It used to be really expensive to gain entrance into the MP5 club. Nowadays, thanks to the availability of some top-quality clones, semiauto MP5’s are both reasonably-priced and available. (Photo Provided by Author)
May 20, 2025
By Will Dabbs, MD
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When I was a kid, I would have drunk bathwater for an MP5. For gun nerds of a certain age, that sexy German rascal was the golden ring. The British 22d Special Air Service used MP5 submachine guns to whack a bunch of Iranian terrorists on international television in 1980. And then there was John McClain ridding Nakatomi Plaza of Euroterrorists with an MP5 in Die Hard. I coveted one in a manner that approached unseemly.
Origin Story First introduced in 1966, the MP5 was an evolutionary development of the German MG42 belt-fed machinegun that was used to such terrible effect during WW2. The MG42 begat the prototype Nazi StG45 rifle which led to the Spanish CETME which eventually became the 7.62x51mm German G3. This basic chassis subsequently evolved into the 9mm MP5. The beating heart of all of those weapons was their curious roller-delayed blowback action.
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The guys who designed the MG42 had never before built a gun. Their bailiwick was actually stamped steel railway lanterns. As a result, they brought a fresh unspoilt perspective to the enterprise. Their novel action incorporated a pair of roller bearings that cammed into recesses milled into the gun’s breech. This system delayed the opening of the bolt long enough for pressures to drop to safe levels.
While esoterically complicated, these weapons were actually fairly cheap to produce en masse. The pressed steel receivers could be churned out by the zillions once the stamping dies were perfected, and the mill work did not require any particular talent. The end result was clean, reliable independent of barrel length, and inimitably smooth. The 9mm MP5 in particular was a precision instrument. A trained operator could write his name with that thing.
This is an original German pre-ban HK94 rifle. It was Heckler and Koch’s semiauto version of the MP5 submachineguns. They always were expensive and tough to find. (Photo Provided by Rock Island Auctions) Heckler and Koch knew all of this but didn’t care. They launched the HK94, the castrated long-barreled carbine version of their storied MP5 submachine gun, in 1983. However, HK94’s were both rare and crazy expensive. They also did away with the midline flapper magazine release. These weapons were banned by name from importation by Bush the First when he hosed American gun owners everywhere in 1989. The 1994 Assault Weapons Ban put the kibosh on what few domestically-produced clones might be out there as well, but that abomination automatically sunset a decade later. And then something amazing happened.
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American gun nerds clamored for MP5’s. A few small outfits churned out essentially hand built clones of varying degrees of quality, but there was nothing that came close to quenching that insatiable thirst. Then the Turks realized what the Germans did not. There was a massive pile of money just sitting over here in the US waiting to be picked up by anyone who cared to make us some decent MP5 analogs. The Turkish MKE company happily obliged.
The Turkish Connection The Turks have been building HK’s roller-delayed guns on licensed machinery for decades now. If you haven’t had the pleasure, Turkey makes some simply magnificent firearms. Their reputation for quality in military and Law Enforcement circles around the globe is superlative. Unlike the castrated versions of the MP5 that HK was foisting upon us, these Turkish weapons were both reasonably-priced and much closer to the factory originals. I was giddy at the prospects.
No kidding, these semiauto Turkish guns could pass for the real deal, even under detailed scrutiny. The fire control units were held in place with two pushpins like the GI originals, where the HK versions were retained with a shelf and single pin. Normal people didn’t care, but serious gun geeks did.
The fit, finish, and workmanship of these licensed reproductions rivalled anything that ever rolled out the doors of the German factory at Oberndorf. They looked right, they shot right, and the price was right. In recent years, these guns have been imported by a variety of companies. The inimitable engine that is capitalism has served to make these weapons relatively cheap. A modern Turkish clone can be found nowadays for around a grand. By contrast, the original pre-ban HK versions are five times that.
