Unlike my Glock 18 post, this one is primarily pics. There's really not much I can say about the MP5 that's not available in the public domain. Considered by some to be the greatest submachine gun ever designed, it is perhaps the most recognizable firearm manufactured by Heckler and Koch (dig up the famous SAS hostage rescue pic).

Introduced to the world in circa 1966, it is the most prevalent submachine gun I've come across in my career of gun carrying. Though my unit no longer regularly deploys with the MP5 (we've gone to 10.5" HK 416's or Colt's), the MP5 is still in wide use in both federal and state/local law enforcement units (believe the FBI still maintains it's MP5/10's despite that weapon no longer being in production), and I've seen them in use here with TF's Knight and Spartan and a host of PSD companies.

The version shown here was added to our armory in circa 2004 or 2005 and is the primary model used by my Agency's PSD guys back in the states (along with the MP5SD, which is not pictured). Easily controlled, even on full auto and very reliable, the MP5 is an exceptional weapon system, lacking only in range and knock down power (the reason we moved to 556 in a compact package).

<img src="http://www.pbase.com/1sfg/image/45292904/large.jpg">
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<img src="http://www.pbase.com/1sfg/image/45292901/large.jpg">

handled one that a buddy purchased (no rounds fired, just a visual inspection) and overall liked what I saw. A SBR'd GSG5 is definitely on my short list, if for no other reason than the price of the ammo!

We're not running any out here. In fact, all the PSD guys are running 10.5" 416's, and the operators are running everything from 416's to Colts depending on personal preference.

Would you use the burst mode if you had the standard trigger group?

for any number of reasons, but primarily because It's wasted ammo in my opinion. In order of preference I'd probably take 3-shot burst over full auto, and in fact, when practicing full auto drills on the m4, the majority of the guys on my team do controlled burst. The only advantage to full auto that I can see is the need to lay down suppressing fire, where I really don't care where all those rounds are going, and that's never happened in my book.

I've been in a few firefights, both here in Iraq and in Afghanistan. I've had a few instances where a number of the enemy were making charges. Even in those instances my firing was controlled - double taps at the most, but usually controlled 2-3 body shots and head shots if possible. I just fail to see the utility in full auto if the goal is to effectively put fire on a threat. The only time I've been tempted to lay down full auto fire was on a guy driving a frigging chevy caprice in Fallujah at o-dark thirty one morning who kept accelerating rapidly on our REVA and then dropping back. He kept getting closer and closer until I finally brought my M4 up to bear with the next step being a burst into the front of his engine to either disable the vehicle or give him a final warning. I never got around to doing it because the guy manning the .50cal in the turret made up his mind a little faster. In retrospect that was the more appropriate gun for that task anyway.

Our dedicated PSD guys practice full auto drills all the time where they dump 3-5 rounds into a target immediately. Theory there is to immediately drop the threat, and the stability of the MP5 at full auto allows for such "dumps" from close to medium range. That said, I think I can pull a trigger fast enough to put 2-3 rounds effectively on a target in about the same amount of time and if I have any proficiency with the firearm, that ought to be enough to at least buy me time to get a head shot, or get off the X.

I've fam-fired the .40 and 10mm versions. Each person will differ, but for me, both were as manageable with a slightly noticeable kick to the 10mm. I'm a fairly muscular guy and I already have a tendency to "muscle" a gun, so I imagine for a smaller shooter with less of a bear grip, the 10mm is probably kicking like crazy.

But if i'm not mistaken, the majority of MP5's sold do not have the ambi-safety.