I'll start off by saying that I don't have much full auto experience. I have shot a couple magazines through an M16, several mags through an Uzi and several hundred rounds through an M2 Carbine.

Yesterday, I was at a neighboring Police Department, qualifying with them because I have to qualify my PD the next two weekends and can't qualify myself. This PD is SMALL- 3 full time and about 6 part time. Back story on how the got the MP5 is interesting. Back in the mid '90's, the PD had some extra cash and hired a guy to work at our County Drug Task Force full time. He wasn't exactly rich, but was well off. Despite the low pay because of the small PD, he carried either a customized Browning Hi Power or a customized Government Model. Not long after starting with the DTF, he made an offer to the Chief. Let him buy the MP5 through the Department and he would pay for it himself. He was kicking doors at the time serving high risk search warrants, so the Chief said go ahead. A few years later, he, along with a lot of the DTF, got busted stealing evidence and cash. Needless to say, he lost his job and, IIRC, spent some time in jail. Since the MP5 was Department property and was made after the registry cutoff took effect, it isn't on the Registry and can't ever be transferred, unless it is to a Dealer or another PD. The current Chief of the small PD also works for our County SRT Team and now carries the MP5 there. After we went through qualifications, he broke out the MP5 and let us shoot it.


Gun looked exactly like this one. Fixed stock, flash suppressor. Trigger group was safe-semi-2 rd burst-full auto.

I'm amazed. I thought that the Uzi I had shot was very controllable. Comparing to the MP5 is like comparing a hot .357 to a .22LR. The Uzi was controllable, but the MP5 was amazing. It recoiled and tried to rise a little bit, but all you had to do was hold onto the forearm and a slight pull down kept it on target very easily. Absolutely amazing. 10-15rd bursts were easily kept on target at about 30 feet. Pretty good for someone without much full auto experience.

Trigger left a little to be desired. The trigger was pretty heavy, I'd estimate 8-9 lbs. Seemed pretty smooth, but heavy. Not bad, though, and definitely manageable.

Recoil was practically non-existent. On semi and 2 rd burst, it just didn't move at all with a proper, aggressive stance. Even on full auto, it just kinda hung there and vibrated a little. A couple of guys who had never shot full auto had some problems with muzzle rise but, after the Chief told them to get aggressive, even they didn't have much trouble.

I don't remember what the cyclic rate on the MP5 is. Even on full auto, as long as you didn't mash the trigger, 3 rd bursts are easy. I had a couple 4 rd bursts but, like I said, I don't have much full auto experience. I can see how someone with experience could make 2 or 3 rd bursts on full auto without even thinking about it.

The gun was SMOOOOOOOTH! Semi auto, burst, full auto, just smooth as can be. You really couldn't even feel the bolt cycling.

Ergonomics were very good for me, as well. Pistol grip felt good, forearm felt good, stock felt good. Everything just felt right. The only ergonomic complaint I had was that because of the trigger group setup, I had to kinda stretch my thumb to reach when the selector was on safe. Not bad, but not as comfy as, say, an AR15. It wasn't bad enough to make me not want the gun, anyway!

Overall, I was HIGHLY impressed! I can see why they are so highly regarded and registered MGs are so expensive. If I had the $$$, I'd be looking for a registered example today, However, they run about what my wife and I paid for my house, so it won't ever happen, unless we hit the Powerball or something. I can see an SBR in my future, though. Even in semi auto, the gun would have a lot of worth to me. Compact, easily to suppress, accurate, cheap to shoot, what's not to love?

Bub75

stop making me try to spend more fun gun money
I really want an mp5. very well written OP. Thanks for sharing

Stop making YOU want to spend money?!?! If I had the money, I would have bought one last night! I'm in love! My wife loves guns, too, and was pissed because I got to shoot it and she didn't. Gotta love a good woman!

Bub75

You'll never be the same.

The MP5 is a great weapon. 

For a semi-auto, check out the Zenith MKE series. You won't be disappointed.
They have a LE discount program too. 

Awesome.

May I ask what county? (Pm if you desire) I can think of a couple small towns with just a few officers full time.

What he said. 

My MKE looks exactly like this one....

MP5K PDW with a sear pack and suppressor is a LOT of fun. Smoky .... but fun.

The MP5 is a legend for these reasons. The delayed roller-lock actions are super smooth and relatively soft-shooting, and they suppress very very well.

