Walther MPL and MPK submachine guns

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Walther MPL submachine gun, left side view, with buttstock folded

Walther MPL submachine gun, right side view, with buttstock in opened position

Walther MPK submachine gun

	Walther MPL	Walther MPK
Caliber	9x19 mm Luger	9x19 mm Luger
Weight unloaded	3.0 kg	2.83 kg
Length	746 / 462 mm	659 / 381 mm
Barrel length	260 mm	173 mm
Rate of Fire	550 rounds/min	550 rounds/min
Effective range	200 m	100 m
Magazine capacity	32 rounds	32 rounds

Walther MP series of submachine guns included two similar weapons which differed only in the length of the barrel - the Maschinen Pistole Lang (long submachine gun) or MPL in short, and Maschinen Pistole Kurz (short submachine gun) or MPK. Both weapons were developed during late 1950s and early 1960s, and mass production commenced in 1963. Walther submachine guns were adopted by several German police departments; some export sales also were recorded, the most notable purchase being by Mexican Navy. The sales, however, were not sufficient enough to warrant further production, and manufacture ob both versions has ceased in 1983.

Walther MPL and MPk submachine guns are blowback operated, selective fired weapons which fire from open bolt. The bolt is shaped like an inverted "L", with most of its mass being located above the barrel and in front of the breech face. The bolt rides on a single guide rod. The charging handle is a separate part which does not move when gun is fired. The receiver is made from steel stampings, with the trigger / magazine housing pivotally pinned to its base. The manual safety and fire mode selector are incorporated into one ambidextrous control, made in the form of lever, located on the grip behind the trigger. The shoulder stock is made from steel wire and folds to the right side of the gun.

UZI / Mini UZI / Micro UZI submachine gun

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Uzi submachine gun with metallic buttstock in opened position

Uzi submachine gun with metallic buttstock in folded position

Uzi submachine gun with fixed (detachable) wooden buttstock

Mini-Uzi submachine gun with shoulder stock folded

Mini-Uzi submachine gun with shoulder stock opened

Micro-Uzi submachine gun with shoulder stock opened

Micro-Uzi submachine gun with shoulder stock folded
 

	UZI	Mini UZI	Micro UZI
Caliber	9x19mm Luger/Para	9x19mm Luger/Para	9x19mm Luger/Para
Weight, kg	3,7	2,7	1,5
Length, mm (stock closed / open)	470 / 650	360 / 600	250 / 460
Barrel length, mm	400	197	117
Rate of fire, rounds/min	600	950	1250
Magazine capacity, rounds	25 , 32	20, 25, 32	20
Effective range, meters	200	100	30

The UZI submachine gun was developed in Israel by designer Uziel Gal in around 1949, and manufactured by IMI (now IWI Ltd) since about 1951. UZI had been adopted by police and military of more than 90 countries, including Israel (now only in reserve), Germany, Belgium. It was also produced under license in Belgium by FN Herstal, and without license - in Croatia. More compact versions, Mini and Micro UZI, which were developed in 1982 and 1983, respectively, are adopted by many police, special operations and security units around the world, including Israeli Isayeret, US Secret Service etc.

An interesting question is the ancestry of the design of Uzi submachine gun. Most sources state that it was inspired by the Czechoslovak SA 23 submachine gun, which also had magazine in pistol grip and wrap-around bolt. This submachine gun was adopted in 1948, with production commencing in 1949. There are some doubts that it could reach the shores of Israel the same year it was born. On the other hand, British army tested several prototype weapons of the same basic layout as early as 1944 (see MCEM-2), and it is possible that Uziel Gal had learned about this layout from UK. It is also possible that he "invented" this layout on his own - after all, the very same basic layout has been used in semi-automatic pistols for a good 50 years.

The UZI submachine gun is blowback operated weapon which fires from open bolt. Mini- and Micro-Uzi submachine guns are produced either in open-bolt or closed-bolt versions; in the latter variation, weapon is equipped with separate striker and additional spring. The receiver is made from stamped steel, with trigger unit and pistol grip pinned to its bottom at the center. The bolt is of "wrap-around" type, with most of its weight located in front of the breech face. The Micro-Uzi has an additional weight, made from tungsten, attached to the bolt, to slightly slow down the overly excessive rate of fire. The cocking handle is located at the top of the receiver cover, and does not move when gun is fired; the cocking handle slot is covered by sliding dust cover. Bolt handle is cut at the middle to provide a sighting channel. Gun is fitted with manual safety / fire selector, located on the left side of the grip, plus automatic grip safety at the rear. Full-size Uzi submachine guns were fitted either with a detachable wooden shoulder stock, or with underfolding metallic shoulder stock of indigenous design. More compact Mini-Uzi and Micro-Uzi are fitted with side-folding metallic buttstocks made from steel.

