK£380.00 Age: Three Years Weight: 3000g Length: 550-700mm Magazine Capacity: 200 Cold Chrono: 1.0 Joule/329fps Hot Chrono: 1.04 Joule/335fps Taclite Compatibility: Yes, on Lower Rail Supplied By: www.nuprol.com
CYMA CM.041H UPGRADED VERSION (MP5)
Price: iro UK£350.00 Age: One Year Weight: 3280g Length: 550-710mm Magazine Capacity: 130 Cold Chrono: 1.06 Joule/338fps Hot Chrono: 1.09 Joule/343fps Taclite Compatibility: Yes, M-LOK Supplied By: www.taiwangun.com
CYMA CM.041L UPGRADED VERSION (MP5K)
Price: iro UK£320.00 Age: One Year Weight: 2700g Length: 556mm Magazine Capacity: 130 Cold Chrono: 0.83 Joule/299fps Hot Chrono: 0.87 Joule/306fps Taclite Compatibility: Yes, M-LOK Supplied By: www.taiwangun.com
ambidextrous. Sights are simple too with an enclosed post at the sharp end and a fully adjustable dioptre at the rear. The sliding stock is essentially a one position affair, either open or closed but this is true of the real thing as well so you can’t knock the replica in this respect.
Boycie: For me the MP5 has been iconic for nearly 45 years! The MP5 is one of my first memories of the Machine Pistol ever since 5th May 1980. Over the years many ‘good guys’ and ‘bad guys’ have weilded it in film and TV. I have had a number of opportunities to fire the real thing in both semi and full auto. Some 30-35 years ago I bought my first ever MP5, the TM with non-adjustable hop and I’ve had one in my collection ever since. I love the compact nature of it and when playing games where concealing the weapon and mags the MP5K or the PDW variant has regularly been used.
Bill: Oh, the TM “K”, how I loved that little beastie, and it’s definitely one of those AEGs that I’ve sold that I miss! Any variant of the MP5 is both compact and light-weight, but when it comes to sheer minimalism the MP5K takes the prize! In 1976 a shortened version of the MP5A2 was introduced; the MP5K (K from the German word “Kurz” or short) was designed for close quarter battle use by special units, especially in a close protection/bodyguard environment.
Much like its real world counterpart the TM MP5K
Image sourced from public domain
is not a new model which means that as a replica it’s been through the “airsoft mill” and found not to be wanting. I know certain sniper mates who have carried an original TM for a number of years as their backup, and these little AEGs seem to be able to take the punishment and come back for more. Weighing in at just 1500g, and with an overall length of just 315mm/12.4inches the MP5K is only slightly larger than some large framed pistols, but oh my, does it pack a bigger punch; this small size and light weight also means that it’s the ideal AEG for smaller and younger players that still want the “cool factor”
Although much of the K is high-quality plastic (TM’s have always been thus…) the thing is SO short that there’s absolutely no flex or “twist” anywhere to be found; all of the important parts however are metal. One unusual quirk of the TM MP5K though is where you’ll find the battery compartment, and I have to admit that this is not the most user-friendly design I’ve ever come across; TM have come up with a neat solution to the apparently zero space for a battery by incorporating a channel inside the body of the replica which was designed for an old-style AK-type stick battery, and which now of course holds a 7.4V LiPo with ease. It’s still a bit of a fiddle to change the battery though as you need to pop off the front grip by releasing a retained pin, then do the same with the rear-plate, which accesses the battery compartment itself. Pushing the battery into the compartment the “female” Tamiya connector needs to pass through a tiny “gate” to mate with the “male” part; this is made slightly easier in that with the cocking handle forward you can access the front part of the compartment to poke the connector through. Whilst you’ve got the front grip off you can also alter the sliding hop-up adjuster which is found lower left.
In terms of performance though, this of course is where TM have always excelled, and the MP5K is true to form; even with a tiny inner barrel of just on 100mm, at CQB engagement distances it shoots like a laser!
Dan: My love affair with the MP5 really started as a kid playing Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six on PC (circa 1998). Some years later I took a carbine class and one of the students brought his HK94 to class and let me rip through half a dozen magazines, which firmly cemented my desire to someday own one. I eventually started lusting after an airsoft version after perusing the website of the now defunct 747 Imports and discovering that Tokyo Marui made a replica of both the MP5 and MP5K.
For me, the MP5, and especially the MP5K, is pure “peak SMG”, and few competitor designs touch the aesthetics, form-factor, utility, accuracy, reliability and smooth operation of the action. It hasn’t been until my mid-30’s that I’ve been able to actually afford the real thing, but now I can happily say I’ve finally acquired a genuine H&K SP5K to add to the collection.
I never did get around to actually buying an Airsoft MP5 until many years later, well after I had retired my paintball spurs and a few years more into playing airsoft. My first replica was the old Classic Army B&T licensed MP5A5 with a Surefire forearm and the classic retractable stock that I picked up for a song and dance. It was a decent gun, albeit a little anaemic compared to my other builds at the time, so I admittedly didn’t skirmish with it often.
Through my teching career, I’ve since been able to play with or have my fingers inside the guts of pretty much every other variant and brand made, save the new Tokyo Marui NGRS, which I have coming down the pipeline shortly. Probably my favourite brand and model would be the VFC Avalon MP5A4, as it is cosmetically beautiful and supremely easy to work on and upgrade. Second in line would be the venerable Tokyo Marui versions, ideally with a metal body kit, but mainly owing to their place in airsoft history. My least favuorite model would be the ICS CES-P MS1 because it’s a gross bastardization and plagued with all the technical oddities ICS is known for. Oh, and anything with a “Swordfish” kit gobbed on gets the heel of my boot too!
