Heckler und Koch MP5

The Heckler und Koch MP5 is a submachine gun. More specifically it is a black, lightweight, air-cooled, magazine-fed, select-fire weapon.

It fires in semi-automatic, 3-round burst, or sustained fire modes. The weapon operates on delayed blowback, using the patented H&K roller-locked bolt system. The weapon can be chambered for various cartridges, but usually for a 9x19mm round of pistol calibre. It was designed for reliability, ease of handling, and simple maintenance.

Variants

The original MP5 was available in fixed or folding butt forms. Some variants did not have a 3-round burst capacity, or only had a 3-round burst mode. The next major development was the MP5SD series (SD1-SD6), which were silenced versions of the previous models. Then came the MP5K ("Kurz", or short), which is only 12.6 inches long. It has a foregrip to allow steady firing. A further development of this is the MP5K-PDW (Personal Defense Weapon). This was built for US Air Force pilots who needed a compact weapon. It has a folding butt and can accept a silencer and laser sight. It can also be fired from inside a special briefcase. All variants of the MP5K are available in the same configurations as the original weapon. All MP5s can take 15 or 30 round magazines.

History

The MP5 was first produced in the 1960s as the HK54. The current name dates from when it was officially adopted by the West Germany government for use by its Police and Border Guard as the "Maschinepistole 5", or MP5 in 1966. It is currently in use by military and law enforcement units in more than fifty nations.

One famous counter-terrorist[?] operation involving this gun is Operation Nimrod[?] (April 30, 1980) in UK. The Special Air Service, armed with MP5s, was deployed to neutralize the terrorists who took over the Iranian embassy in London.