Heckler und Koch UMP

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HK UMP-45

HK UMP-40 with optional equipment: red-dot sight, tactical frontgrip and flashlight

HK UMP-9 (note curved magazine)

Caliber: .45ACP, .40SW and 9x19mm Luger/Para
Weight: 2.1 - 2.2 kg empty
Lenght (stock closed/open): 450 / 600 mm
Barrel lenght: 200 mm
Rate of fire: 600 - 700 rounds per minute
Magazine capacity: 10, 25, 30 rounds
Effective range: 100 meters

The UMP (Universal Machinen-Pistole = Universal Submachine Gun) had been developed by the Heckler & Koch company of Germany in the mid- to late- 1990s and first appeared on the markets in 1999. The key idea behind the UMP was to ceate lightweight and powerful submachine gun, that also will be cheaper than one of the J&K's flagships, the MP-5. UMP, being targeted primary for USA law enforcement market, first appeared in .45ACP and .40SW chamberings, and later - in 9mm.

The UMP is a blowback-operated select-fire submachine gun, being fired from the closed bolt. The receiver is made from the polymer, the controls are fully ambidextrous. UMP can be fired in full-auto, in single shots, and in 2 or 3 round bursts (optional). UMP also has bolt hold-open device, which traps the bolt in the open position when the last round from magazine had been fired. UMP has side-folding buttstock and two set of picatinny rails - one on the top of the receiver, and the other - on the forend. These rails can accept wide variety of sighting and other equipment, such as red-dot sights, laser pointers, tactical grips and flashlights. The barrel has quick mount for snap-on silencer.

Heckler und Koch MP-5k

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HK MP-5K - original variant, with "S-E-F" trigger unit and the standard 30-rounds MP-5 magazine

HK MP-5KA4 - the most modern variant with ambidextrous, 4-position selector trigger unit and short, 15-rounds magazine

HK MP-5K-PDW - a "Personal Defense Weapon", with proprietary side-folding buttstock and a three-lug muzzle that can accept quick-detachable MP-5 silencers 

MP5K in the special carrying case

Caliber: 9x19mm Luger/Para
Weight: 2 kg without magazine
Length (stock closed/open): 325 mm
Barrel length: 115 mm
Rate of fire: 900 rounds per minute
Magazine capacity: 15 or 30 rounds
Effective range: about 25 meters

The MP-5K compact submachine gun (K stands for "Kurz" in German, that means "short") had been developed by the German company Heckler-Koch for various counter-terror and security units, that needed a short-range weapon with serious firepower. The HK MP-5K can be easily concealed under the clothes, in the glove compartment of a car, or in the special carry/fire suitcase. It also allows the high mobility in the confined spaces and in the crowd. The price for this features is the short effective range of fire, limited by the short barrel, short sighting line, and the lack of the buttstock. MP-5K is also manufactured under license in Turkey and Iran, and is widely used by various Law Enforcement and VIP protection units worldwide. In the mid-1990s HK developed a derivative of the basic MP-5K, called the HK MP-5K PDW, or Personal Defense Weapon. This weapon is intended for issue to military personnel, who usually is issued with the pistol. MP-5K PDW is much more compact than most of modern submachine guns yet it offers much more firepower than any military pistol. The most limiting factor to the popularity of the MP-5K PDW as the military sidearm is its very limited penetration against personal protection means, like the helmets and body armour. It may, by my opinion, seriously benefit from using the latest Russia-developed 9x19mm Armour Piercing ammunition, which is currently adopted by the Russian Army and the Internal Affairs Ministry of Russia.

Technically, the MP-5K is no more than a shortened HK MP-5 submachine gun, with no stock and with vertical front grip instead of the more conventional forend. MP-5K uses the similar stamped steel receiver and the same plastic detachable trigger units, available for standard MP-5. It also uses the same magazines. The sights on the MP-5K can be of the same pattern as on the MP-5 (hooded post front, drum adjustable diopter rear), or the low-profile non-adjustable fixed sights. The MP-5K PDW differs from the MP-5K by having a plastic side-folding stock (designed and made in the USA by the Choate Machine & Tool Co under the HK USA contract). The other visible difference is the three-lugged barrel, that can accept any silencers, compatible with the standard MP-5. All models of the MP-5K can be fitted with various laser sights and other accessories.

It is interesting to know that during the 1980s HK manufactured a semi-automatic only version of the MP-5K for the civilian market. It was called the SP-89, and visually differed from the MP-5K by the lack of the front grip. The SP-89 has been included in the US 1994 "Assault weapons ban" and is no longer imported to the USA, and, most probably, no longer made.

Heckler und Koch MP-5

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HK MP-54, or HK 54 - a prototype submachine gun (1965). Earlier MP-5A1 adopted by German police and Border Guard looked the same. Note that the sights and the muzzle are different from the latter models. 

