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Got to shoot an MP5 on Saturday

5K views 50 replies 40 participants last post by  wolf19r 
#1 ·
I'll start off by saying that my full auto experience is very limited. A couple of magazines through an M16, several magazines through an Uzi and several hundred rounds through an M2 Carbine that the PD I work for owns.

I was at a neighboring small PD on Saturday afternoon for firearm qualifications and got to shoot a few magazines through an MP5. The PD I was at is small, 3 full time and maybe 6 part time. The story of how they ended up with an MP5 is interesting. Back in the '90's, they had some money, so they hired a guy full time to work at our County's Drug Task Force. While not rich, the guy they hired had some money. He carried a customized Browning High Power and a customized Government Model. He approached the Chief at the time and told him that, if the PD would issue the necessary paperwork, he would put up the cash to buy an MP5. Since part of his job at the time was high-risk search warrants, the Chief agreed and they bought the MP5. A couple years later, the DTF had a huge problem with Agents stealing guns and other evidence. The Agent who bought the MP5 was one of those caught and he ended up getting fired and, IIRC, did some jail time. Since the MP5 was bought well after the 1986 cutoff date for adding FA guns to the ATF registry, it cannot be transferred to an individual. If the PD owning it wanted to get rid of it, it would have to go to either a dealer or another PD. The current Chief at that PD is also in our County's SRT team and uses the MP5 there. After we finished qualifications, he brought out the MP5 and let anyone who wanted to, shoot it. This gun has a safe-semi-2rd burst-full auto trigger pack, fixed stock and flash suppressor. Not the same gun, but a decent pic of the way the gun is set up.



I must say, I was IMPRESSED! I completely understand now about all the hype surrounding it.

To start off, it was VERY controllable. Semi and 2 rd burst, it didn't really recoil at all or have any muzzle rise. Full auto, as long as you had a good, aggressive stance, it just kinda sat there and vibrated while spitting out bullets. VERY easy to keep all of the fired rounds on target out to the about 30 feet we were shooting at. Even for Officers that had absolutely no full auto experience, when coached into a good, aggressive stance, they had absolutely no problem controlling it in full auto and making good hits.

The trigger, although heavy (I'd estimate the trigger pull was 8-9 lbs), was reasonably crisp and had a pretty good pull. Kinda long, but overall I'd call it pretty good, Not great, but pretty good.

I don't know what the rate of fire is for an MP5, but in full auto, it was pretty easy to get good 3 rd bursts. I had a couple of 4 rd bursts due to my lack of experience with full auto, but I can see how someone with even a little training could get good 3 rd bursts every time.

The ergonomics were very good. The pistol grip fit me well, the stock fit me well and the forearm fit me well. It seemed like the gun was made just for me, it all just fit together very well for me. I would have liked to be able to try a collapsible stock variant, but this particular gun only has the fixed stock and the Chief doesn't want to get a collapsible stock because the fixed stock works well for him, too. He doesn't need to conceal it, so fixed it is.

Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable experience and, like I said, I can see now why they are so well thought of. I thought the Uzi I had shot was controllable. The MP5 makes it seem like an uncontrollable bullet hose. Not that the Uzi wasn't controllable, the MP5 was just so much more controllable. I REALLY wish that the registry was open and we could get new MGs. I haven't looked at the prices for a registered MP5 lately, I think I was told they are up to about $40,000. That's pretty much as much as my wife and I paid for our house, so there is no MP5 in my future, unless we hit the Powerball or something. If we could afford it, however, I would have bought one Saturday night. VERY good gun and, as I said, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Bub
 
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#2 ·
I'll start off by saying that my full auto experience is very limited. A couple of magazines through an M16, several magazines through an Uzi and several hundred rounds through an M2 Carbine that the PD I work for owns.

