MP 5
The MP5 was first introduced by Heckler & Koch in 1966, under the name HK54. This name comes from HK's old numbering system: the "5" designates the model as a submachine gun, while the "4" identifies it as being chambered for 9 x 19 mm mmunition. The current name dates from when it was officially adopted by the West German government for use by its police and border guard as the Maschinenpistole 5, or MP5, in mid-1966. The GSG 9, the counter- terrorist part of the Border Guard, then introduced the MP5 to other Western counter-terrorist units. With the increased use of body armor, the future of the MP5 is uncertain. Several new trends in gun design have begun to eclipse the submachine gun; small caliber personal defense weapons (PDW) like the new Heckler & Koch MP7 and compact carbines such as the M4, AKS-74U, the G36C variant of HK's G36, and the XM8 rifle based on the G36. The only major criticism of the MP5 has been its high cost — approximately 900 USD for an MP5N — the same price as an assault rifle. Heckler & Koch has started to complement the MP5 series with the more powerful and cheaper UMP, which is available in .45€P, .40 S&W and 9 mm Parabellum calibers. However, since the UMP uses a simple blowback action, it may not necessarily be a rival for the MP5 among the most discriminating users.
The MP5 was first introduced by Heckler & Koch in 1966, under the name HK54. This name comes from HK's old numbering system: the "5" designates the model as a submachine gun, while the "4" identifies it as being chambered for 9 x 19 mm mmunition. The current name dates from when it was officially adopted by the West German government for use by its police and border guard as the Maschinenpistole 5, or MP5, in mid-1966. The GSG 9, the counter- terrorist part of the Border Guard, then introduced the MP5 to other Western counter-terrorist units. With the increased use of body armor, the future of the MP5 is uncertain. Several new trends in gun design have begun to eclipse the submachine gun; small caliber personal defense weapons (PDW) like the new Heckler & Koch MP7 and compact carbines such as the M4, AKS-74U, the G36C variant of HK's G36, and the XM8 rifle based on the G36. The only major criticism of the MP5 has been its high cost — approximately 900 USD for an MP5N — the same price as an assault rifle. Heckler & Koch has started to complement the MP5 series with the more powerful and cheaper UMP, which is available in .45€P, .40 S&W and 9 mm Parabellum calibers. However, since the UMP uses a simple blowback action, it may not necessarily be a rival for the MP5 among the most discriminating users.