Vector Vector exemplifies the US-made clones that were available prior to the Turkish invasion. My reverse stretch Vector MP5K PDW SBR (short-barreled rifle) is close but not perfect. Reverse stretch is a gun nerd term that describes combining the front end from the stubby MP5K PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) with the receiver of the original MP5. When using a transferable full auto conversion device, this gives you the portability of the MP5K with the diminished rate of fire and enhanced controllability of the full-sized gun.
The Century AP5-P (left) is shown alongside the AP5-M. Both guns use a common chassis but have different barrels. (Photo Provided by Author) I saved up forever to buy my Vector gun. However, the cocking tube sports some weird ribs, and the details are not quite as crisp or polished as is the case with the original HKs or their Turkish cousins. My older gun has also not been completely reliable. However, at a time when there weren’t a whole lot of options, this weapon was my ticket into the rarefied MP5 club.
Century Century Arms is the apex predator among HK clones. I am a bit of a superfan myself. Their current extensive offerings would have been legitimately unimaginable a decade ago. Century’s guns are brand new, imported from Turkey, and transfer as pistols. I am at a loss to find fault with any of them. They call their MP5 line the AP5. AP stands for Apparatus Pistol. I have no idea why. There are six major variants with a few subtypes tossed in for flavor.
The AP5 is the semiauto pistol rendition of the full-sized MP5 SMG. The AP5 sports a standard 8.5-inch barrel and can be had either with or without a pistol stabilizing brace. Guns without the brace include a buttcap with a sling swivel. The AP5-M is Century’s version of the stubby little MP5K. In keeping with the BATF’s stupid rules, the AP5-M lacks the vertical broomstick foregrip of the GI gun. The barrel on the AP5-M is 4.6 inches long and ends at the front sight.
From top to bottom, the AP5, the AP5-M, and the AP5-P, all from Century Arms. These three guns have been NFA-registered so they can approximate their original GI forebears. (Photo Provided by Author) The AP5-P is the pistol version of the MP5K PDW. This is a standard MP5K with a slightly extended 5.8-inch barrel tipped with combination tri-lug suppressor mount and 1/2x28 threaded section. Both the AP5-M and the AP5-P feature the welded-on receiver reinforcement plates of the original German guns.
The new AP5-SD is an epic rendition of the uber-cool MP5SD sound-suppressed SMG made famous in the Charlie Sheen war movie Navy SEALs. The AP5-SD is actually an AP5-P with that same threaded barrel hidden underneath an open-ended removable aluminum barrel shroud and rubber handguard. The end result looks just like the original. You can also remove the barrel shroud and easily replace it with an actual sound suppressor should the spirit lead.
The Century AP5-SD is shown above an original MP5SD. The gun looks perfect and, when equipped with a Magpul pistol stabilizing brace like this one, does not incur any special registration requirements. (Photo Provided by Author) The AP53 is essentially the same gun as the AP5 only chambered in 5.56mm. This pocket powerhouse feeds from translucent polymer 30-round magazines and features an 8.3-inch barrel. Like all of these semiauto Century weapons, the AP53 features a four-position pictograph fire control housing just for the cool points.
The AP51 is the same weapon chambered in 7.62x51mm. Arguably the most powerful handgun ever created, this thing will make you get religion. The muzzle blast will loosen your fillings, and the muzzle flash when fired at dusk is visible from space. These Century guns all come with removable flash suppressors, scope mounts, slings, and cleaning kits. The AP5-M foregoes the flash suppressor as the barrel ends at the receiver.
SDS imports a pair of Turkish-made MP5 clones of their own called the MAC 5 and the MAC 5K. The MAC 5 is the full-sized MP5, while the MAC 5K is the MP5K PDW analog with the stubby barrel. The street price on those guns is a bit lower than most. By all accounts, these are nicely-done pieces as well.