I was at a neighboring small PD on Saturday afternoon for firearm qualifications and got to shoot a few magazines through an MP5. The PD I was at is small, 3 full time and maybe 6 part time. The story of how they ended up with an MP5 is interesting. Back in the '90's, they had some money, so they hired a guy full time to work at our County's Drug Task Force. While not rich, the guy they hired had some money. He carried a customized Browning High Power and a customized Government Model. He approached the Chief at the time and told him that, if the PD would issue the necessary paperwork, he would put up the cash to buy an MP5. Since part of his job at the time was high-risk search warrants, the Chief agreed and they bought the MP5. A couple years later, the DTF had a huge problem with Agents stealing guns and other evidence. The Agent who bought the MP5 was one of those caught and he ended up getting fired and, IIRC, did some jail time. Since the MP5 was bought well after the 1986 cutoff date for adding FA guns to the ATF registry, it cannot be transferred to an individual. If the PD owning it wanted to get rid of it, it would have to go to either a dealer or another PD. The current Chief at that PD is also in our County's SRT team and uses the MP5 there. After we finished qualifications, he brought out the MP5 and let anyone who wanted to, shoot it. This gun has a safe-semi-2rd burst-full auto trigger pack, fixed stock and flash suppressor. Not the same gun, but a decent pic of the way the gun is set up.



I must say, I was IMPRESSED! I completely understand now about all the hype surrounding it.

To start off, it was VERY controllable. Semi and 2 rd burst, it didn't really recoil at all or have any muzzle rise. Full auto, as long as you had a good, aggressive stance, it just kinda sat there and vibrated while spitting out bullets. VERY easy to keep all of the fired rounds on target out to the about 30 feet we were shooting at. Even for Officers that had absolutely no full auto experience, when coached into a good, aggressive stance, they had absolutely no problem controlling it in full auto and making good hits.

The trigger, although heavy (I'd estimate the trigger pull was 8-9 lbs), was reasonably crisp and had a pretty good pull. Kinda long, but overall I'd call it pretty good, Not great, but pretty good.

I don't know what the rate of fire is for an MP5, but in full auto, it was pretty easy to get good 3 rd bursts. I had a couple of 4 rd bursts due to my lack of experience with full auto, but I can see how someone with even a little training could get good 3 rd bursts every time.

The ergonomics were very good. The pistol grip fit me well, the stock fit me well and the forearm fit me well. It seemed like the gun was made just for me, it all just fit together very well for me. I would have liked to be able to try a collapsible stock variant, but this particular gun only has the fixed stock and the Chief doesn't want to get a collapsible stock because the fixed stock works well for him, too. He doesn't need to conceal it, so fixed it is.

Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable experience and, like I said, I can see now why they are so well thought of. I thought the Uzi I had shot was controllable. The MP5 makes it seem like an uncontrollable bullet hose. Not that the Uzi wasn't controllable, the MP5 was just so much more controllable. I REALLY wish that the registry was open and we could get new MGs. I haven't looked at the prices for a registered MP5 lately, I think I was told they are up to about $40,000. That's pretty much as much as my wife and I paid for our house, so there is no MP5 in my future, unless we hit the Powerball or something. If we could afford it, however, I would have bought one Saturday night. VERY good gun and, as I said, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Bub
One of my best friends, a car salesman easily clears over $100,000 a year just recently purchased a $30,000 M16 machine gun NFA lower. Waiting on the paperwork and tax stamp and then he’ll get to take it home.

In a word, I’m jealous
 
#14 ·
Agreed. The P90 and the MP7 are also great guns. That said, the MP5 is tops. I was an Adjunct Instructor at HK ITD and HK D back in the day. There is just no subgun like the MP5.

Glad you had a great time!
 
#4 ·
Congrats!!

The world of NFA is highly addictive!!
Sadly in the past few years, the prices of transferable's has gone sky high.

At one time the lowly Mac 10 was the "entry" weapon getting into machine guns. They were cheap always under $1000 for quite a while. NOT anymore.

Mac 10's now are in the $8000 range now. MP5's are in the $40's.

:wow:
 
#5 ·
I had a Thompson in my hands one time in the late 70s. A WWII issue model it had some miles on it but was still pretty clean overall. Came with a canvas GI case and about 15 or so stick mags. I shot nothing but .45acp at the time so ammo wasn't a problem. And there was always surplus ammo at the local gunshows. The guy wanted $500 for it all and I could have come up with the money. But I didn't and let it slip away. The last time I looked a beater was in the $8000+ range. And that was a few years ago. Oh well.
 
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#15 · (Edited)
That has to be the single most fun and easy to shoot gun of them all. If select fire/suppressed guns were as easy to obtain as semis I think that the SD would be one of the most popular guns in the US - w/only price standing in the way (over $2K to LE/Govt).

That said, they're super dirty and have to be cleaned every 300 or so rounds or the can can get stuck.

