Well, I was thinking I would like to get a semi-auto MP5 clone to SBR, but I don’t really know where to start.
The biggest requirements for me are reliability and parts compatibility. Everything else, including caliber, configuration, etc. is negotiable.
I’m also wondering if I should be looking at getting a rifle and plan on replacing the barrel, of if I should go with a pistol and add a stock once the paperwork is done.
Right now the best candidates would be the MKE 94 pistol or the MKE 89 (if you wanted a K variant). Everything else, regardless of who puts it together, is essentially special weapons crap. If you get the 94 variant I think you will still need to do a cut and crown even though it is a pistol.
Otherwise your only other practical option is to hunt down a factory HK94 and even the DOJ ones are now commanding the same price as other pre89 imports.
Your basic options are;
HK94 conversion-
PROs- It’s an HK (about the only pro needed)
Cons- It’s EXPENSIVE (about the only con I can think of)
MKE 94/89
Pros- I hear they are a quality sp89 clone and run pretty well, relatively inexpensive
Cons- NOT Auto carrier/sear compatible, No 3 LUG (suppressor), adding a stock possibly causes 922(R) US parts issues
Coharie-
Pros- Relatively inexpensive, Auto carrier/sear compatible, the 89 comes with an auto carrier, adding a stock won’t cause 922(R) US parts issues, a small step up from the vector, special weapons, etc.
Cons- The quality will not be on par with a nice HK94 conversion, you may go through some trial and error getting it to run 100% (hint for starters, use HK mags)
My advice would be to search/wait for a good deal on an HK94 or conversion & pony up and pay the premium.
But, if you can’t bring yourself to pay the premium and if you are sure you never want to run a registered sear or mount a suppressor you could give the MKE a try. Understand that those issues also eliminate a large pool of potential buyers if you ever want to sell it…
If you go with the Coharie my advice would be to make sure it runs 100% before you SBR it. TB will happily warranty it, and take it back as many times as needed to get it running 100% as long as you don’t go mucking with it or have someone else work on it. Get it running well, send it back if needed, then SBR it and add any HK parts that you might prefer one at a time to ensure reliability.
Honestly, if you want an auto compatible clone, TB/Coharie is currently the only game in town. From reading on HK Pro many (most?) Coharie guns run fine in semi right out of the box when using HK mags. Some have to replace a few parts when they add a sear pack. Some have nothing but trouble… Mine tested fine but I have not put a meaningful number of rounds through it to give it a report card yet.
Try some reading over at HK Pro forums.
If you do a MKE as a SBR there are no 922r issues.
FWIW I agree. I put possibly there in italics because there is a whole camp of people out there that argue otherwise. Some of them are otherwise knowledgeable people with regard to NFA…
No probs, like you I’m just trying to help the new guy.
I have a Bobcat BW5K that was converted to a SBR and runs like a top it has the 3 lug barrel and after adding a few HK internals to help with functioning it’s awesome. I lucked out about 3 years ago and picked it up already converted for $1500 and now the BW5K converted are in the $2300-$3000 range almost sold her a few times.
MKE89 is really nice. If you plan on getting a sear for it later down the road there is some grinding you’ll have to do in order to use a auto carrier :). My FFL is using the MKE89 for his Machine gun shoots instead of burning up his HK SP89s.
I went the coharie route but that was back in 2008 when there were no MKE’s in country.
I had no trouble with my Coharie but that’s because I completely replaced all the internals - complete hk bolt, hk carrier, hk fbi lower + trigger pack. I did this to avoid all the nonsense of sending anything back to coharie. I made sure the clone ran in the pistol configuration and then I sbr’d it. At last count, I am at 4200 rounds through the gun with 5 failures to extract. I replaced the extractor spring at 2600 rounds but I think I had weakened it myself by removing the extractor spring and bending it.
It has fed the following: Independence 115gr, UMC 115 gr, Wolf 115gr, WWB 115gr, Black Hills Red Box 147gr jhp, Blazer Brass 115 gr, and Magtech 147gr. I have shot it suppressed with my SWR Trident most of the time. I have only cleaned it once.
It is easily the most smooth shooting gun I own and the one gun I will never sell. I think the MKE clones are the way to go. Well made, on actual HK tooling. I don’t have a sear so I could care less that they are semi only.
Have you considered having a MP5 pistol built from a de-mil kit and a receiver flat? Prices for kits have come down quite a bit recently.
I may be wrong here but…If you start with a flat, you have choice of serial number. This will allow you to send out the completed paperwork while the pistol is being built.