Who needs an MP5?

3 words "Roller-Delayed Bolt".

The prices for actual Hks are ridiculous, and the clones are rather expensive too(around $1,700 for a PTR I think?), but there is a reason military and police have been using it since 1966. Its hands down a nicer and better performing firearm.

Thats not to say the margin of performance you gain is worth the money to you, but there are $400 1911s and $4,000 1911s that fall into the same argument.

They definitely command a premium compared to the straight blowback guns because its a delayed blowback mechanism.

CMMG has a delayed blowback 9mm AR15 system and I have read a reviews from people who own both the CMMG system and an MP5 and they have said the CMMG actually shoots softer with less sight disruption. I am actually selling my blowback AR9 right now to build a new one with the CMMG system.

https://cmmginc.com/product/rifle-banshee-100-mkgs-9mm-nfa/

I’ve lusted after MP5’s for a long time, finally spent some time shooting one this summer, and that was my breaking point - I’m going SOT and will be owning one, even if it’s temporary and incredibly expensive. Makes a semiauto MP5 clone seem very cheap when you add up the total cost of ownership!

Who needs an MP5 ? I was wondering the same thing. It might be fun to fire once, at the range, but, IMO, has no practical use to justify the cost.

Dibbs said:

Who needs an MP5 ? I was wondering the same thing. It might be fun to fire once, at the range, but, IMO, has no practical use to justify the cost.

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Yep. Neither the $2000 semi autos, nor the $allofyourmoneyplease full autos.

Robert said:

HK. You suck and we hate you.

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Yea, that was the HK mantra back in the late 80's. Right about the time those "reasonable" HK's started to become a very valid investment. Not that I bought mine for that.

Not to make that shade of green some of you seem to have any greener, heres what I paid for a couple of mine, when they were just another cool gun back in the 80's.....

P7M13... $450

Couple of HK91's, with a bunch of accessories for each... around $600 ea.

HK94.... $450 ........ sent it to Fleming a week before the ban, and he converted it for $350. Registered receiver MP5 for $800.

Sold the P7 for around $1000. The 91's without the accessories went for a little over $2000 ea. The claw mounts alone went for around $500 each.

P7 and MP5 mags I paid $25 each for, sold for around $125 each.

Sold the MP5 to a local dealer/SOT for a quick $15K when Obama got in. Didnt want to lose that equity it had built up to the swipe of a pen. Should have held on to it, they are going for around $35K these days.


HK can hate me all they want, Im over it.

And thank the republicans for the bans that made things so profitable. They hate us just as much as the Democrats when it suits them.

Still not over that though.

Its also why youre still paying stupid prices for a $500 gun.

Low demand has resulted in low supply and since they're not any cheaper to make, we see high prices. They're mostly obsolete at this point. Even the most inertia-laden government agencies have or are in the process of replacing them with M4-derivatives because they make more sense (even if there is a desire to keep 9mm or go to something other than 5.56 like subsonic). Even for the little PDW's (MP5K), B&T is getting the contracts. But in many cases, buyers have realized that some form of M4 is hardly any bigger than a standard MP5 and it is far better in every respect.

I had fun shooting them when Uncle Sugar was picking up the ammo tab, but I have little desire to purchase one, semi or full.

Mosin Bubba said:

Yep. Neither the $2000 semi autos, nor the $allofyourmoneyplease full autos.

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Its all relative. I know people that have $30,000 into a side by side ATV that they use once a year and it will depreciate like a rock thrown overboard. I can definitely see why either the semi or full auto version would be pretty appealing to a high volume shooter. In the long run if your shooting enough volume the gun is the cheap part of the hobby.

someguy2800 said:

Its all relative. I know people that have $30,000 into a side by side ATV that they use once a year and it will depreciate like a rock thrown overboard. I can definitely see why either the semi or full auto version would be pretty appealing to a high volume shooter. In the long run if your shooting enough volume the gun is the cheap part of the hobby.

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If I’m shooting a $35000 gun then it had better not be a stinking 9mm. At a quarter a shot it will take 140000 rounds to equate to the value of the gun, which is hardly what I would call making the gun the cheap part. I don’t know what the cyclic rate is, or how long it takes to melt one down, but I guarantee it’s long before 140k rounds. If it’s $35k it had better say hotchkiss on the side.

Well, for better or for worse, I have the Walther/HK 22. lr MP5. Sexy and refine, about near perfect. True, it has the long fake silencer shroud on the barrel, and its in 22. lr, but its still a lot of fun as a stress reliever. Its been discontinued, as goes with anything great. Glad I was able to get it.

