So I've become interested in a MP5 clone after shooting one. I'm not, however, going to spend 3k on what would be pretty impractical for most of my uses.

This led me to the Century arms AP5. From the little bit of research I've done, they seem to be okay.

Do any of you know anything about these? Im pretty new to this type of gun. Also Would rather buy nothing than waste my $ on junk.

Or should I just look at something like a GHM-9?

TIA

https://www.centuryarms.com/ap5-series

Looks fun, but as you said, what would you do with this? Not a rifle but not really a pistol either. Although the 9mm is a pretty cheap round and easy to get ammo. Actually too cheap to bother reloading it.

Oh I would for sure SBR it. I've always thought they were cool, and they suppress well. Mainly be range/plinking

I know nothing about these other thsn SF lore.

Based on how you presented it as a value option, I thought it was going to be around a grand when I opened the link. If the real deal is $3k, seems like the better value would be stretch to that instead of $2k on this.

Looks neat though.

These can be found for about 1350 or so

I've never fired one though. If you already have a suppressor that will work for it, that would be a cool setup.

But, I will say this though. Do you already have an all-around, go anywhere, take anything rifle? 24" barrel, medium weight, bolt action, .30-06 class?

IMO this is what everyone needs before they buy anything else.

I have on that has been pending for 183 days

Will prob get Jan or feb

I need to get one. I guess all the cool kids are doing it lol.

Green2Maroon said:

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But, I will say this though. Do you already have an all-around, go anywhere, take anything rifle? 24" barrel, medium weight, bolt action, .30-06 class?

IMO this is what everyone needs before they buy anything else.

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I've got that pretty well covered

I have a
20" 308
24" 22-250
26" 7mm Mag
20" youth .243

12" Grendel (semi)
10.5" 556 (semi)
16" 556 upper (semi)
16" 9mm (semi)

I own two AP5s, the full size and the K.

If you really have to have the name, the H&K SP5 is the way to go. It's slightly nicer, built by the OGs of the gun and will hold value if you want to sell someday.

But I'm not a collector. I'm a shooter. So I bought two AP5s for the price of one H&K and couldn't be happier.

MKE builds them in Turkey on a factory set up for them by H&K back in the day. Zenith used to import the MKE guns before Century did, so MKE clones have been in the states for a lot of years and get generally positive feedback. Both of mine have been good.

For range use, the full size is the way to go. Smoother shooter and just classic. If you want a compact pdw travel gun, the K doesn't shoot as nicely as the full size gun but it is very small. The best answer is buy both.

As they come from the factory:


In all their retro 90s glory:


More modern with collapsing stocks, optics, lights....



I shot the full size at a night time R&G last month under NV

Green2Maroon said:

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what would you do with this?

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Oh, and cuddle the full size while watching Die Hard during Christmas. It's a Holiday Tradition.

24" .30-06
24" .280 Ackley
22" .260

16" piston 5.56
16" DI 5.56

7.7 Japanese Type 99
8x57 Mauser K98 from 1942

Thank you, that was exactly what I was hoping to hear. Atlantic firearms has the core for $1340 w/ SB brace. Do you have any experience w this company?

https://atlanticfirearms.com/century-ap5-pistol-HG6034AB-N

Atlantic is good, check battlehawk and dalghona armory too, they usually have decent AP5 prices.

Can you put the telescoping stock on the full size? I like the one that has a bar on each side.

Also, if you were to only get one would you go with the k? Would maybe try and sneak up on pigs occasionally but mostly range

I wonder how fast it goes out of the 8.9" barrel? My pistol is a 5.25" and it just seems okay for the barrel length.

Green2Maroon said:

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I wonder how fast it goes out of the 8.9" barrel? My pistol is a 5.25" and it just seems okay for the barrel length.

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My 16" 9mm has more KE at 69 yards than a micro at point blank

I bought some cheap 115 grain rounds a while back and chronographed em. It was only like 1150 out of my XD-M.

Meanwhile I'm getting 3136 out of the 280 Ackley with a 140 Barnes TSX.

Two of the pictures I posted are the full size with two different telescoping stocks on it, and I also mentioned which I'd buy depending on use case in that same post….

Sorry I missed that part, I was driving

Do you know anything about that SBA brace? Thinking about ordering just the gun and putting that extra $100 towards stamp and stock

tandy miller said:

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Can you put the telescoping stock on the full size? I like the one that has a bar on each side.

Also, if you were to only get one would you go with the k? Would maybe try and sneak up on pigs occasionally but mostly range

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You can't put a factory A3 stock on a K gun. The K guns are the ones with the bars at the end of the receiver. IMO, the B&T folding stocks are miles better than the factory A3 and don't cost $800+

My opinion is a bit different than Bender's. I shoot my K way more than my full size. It's just more fun. If I'm going to shoot a "full size" MP5, I go with the SD. Works well for varmints.

That SD is gorgeous

I at least want to get another 9mm. Not sure what kind.

After listening to retired DEVGRU SEAL Andy Stumpf and retired army CIF/Special Forces guys Mike Glover and Kevin Owens talk about shooting guys in the face with MP5 a few times and then not dying I'm not a fan of PCCs for self defense. I've fired a MP5 on full auto and it is fun as heck. If going for fun or the nostalgia the MP5 or a clone is a good choice. For close in work a .300 blackout or 5.56 with proper ammo is better for self defense

I know a guy that got shot in stomach with a 7 mag and lived. I feel that both instances are anomalies rather than norms

Bullet likely went straight through without expanding. Had to miss the spine and any major blood vessels.

I looked at the mp5 ended up with a scorpion for a lot cheaper and then later upgraded to an sig mpx k which is really nice. But you are correct it is probably my least useful gun but it is a lot of fun.

Green2Maroon said:

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Bullet likely went straight through without expanding. Had to miss the spine and any major blood vessels.

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Didn't hit spine but it destroyed all of his stomach and guts. Was never the same. Some dude mistook him for a hog, or so the story goes

What about the trigger for the AP-5? The one I handled was like a stock Scorpion or AR trigger; gritty, creepy, and 10# pull weight. Can they be upgraded?

Yes it can

Mr. Dubi said:

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What about the trigger for the AP-5? The one I handled was like a stock Scorpion or AR trigger; gritty, creepy, and 10# pull weight. Can they be upgraded?

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Bill Springfield used to be the go to for HK trigger work. He'd get them down to ~5lbs but I heard he stopped taking on new work during covid.

I'm wanting to try the Heckfire trigger. It apparently gets down into a 4-5lb pull

https://shootingsight.com/?product=mp5

There's also the Lee's Sporting lowers that let you use most any AR trigger.

https://hkparts.net/product/lee-sporting-complete-trigger-group-mp5.htm

An SSA-E in an HK would be really nice

Id apply that cash to a NVG Bino Fund.