Airsoft Action - December 2023

RED CELL
MP5 UPDATE
that they have in common though is that all of these
models have seen a LOT of field-time, so although
you’ll be potentially looking at buying new, I hope our
continued experiences will aid you in your own choice
if you decide an MP5 is for you!
Stewbacca: For me the MP5 is perhaps the
definitive submachine gun; of course there were
earlier contenders within the world wars and
intervening years when the concept was initially
developed and the Thompson is also a favourite and
classic firearm in its own right. However, Heckler &
Koch’s mid-1960s 9mm derivative of their already
popular G3 full tilt battle rifle system’s roller-delayed
action is perhaps the culmination of all the important
features in terms of both a highly functional, reliable
and controllable action, ease of mass manufacture
with the more modern stamped steel. The Germans
pioneered and use of polymer for furniture, as well as
the early modularity concept of the whole system, but
of course all of these benefits being delivered in the
platform’s sheer aesthetically appealing, ergonomic
and now immediately recognisable profile; clearly
they got the marketing mix right as even to this day
it retains its popularity and is still the yardstick by
which most new contenders
are measured, including HK’s
own subsequent simplified
designs that were intended to
be more economical and allow
HK to somewhat phase out the
comparatively more expensive to
make classic MP5s. The people
evidently still want them.
With saturation in media,
typically being used as ‘good guy
guns’ and their large prevalence
in law enforcement as well as
military, paramilitary and security
forces, they’re timeless and
applicable to so many scenarios,
not just for cosplaying as your
favourite action star.
VFC HK MP5k (+PDW stock):
Since completing my initial review
of the at-time-of writing-latest
MP5 variant released from VFC
(Their SD2/3 models should be out soon as well
hopefully!) I’ve been using this as a great backpack/
backup gun for skirmishing, particularly if I’m using
a long rifle and want to take a spare just in case
but don’t want to be too weighed down with it; it’s
perfect for bunging in a bag with a few mags to make
sure you still have something reasonably effective to
fight with if there’s a problem with anyone’s primary
long guns.
I also purchased the side folding triangular PDW
stock separately in order to replicate the Tom Cruise
Mission Impossible III setup; I’m not a fan of the
original MP5k PDW protruding muzzle for the
silencer, I prefer to have it as a flush front end for easy
movement in tight spaces without anything sticking
out in front of my support hand to clunk on things,
the recoil remains a lot punchier than the WE models
and in general it’s been running basically flawlessly
thus far, the shoulder stock definitely improves both
your experience of the recoil and the obvious ability to
aim more consistently than my initial ‘push out against
the sling’ SAS-stylee efforts.
I’ve also taken to running it every so often at ISPC/
SPPT training sessions as it does work very well on
“I’M NOT A FAN OF THE ORIGINAL MP5K PDW PROTRUDING MUZZLE FOR THE
SILENCER, I PREFER TO HAVE IT AS A FLUSH FRONT END FOR EASY MOVEMENT IN
TIGHT SPACES WITHOUT ANYTHING STICKING OUT IN FRONT OF MY SUPPORT HAND
TO CLUNK ON THINGS”
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