I was also a CIII back in the day. I kept an A3, K and SD. Here they are, all 100% factory original:

Gun Firearm Trigger White Line


The can at the top is a very rare HK/KAC SD Navy Can w/the NSN and serial numbered to the gun.

The Ks are extremely rare w/less than 20 pre-86, factory original guns in the US. Most of the SDs, as was the case w/mine, came from the DOE.

The A3 in the middle is my main shooter. Simply THE BEST subguns ever made.
 
#8 ·
Thanks, all. I REALLY wish I could get into the whole Class 3 thing, it will never happen, unless like I said, my wife and I win the Powerball or something similar. MUCH fun and, with my job if my Chief would approve it, makes sense to use at work, too. However, I don't think I could bring myself to actually use it at work. If I ever had to actually use it, it would be $40,000 sitting in the evidence room for years and, possibly, fed to a shredder afterwards. Oh, well, I guess I'll just slink away and go be poor somewhere else!

Bub
 
#50 ·
As a Police Department, the Chief can purchase full auto firearms for use by the department. The cost for an MP5 should be less than $2.5K depending on where you buy it, & new or used. Your department may be eligible for US Gov. surplus from Dept of Homeland Security.
 
#11 · (Edited)

I have much more affordable semi-auto version. Omega MP5 pistol. It comes sear pack ready right out of the box, no mods needed. I am very fortunate to have a best friend that owns 2 registered HK trigger packs. ( SEF & 4 Position).

With both trigger packs she RUNS!!! I am very happy with it. I have fallen in love with 9mm all over again!!! Runs great with HK, POF, and even Korean magazines.

I need more 9mm!!!

:thumbsup:
 
#17 · (Edited)
It's definitely harder to squeeze off a single round from a UMP 9 than an MP5 in full auto. The UMP 45, I think, is easier to shoot and better handling than the UMP 9. In the end, the UMPs are simply cheaper to produce than the MP5s. The latter is, overall, better in most all respects I think.
 
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#19 ·
I was sponsored by a local Kiwanis group to go to a law enforcement camp for teens here in Oregon back in '86. We were taken to the academy firearms range and allowed to shoot a variety of weapons provided by the academy and the FBI. The FBI instructors had a select fire, suppressed MP5, M-16 and an old full auto Thompson. They were all a blast to shoot, but the MP5 was, without doubt, the easiest and smoothest shooting of the three. Good memories.
 
#23 ·
At the range one day, a fellow asked if he could try my Kel-Tec P-11. Of course I said sure. After he finished a couple of magazines he asked if I'd like to try what he'd bought. Sure...why not? I figured he had a Glock or something, so I'll be polite.

He pulled an MP-5 out of his bag. As I remember it was about like the one the OP posted. He showed me how to work it, and you're right. It was as easy to shoot as everyone here has said.

I only fired one magazine. I didn't want to take advantage of him, although I don't think he'd have cared. He had another bag full of boxes of 9mm ammo.

Glad you got to experience it.
 
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#27 ·
Sheriffs Department used to have (probably still do) some suppressed MP-5's and one day I stopped at the range building to see three sitting on a smokers picnic table out front.
Nobody around, range officer, safety, no other deputies, nothing?!?
One of the SWAT guys had dropped on by and was setting them up while the others were at lunch. Nature called and he didn't want to use the port-o-let (don't blame him), and he left them there.
He came back before the range staff did thank goodness and we kept it our secret.
Of course I got to shoot the stuffing out of one of them that day too!
 
#28 ·
In having a friend who was the Chief RO at a large City Police force, I suggested he try the Ranger T in 127g+P+, in their 226 pistols. They did, for a couple of years. Shot in the MP5s! Battered the bolts to bits!
I said I did not know you would use them in your sub guns! I was trying the 127g +P+ in my Glock 17, then G19. Did not like the recoil, or bang! Went to 147g Ranger, still!
 
#29 ·
Had a pre-WWII Thompson that was lots of fun to shoot. Also had an Uzi that I bought from an Israeli Colonel (my uncle) way back in the 70's. He charged me $1.00 for it!) Sold all of them as I'm getting too old to shoot them. I have crippling arthritis in my hands. Miss them fun guns. However, in combat I would always tell my men to keep their weapons on semi-auto except for occasional suppressing fire. Troops tended to waste too much ammo in auto fire mode.
 
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