American-Made Amazing PTR produces roller-delayed guns in Aynor, South Carolina. Their offerings include both rifle and pistol versions of the HK standards in 9mm, 5.56mm, and 7.62 NATO. They offer their weapons chambered in 7.62x39mm Combloc as well.
PTR has a well-earned reputation for quality, and their weapons are entirely US-made. Their Heritage G3 is a splendid rendition of the original Bundeswehr gun. The rest of their lowers feature a polymer fire selector that is a scant departure from the original service sort.
The reverse-stretch Vector MP5K PDW clone is shown in the middle between a Century AP5 on top and a converted AP5-P SBR. The receiver on the reverse stretch gun is of the same length as the standard MP5. (Photo Provided by Author) Zenith Firearms is based in Afton, Virginia. They used to import Turkish versions but now produce a wide array of top-quality roller-delayed guns here in America. In addition to the three major MP5 variants, they also offer a cool roller-delayed modern sporting rifle that is kind of the arithmetic mean between a legacy HK gun and an AR15. These weapons are offered in 5.56, 300BLK, and 7.62x39mm.
Zenith MP5 variants utilize the double pushpin attachment system of the GI weapons with a proprietary polymer lower that is slightly different from the originals. In addition, Zenith offers receivers in various stages of completion for those who might want to build their guns up from scratch at home. These run from unfinished folded flats without barrels or trunnions up through plug-and-play barreled receivers.
This is a perfect MP5SD clone from TPM Outfitters. They can be hard to find today. (Photo Provided by Author) I was fortunate enough to land a beautiful sound-suppressed MP5SD clone from TPM Outfitters several years ago. Their SD is factory perfect right down to the ported barrel and appropriately-scaled sound suppressor. However, TPM is a small shop. Their availability is spotty as a result. Dakota Tactical offers the same sort of handmade bespoke guns also at a premium price.
Musings HK imports their own pistol versions of the standard MP5 and the MP5K PDW called the SP5 and SP5K respectively. Both come without stocks. The quality is, by definition, factory perfect. However, they are single pushpin guns, and you’ll pay a premium for the HK iconography on the side.
There are some curious legal considerations at play here. 922R is the schizophrenic government rule regarding how many imported parts can be included in a long gun and still have it remain importable. I do this for a living, and I don’t understand the details. However, 922R doesn’t apply to pistols. That’s why Century’s AP series and the MAC guns from SDS are all imported as handguns.
Drop a BATF Form 1 and register your clone as an SBR (short-barreled rifle), and you can install the factory buttstock. This will cost you an onerous $200 tribute, but the process is not terribly difficult. Surplus stocks are readily available and are plug-and-play. If you don’t want to go to the hassle, there are several options for pistol stabilizing braces available both from the factory and as aftermarket accessories. PSB’s get you almost the same functionality without any ancillary registration requirements.
Once you obtain an approved BATF Form 1registering the Century AP5-P as a short-barreled rifle (SBR), you can slap on the vertical foregrip and folding stock. Accessories such as these are readily available online. (Photo Provided by Author) If you want to install a broomstick grip on your MP5K analog, that means registration as an AOW or Any Other Weapon. Do this through a licensed manufacturer, and the transfer tax is $5. Do it at home via a BATF Form 1 and the tax is $200. Don’t try to understand it. Your brain could explode.
All of these guns have a steel shelf behind the magwell that precludes installation of a GI full auto fire control group. The versions that use two pushpins also include a little tab inside that excludes a GI full auto bolt carrier. None of that matters unless you’re planning on installing a registered full auto trigger pack.
Older Vector guns, like the original German HK’s, used single-pushpin fire control groups.(Photo Provided by Author) American gun laws are a bucket of snakes, and I do mourn the passing of new-made transferable machineguns. However, this is still the best time in all of human history to be a gun nerd. The selection is unprecedented, and competition helps keep prices better than they might otherwise be. All of these guns are expensive, but they’re way better than was previously the case. If ever you wanted an MP5 clone of your own, it’s a buyer’s market today.