Me. They're sweet rifles

WestKentucky said:

If I’m shooting a $35000 gun then it had better not be a stinking 9mm. At a quarter a shot it will take 140000 rounds to equate to the value of the gun, which is hardly what I would call making the gun the cheap part. I don’t know what the cyclic rate is, or how long it takes to melt one down, but I guarantee it’s long before 140k rounds. If it’s $35k it had better say hotchkiss on the side.

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I don't follow your logic. Lets say just for point of comparison that you can get an MP5 or a hotchkiss for $35K. If you want to shoot 5,000 round a year out of your machine gun that's going to cost you about $850 a year for 9mm ammo or $5,000 a year to feed your hotchkiss. Plus I'm going to bet your hotchkiss will be pretty much junk after 10,000 rounds vs the MP5 that will hum along for years shooting at that volume and parts are available to keep it going. Not so much for your hotchkiss. See where I'm going here? We can't pretend that just just because you can afford a certain amount of money that certainly a whole bunch more is no problem.

WestKentucky said:

If I’m shooting a $35000 gun then it had better not be a stinking 9mm. At a quarter a shot it will take 140000 rounds to equate to the value of the gun, which is hardly what I would call making the gun the cheap part. I don’t know what the cyclic rate is, or how long it takes to melt one down, but I guarantee it’s long before 140k rounds. If it’s $35k it had better say hotchkiss on the side.

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I didnt buy my NFA guns to make money on them, I bought them to shoot them, just like all my other guns.

The politicians changed things for the worse there, even if there was some "better" to come out of it for those of us that bought things when they were more reasonable and realistic.

My buddy paid around $4500 for his M60, and sold it back around 2006 for a little over $50K. He should have held on to it a bit longer too.

Theres no doubt, the NFA machine gun world has become a rich mans sport theses days. And if youre looking at it from an "investment" standpoint, I really dont see it as a wise one. Youre paying top dollar to get in, and the pen is still mightier than the sword there.

Ammo costs will always be the higher number in the long run, no matter what the gun is, especially "if" youre a shooter. Most people really arent "shooters". Doesnt matter what it is. I shoot more rounds of 9mm a week out of a couple of handguns than most people I know shoot in a year out of anything.

A lot of this is just perspective I guess.

I think HK is probably playing on the nostalgia thing here more than anything else, and playing to those who were around when things got stupid, and might not have had the money then to get something they wanted, and couldnt afford it. Its kind of like the Harley thing too. Those same people may have the disposable cash now too to throw at them.

As was mentioned, for a realistic and serious choice, the 5.56 AR "pistols" make more sense, and at about a tenth the price, the way to go.

But, if youre one of those in the Harley crowd and and of that mindset, then pull that wad of hundreds out of your pocket, and jump on that MP5.

HK= High Kost. They are fun to shoot, but not 3k fun. Not when you can get an AR-style gun in 9mm with more accessory options at a fraction of the price. How much are MP5 mags going for? I recently found a bunch in an old kit bag.

Looks like the mags have rolled past the panic and are back down to more reasonable prices. A quick look on Gun Broker and the original HK mags are kind of all over the place, but on average, maybe in the $60 range for one mag. The days of $125+ a mag seem to be gone.

The KCI Korean MP5 mags seem to be going for around $35, so why would you spend more, unless it just had to be "HK".

The Exile said:

Never forget, neither party cares about you or your gun rights. Republicans don't support gun owners they support the right of gun makers to make a profit; and they'll make that profit even if it comes with needless regulations, ATHF stipulations on this or that. Would you believe magpul makes about just as much selling you a 10 round magazine as a 30 rounder? Colt wouldn't be losing any sleep if suddenly it was 20 inch barrels or bust. If Glock couldn't sell anything but 380s they'd do so with a smile knowing all of us will buy just about as many all told.

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IMHO that is very cynical and only partially true at best. Certainly there are republicans who have voted for gun control, but they're liberal Repubs or "R. I. N. O.s" . I've listened to and spoken to Republicans who I absolutly believe are pro 2A.

There are also Democrats who support 2A rights .... but IMHO, they're rarer now than ever before.

I'm not trying to be "Polly-Annish;" yes, you have to keep your eyes on your representatives and hold their feet to the fire. Ignore politicians and politics at your peril.

Nope. Under $1k as pictured with $13 mags. Eats steel case and has never malfunctioned. Granted it's not a MP5, but does satisfy the cool/fun gun niche.
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This one is more MP5(ish). Only downside is my son has claimed this as his. Foxtrot Mike also makes a forward left side charger if you want even closer cloneish.View attachment 882918