My only beef with them nowadays is that they (obviously IMO and this will be controversial) feel very old-fashioned. It's an old design, and a very good one, but it's missing a lot of the amenities that I like about modern guns. If you wanna mount an optic, you gotta get a clunky claw mount or weld on a picatinny rail. It's heavy. It's not very modular. The trigger is OK but compared to a good aftermarket AR trigger it's junk. I wish HK had updated the MP5 instead of abandoning it. A trigger pack that accepts drop-in trigger modules, maybe some improved control ergos, maybe even aluminum construction if possible, etc. would have been amazing.

Part of that is why I bought an MPX. It solves some of those problems, but introduces others. I think the MPX has even softer recoil despite weighing less, but it's also more gassy. The available stocks for the MPX are not as good as the MP5 stocks. Etc.

All good points. ^^^

I've shot them also and they are very good.    In my opinion  the sleeper and most underrated subgun is the Sterling.  

Very well written review, thanks for posting!

MP5 is the best FA weapon I have shot. Smooth, accurate, and just plain easy to shoot well.

I'd love to try a Sterling. Anytime anything is posted about them, I read about how nice they are. Honestly, I haven't looked too closely lately at how much anything full auto is. When I do, I realize how empty my bank account is. I'll go be poor somewhere else.

Bub75

I've always thought the MP5 series were overweight for 9mm, but that changed a few years ago when I was able to do a little shooting with one of the team's MP5SD3 we were supporting in Kabul.  I quickly recanted and was so extremely impressed.  I didn't fire it full-auto, but did the 2-round burst and it was incredibly accurate and soft-shooting.  

I'm back in Afghanistan and I've got a German trying to put together a "coalition" range day.  I'm trying to see if we can get some of their German EOD guys to the range since they have that little MP7.  

If I can say anything about the MP5 series, is that it's a mechanical wonder and deserves it's reputation as one of the top SMGs in the world...

ROCK6

So do you still have an erection.  The stupidest thing I ever did in my life was selling my SD.  I got rid of it because I doubled my money and could to afford the ammo diet it needed.  Now that I am older make more money I wish I had kept it.

The MP5 is sometimes derided as a "girlie-man gun" due at least in part I venture, to its tractable nature.  Lack of bolt hold open feature is also a deficiency that bothers some shooters, especially competitive shooters.

Having shot one, I didn't think it was worth 2 1/2 times the Uzi I have.  But if I were a rich man, I'd get an MP5A3.

MHO, YMMV, etc.

Select-fire MP5's are incredible to shoot. Here's mine:

oops wrong one

I love how ur mk23 with can is longer than the mp5.

Smooth shooters. I just hate the ergonomics after being stuck on ARs for the past decade.

If I could get a MP5 upper on an AR15 lower...

It's been done at least once.  There is or at least used to be a video on YouTube of an MP5 upper modified to go on an M16 lower.  Probably wasn't cheap though.  IIRC, a clone MP5 upper is around $2,500.  Then add on whatever the cost is to modify it.

ETA:  Here's a link to the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld3GZR3sSVs

Our narcotics guys have MP5s, and every year at in-service I bring a half case of ammo on range day and borrow one of them during the lunch hour.

Well worth skipping a meal

Some days I want to sell all of my guns, ammo and accessories and buy an mp5.

This is turning out to be one of those days.

I have a zenith Z5-P.  I absolutely love it.  Just waiting on a stamp so I can make it an SBR.

I'm guessing sometime in the next year or so I'm going to buy the Z5-RS and get a stamp for that as well.

First taste of full auto was an mp5 and I loved it.

I’ve seen that and inquired with some builders out there but no dice. I’d pay serious money to have that roller lock goodness on one of my SBRd lowers.

This guy is working on one

LOL you guys. Call me when you have shot a beretta PM12.

HK MP5::  Good german Heifer, Controlled and Composed but firm. Good ride but Stern

Colt SMG 9mm::  Crack Head Whore on a bender and wired 8 ways from sunday. Really got to hold on and stay on point or she will kick you off. Hold on Tight because she will give you the ride of your life.  

Beretta PM12:: Thick but not fat Italian Chick good for a ride all night long. Smooth Slow and just a little bouncy.

At one time I had 4 MP5s. 2 Dakota Tacticals and 2 HKs. I sold the Dakotas and kept the HKs. My only 9mm carbine experience prior the MP5s was with blow back guns. Much like your MP5 experience, I was shocked by the smooth almost non existent recoil of the MP5. I absolutely love the platform. The only blow back gun I've shot that is comparable IMO is the B&T APC9 which is mainly due to its buffer engineering.

On my project list is an MP5K and put a binary trigger in it.