HK MP-5A2 with fixed stock and plastic S-E-F trigger group. 

HK MP-5A3 with retractable buttstock. Earlier model with checkered handguard and a stamped steel S-E-F (in fact, S-1-A) trigger group. 

HK MP-5SD3. A silenced version with integral silencer and retractable stock of A3 version. Early type stamped steel trigger group. 

HK MP-5N. Modern version developed for US Navy. Features plastic trigger group of latest design, with ambidextrous selector lever and "icon" markings. Barrel is threaded to accept US-made detachable silencers, in addition to HK standard three-lug mounts. Retractable buttstock of A3 configuration. 

Visual difference between trigger units:
left -earliest type stamped steel with plastic grip (converted from semi-auto only civilian gun HK 94, with American markings on selector);
middle - early type all-plastic with S-E-F markings;
right - most modern all-plastic design of "A4" variation, with additional 3-rounds burst facility and icon markings. 

HK MP-5 field-stripped. Note that both types of stocks are shown - fixed A2 type and retractable A3 type.

technical data (current models):

	MP-5A2	MP-5A3
Caliber	9x19mm Parabellum (also .40S&W and 10mm Auto)
Weight, empty	2.54 kg	2.88 kg
Length	680 mm	490 / 660 mm
Barrel length	225 mm
Rate of fire	800 rounds per minute
Magazines	15 and 30 rounds

 

 The Heckler und Koch submachine gun, MP-5, is one of the most famous and wide-spread firearms of its class, developed since the Second World War. Its development began circa 1964 under the company designation HK MP-54, or simply HK 54. In the 1966, German police and Border Guard adopted the HK 54 as the MP-5, and it was originally available in two forms - MP-5 with fixed buttstock and MP-5A1 with retractable buttstock. Some years later HK slightly upgraded the design of MP-5, replacing the sights (from flip-up open notch rear and blade front to drum-type diopter rear and hooded post front) and the muzzle (replacing the two-slot muzzle compensator to the tree-lugs QD silencer mount without compensator). Other improvements made over the time concerned the magazines (early type magazines were of straight box type, latter - of curved box type for improved reliability). The trigger units also were upgraded - from original stamped steel with plastic grip to the all-plastic units, integral with grip, and with various fire modes and marking. Over the years MP-5 were adopted by the huge numbers of police, security and military forces around the world, including the German police and border guard, British police and elite Army SAS units, American police, FBI, Navy and Marine Corps, and many, many others. MP-5 is still manufactured in Germany by the HK itself, and also licensed to Greece, Iran, Pakistan and Mexico. The only real rival to the MP-5 in the terms of proliferation across the world is the famous Israeli UZI submachine gun. Most interestingly, the German Army (Bundeswehr) did not adopted the MP-5, most probably due to the economical reasons, and turned instead to the... UZI submachine guns, made under license in Belgium.

The success of the MP-5 is outstanding. It is based on the high quality and reliability of the gun, great single-shot accuracy (thanks to its closed bolt action), great flexibility and, of cause, good marketing. It seems that no other modern SMG at this time can rival the MP-5 in popularity (UZI is not manufactured anymore).

The MP-5, basically, is no more than the scaled-down version of the Heckler-Koch G3 battle rifle. It shares the same basic design with stamped steel receiver and the same roller-delayed blowback action, derived from the post-war CETME rifles. The trigger units are hinged to the receiver and are now available with various fire mode options,  including 2 (Safe, Semi-auto), 3 (Safe, Semi, Full Auto) or 4 (Safe, Semi, Limited burst of 2 or 3 rounds, Full auto) position levers, ambidextrous or not, and marked with letters, digits or icons. The MP-5 is always fired from closed bolt for improved accuracy, but this limits the amount of sustained fire due to the barrel overheating and resulting cook-off problems. To avoid this, MP-5 cocking handle could be locked in the rear position in the special slot, leaving the bolt in the open position, with no cartridge in the chamber. To commence the fire one must simply release the cocking handle from its notch and then pull the trigger. Modern MP-5 submachine guns are equipped with three-lug quick detachable silencer mounts on the barrel. Sights are similar to other HK models, and consists of the front hooded post sight and the adjustable for windage and elevation drum-type diopter rear sight. Special quick-detachable clamp mounts allows for installation of night, optical and red-dot sights if required. Standard magazine capacity is 30 rounds, but shorter 15 rounds magazines are available. Special versions were developed and manufactured in limited numbers during 1980s-90s for the US Law Enforcement market, chambered for more powerful 10mm Auto (10x25mm) and .40S&W (10x22mm) ammunition. These guns can be easily distinguished from more common 9mm models by straight box 30 rounds magazines, made from plastic.