Bill: Actually this is one area where I’ll put the case for the ICS as a player; I totally agree with Dan’s comments on the technical issues (thankfully something ICS appear to have remedied with the more recent AEGs!), but much like its real world counterpart the ICS MP5 (the MX5 as was and now the CEP in ICS-speak) is not a new model, and of all the ICS models I have to say that the suppressed “SD6” is still my favourite of the bunch (it just screams “Night Ops” to me!); whichever variant you choose of the many, MANY models that ICS have offered you’ll be sure of getting a solidly performing AEG with a little care and attention.
When it comes to the older “Proline SD6” that I owned the entire upper assembly was of a pressed metal finish just like a real MP5. In addition to the reinforced fibre frame which incorporated the pistol grip everything was finished to an extremely high standard as I expect from my friends at ICS; say what you like, their finishing is usually impeccable! This replica again looked extremely real with just a small “6mm BB/ICS Airsoft” notation appearing on the magwell on the right. Internally you got exactly what you’d expect from an ICS AEG and that’s a V2
reinforced gearbox, ICS’s own Long Type motor with heat sink, and some very, very tidy wiring; ICS have pretty much always produced great quality internals and with a few quibbles, the MP5 models were no exception.
I’ll also here sing the praises of another “SD” model that I tested extensively some time ago and really liked, and that’s the BOLT MP5SD “SWAT”. BOLT are getting an increasingly good rep with players at all levels as they specialise in their patented electric blow-back (EBB) system for many of their rifles and SMGs; they aim to provide AEGs with a powerful recoil movement able to be used even with lower voltage batteries. BOLT Airsoft’s goal is to design AEGs as close to the “real deal” to satisfy airsoft players along with military collectors.
With solid stamped steel bodywork, and one of the sturdiest sliding stocks I’ve come across on an airsoft MP5, the BOLT MP5 features a stubby integrated alloy suppressor (the full length version is also available), as well as an alloy 20mm rail on the underside of the handguard to modernise it and for the attachment of foregrips and other accessories “SEAL Style”.
As with many MP5 AEGs the BOLT is front-wired and has a Mini Tamiya connector in the handguard, which is easily accessed by unscrewing the integrated suppressor; I love this feature as other MP5’s I’ve had in the past need you to remove either the handguard pin or a pair of retaining clips to access the battery compartment, and from experience these are easily lost! The hop unit is adjusted by a slider-type adjuster, easily accessed by pulling back on the charging handle which will lock to the rear to make it easier. Do avoid the “HMP5 slap” though, as although this part is solid, it will no doubt break if abused!
There’s a couple of models that “make the cut” for our list of noteworthy MP5 models, and we covered off the TM NGRS version back in Issue 131, and you can find that full review in the Back Issues section on www.airsoftaction.net
The other model (make that models... plural!) which I personally believe need a mention is the lastest takes from CYMA as this brings things right up to the modern day, and I feel gives the venerable MP5 a new lease of life! Given that the MP5 has SUCH a strong heritage and pedigree I thought it would only be a matter of time before someone gave the platform a bit of love, and although there have been some stabs at it, I have to admit I didn’t think it would be CYMA that actually went the whole hog and did the job properly, but in the past couple of years the elusive brand has been doing some downright righteous things when it comes to AEGs, so why not “update” the MP5?
Now of course the CYMA takes (yes, multiple!) look like MP5s but are rightly unbranded as there is no licence agreement here; again, I know I say this every time, but if there’s no licence then don’t use trademarks, and what CYMA have done is to take the “principle” of an MP5 and enhance it in a way that has no real-world equivalent. This I can live with, as it’s what CYMA has done internally and externally that matters here.
The CM.041L (5 inch Barrel, 3 inch M-LOK) is basically a railed “K” with a PDW stock, the G is standard 5-length (9 inch Barrel, 6.3 inch M-LOK) with the same stock, and the H replaces the PDW-stock of the G with a buffer tube and sliding carbine stock, but they all come from the new PLATINIUM series, created as a cooperation again between CYMA and TAIWANGUN.COM (TWG). The metal body and outer barrel marry up with a nylon pistol grip like the real deal, and the compact design with different adjustable stocks makes all three models ideal for CQB/CQC.
Internally things look good as you get a reinforced V2 gearbox frame, full steel tooth polycarbonate piston, CNC machined steel gear set (ratio: 13:1), CNC machined aluminium silent cylinder and piston head set (ball bearing piston head, double o-ring cylinder head), all of which is powered along by a high-speed motor, and benefits from a processor unit with built-in MOSFET system. All three variants are what CYMA call their E-EDITION & HIGH-SPEED models, and set up like they are come in with a power around 350-360fps on a .20g and, in combination with a LiPo battery a very good trigger response and OOTB ROF around 25rps! What’s not to like?
So, to conclude, there’s still a LOT to be had from an MP5, and although the real-deal original model is now somewhat “long in the tooth”, the classic airsoft variants are all still great airsoft performers both as AEGs and GBBs, and new directions in accessory
options and internals have brought the old warhorse fully up to date.
With more and more “9mm” models available on the market, I believe that an MP5 of some description should still be in EVERY airsofters armoury, and with the choices out there now, there’s absolutely no reason NOT to own at least one, especially as VFC have just released a new “Classic K” GBBR that we’ll be reporting on soon! AA
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