HK MP5

Developed and introduced by Heckler & Koch in 1964-66, the HK MP5 is a highly compact submachine gun that was first marketed under the label HK54. The designers were four armament technicians named Helmut Baureuter, Tilo Möller, Georg Seidl and Manfred Guhring. The HK MP5 is unique for its lightweight wieldiness and the variety of options it features. It is air-cooled and uses a curved magazine that accommodates either 15 or 30 rounds.

The basic model fires 9 x 19 mm Luger cartridges, while variants introduced in the 90s were chambered for 10 mm Auto and .40 S&W cartridges. It can fire up to 800 rounds per minute in fully automatic mode and can be used in single fire and three-shot bursts, as well. It weighs between 2.54 and 2.88 kilograms, depending on the model. Incidentally, variants of the HK MP5 include the MP5K, MP5K-PDW, MP5SD, MP5N, MP5/F, MP5/10, MP5/40 and HK94 models. The basic length of this weapon is 680 mm and it has a muzzle velocity of 400 m/sec.

It was a favored part of equipment for German police officers and border guards. The HK MP5 did not hit American shores till the 70s, when models imported under names such as 'Saco', 'Harrington & Richardson' and Arlington VA. In the US, HK MP5s are now marked HK-Inc, Sterling VA on the right side of the magazine.

However, with the coming of advanced assault rifles, it would seem that its Glory Days are coming to an end. In the first place, the HK MP5 is far from cost-effective (it can cost up to $900) and it also has far less body armor-piercing capabilities than assault rifles such as the M4 and AKS-74U. Realizing that its mainstay was being eclipsed, Heckler & Koch introduced the far more powerful MP7 and the cheaper, multi-caliber UMP series.

Despite these factors, the HK MP5 has its die-hard adherents, largely because of its high accuracy and ability to accommodate a range of accessories. However, the fact that it features a roller-delayed blowback operation system (which allows it to be fired in fully locked breach position) as well as a select-fire option has much to do with its popularity. The HK MP5 can be fired form the shoulder as well as the hand. In fact, many models like the MP5A3 and MP5A5 feature retractable butt stocks. A pistol grip and multi-handed safety/selector lever further enhance its maneuverability. For these reasons, variants of the HK MP5 were adopted by various special law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and elite units such as the Navy SEALs, SAS, GSG 9 and GEO.

Those who swear by the HK MP5 tend to go on and on about its uniquely modular design. The unit basically consists of six component groups that can be disassembled, maintained and repaired individually. In fact, this revolutionary design permits the adding-on of an unprecedented number of optional components. This makes the HK MP5 an ideal field weapon, since it can be adapted for an almost limitless range of uses. Also significant is the fact that this weapon is very high on aesthetic appeal - it features a black lacquer finish over phosphated metal, applied under magnetic charge and then baked to the surface of the metal. This makes the HK MP5 a rather appealing look and also lends it unmatched resistance to salt water tainting and otherwise inclement conditions.

It can be said that the HK MP5 saw its first moment in the limelight when it was employed in Mogadishu, Somalia by the GSG-9 on October 17, 1977. The occasion as the famous hijacking of a Lufthansa aircraft by terrorists. Yet another of its moments of highly hyped media glory was in 1980, the time when the SAS tackled yet another terrorist outfit in the Iranian Embassy. At that time, virtually no pictures of the operation were complete without the HK MP5 being brandished by American soldiers.

Most recently, the HK MP5 had featured prominently in American invasion operations at Panama and Grenada.