While all of MP-5 can be fitted with silencers, there also a dedicated silenced version of MP-5, called MP5SD2 or SD3 (depending on the stock type). This version is equipped with non detachable integral silencer, and the vented barrel, to reduce the bullet muzzle velocity down below the speed of sound. The MP-5SD is intended to fire standard 9mm ammunition, not the special subsonic one.
Semi-automatic only versions of the MP-5 were once made for civilian market under the designation of HK-94, some with longer, 16 inch (406 mm) barrels, to conform with US laws. There also is an US company, called Special Weapons LLC, that is manufacturing semi-automatic, civilian MP-5 clones in various pistol calibers, including the .45ACP.

MP 3008 submachine gun

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MP 3008 submachine gun, version with skeletonized butt

MP 3008 submachine gun, version with tubular butt

Caliber	9x19mm Luger / Parabellum
Weight	2.95 kg empty
Length (stock closed/open)	794 mm
Barrel length	200 mm
Rate of fire	500 rounds per minute
Magazine capacity	32 rounds

MP 3008 submachine gun was developed and manufactured in Germany during final stages of the World War 2. It is also known as "Volks Machinenpistole" (People's submachine gun), as it was produced as a last-ditch weapon to arm German Volkssturm units. Several German factories produced about 10 000 of MP 3008 submachine guns in several minor variations, with different stocks. All modifications were internally similar, being based on the British Sten Mk.II submachine gun.

The MP 3008 submachine gun is a simple blowback operated weapon that fires from open bolt. It was capable of semi-automatic and full-automatic fire, thanks to the Sten-type cross-bolt button type fire mode selector. The safety was made in the form of the L-shaped cut at the rear of the cocking handle slot, which was used to lock the bolt in rearward position. Unlike the prototype (Sten Mk.II) the magazine housing on the MP 3008 was welded below the tubular receiver. Ammunition was fed from 32-round box magazines, compatible with German MP40 submachine guns. The sights consisted of the front post and rear aperture, with fixed setting for 100 meters range. The MP 3008 submachine guns were manufactured withs several types of buttstocks, including metallic skeletonized or tubular butts, or simple wooden butts.

Erma EMP 35 submachine gun

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Erma EMP-35 submachine gun, left side view. Note flip-up rear sight and additional manual safety on the receiver

Erma EMP-35 submachine gun (variant with tangent sight), right side view; magazine removed

Caliber	9x19mm Luger / Parabellum
Weight	4,1 kg empty
Length	892 or 950 mm
Barrel length	250 or 308 mm
Rate of fire	450-500 rounds per minute
Magazine capacity	32 rounds
Effective range	150-200 meters

Heinrich Vollmer, an arms designer from Germany, designed his first submachine gun in 1925. His first weapon looked much like the Bergmann / Schmeisser MP-18/I, but with certain differences such as vertical foregrip and a small, drum-type magazine which was attached below the receiver and held 25 rounds of 9mm pistol ammunition. He gradually improved his weapon up until 1928 or 1929, when he made first commercial sales of the new submachine gun, which was offered in a variety of calibers, including 7,65x22 Luger, 7,63x25 Mauser, 9x19 Luger and 9x25 Mauser Export.

In 1930, Vollmer introduced an improved design, with side-feed using box magazines and patented telescoped return spring guide, later used in famous MP- 38 and MP-40 submachine guns. Since the Vollmer himself has not enough financial capabilities to produce this gun on commercial basis, in 1931 he sold the manufacturing rights to German Erfurter Maschinenfabrik company, usually known under its trade mark Erma.

Erma produced Vollmer design in a variety of models under one common name EMP (Erma Maschinen Pistole - Erma machine pistol). These weapons differed in length of the barrel, type of sights, safety arrangements and availability of accessories, but general layout and features were the same. EMP submachine guns were sold to France, Spain and several South American countries. Germans mostly issued Erma EMP submachine guns to police and Waffen SS troops.

Erma EMP submachine gun is blowback operated, selective-fired weapon which fires from open bolt. It uses characteristic bolt system with telescoped tubular guide for return spring. The standard safety consisted of a hook-shaped notch in the receiver, which was used to engage and lock the bolt in cocked position. Additionally, on some EMP weapons, a manual safety was installed on the left side of receiver, behind the magazine housing. The fire mode selector was located on the right side of the stock, above the trigger guard. The feed was from the left side, using double-row box magazines. The magazine housing was slightly canted forward to improve feeding. Ejection was to the right. The stock with semi-pistol grip was made from wood; standard versions had additional front grip under the stock, but Erma also produced version of EMP without this foregrip. Sights also varied - Erma produced EMP submachine guns with two-position flip-up or with tangent rear sights.

EMP also had one more unusual design feature - a disassembly catch that was located at the rear of the trigger guard. There was nothing wrong with it - until shooter hit it with his fingers during combat, which resulted in instant self-disassembly of the weapon - a very unwelcome event for any fighting soldier.