I’ve always wanted a 9mm type rifle (not a AR, or tavor, but a platform built for 9mm, in a CQBR), the CZ Scorpion EVO 3 really caught my eye, but since it isn’t for sale in the US it rules that out.
The MP5 always had my attention but the idea of a 16 inch barrel (fake can) ruins it IMO.
SBR’ing at this point take too long so I never went for it, but now we have the Sig arm brace, and that kinda changes things…
So now I can have the compact ‘pistol’ that I’ve always wanted without a SBR.
The only problem is I know AR’s and AK’s, I have no idea how to shop for a MP5 variant (it my understanding you can’t buy a HK made mp5?), who makes the best ones?
I know Atlantic Firearms imports them, and others. How is the quality, and what do I look for in one?
Or is there other firearms that fit in the Compact 9mm rifle area that are better?
Also: I’m in AZ, so don’t have to worry about the politics of SBR’s and such.
I’m curious as well, I’ve been thinking about this for a few months now. I like the SIG brace option but I think I’m going to go with the Israeli Sling method. 9mm in that large of a weapon is stupid easy to keep on target unless using FA.
Hoping someone like Steyr can show us to the light…thanks for bringing this up.
Preban HK94 but that will be cost prohibitive for most.
MKE 94k and 94P, but these aren’t exactly cheap anymore.
The POF-5 is probably the best one for the money, but POF has a long standing reputation for making QC concessions. Back in the 80s a local PD ended up with a bunch of POF MP5s that were “on sale” and they had many broken / cheap parts issues after some use.
The problem with any US made clone, regardless of how talented and sincere the builder, is you have a non spec - non factory receiver and in most cases a non spec - non factory barrel. Then you are taking those non spec parts and your hopefully genuine HK parts kit and you are shop building a gun that was intended to be built on HK tools and presses.
This means lots and lots of room for error. I won’t even get into the quality issue of 922r compliance parts. I’ve seen people spend $2 grand on a US made clone and it’s still a POS because the design just isn’t very forgiving for shop builds. There is a reason Pakistan has an HK contract factory, if they could build them in work shops like AKs they would.
The POF 5 is at least a good starting platform, but most purchasers will then want to upgrade a lot of parts to German parts, especially things like cocking handles and firing pins which are a commonly failing item on Paki MP5s.
All things considered I’d probably spend the extra money for the MKE 94P. Will probably be cheaper in the long run.
People should also consider that IWI is once again importing Uzi pistols.
I have a DJGetz Reverse stretch pistol (see HKPRO forum vendors) with a few thousand rounds through it and its been great. I crudely mounted a SIG brace to it to shoot until my stamp comes back.
I really don’t trust the reviews over there… those guys are just a little too enamored with the garage builders and their “finely finished” guns that are chock full of Toad Bailey Speshul Weapons parts.
They were trash talking the POF guns as soon as MAC dropped the vid.
Err, no, I think you’ll find an extreme dislike for anything TB related over there (SW, BMP, etc). Most of the high-end builders are using original HK contract parts, with RCM parts to cover 922(r) compliance, unless of course you’re counting people who supply their own parts kits and include SW parts, which those builders have no control over.
The only negatives people mentioned in the first 10 or so pages of the POF thread there were due to the finish and due to being unable to take a F/A carrier, etc for use with a registered sear…everything else was positive. Once you got to the pages where people had received and test fired them, the only other complaint I saw was poor fitment of the 3-lug to someone’s suppressor.
You definitely need to read the reviews from people who run the guns. There are a lot of people over there who just collect don’t seem to shoot them much.
If you’re referring to a de-milled kit most were complete German MP5s that had the receivers cut to sell as parts. You can buy one of those kits, then a flat and send it to a builder to be rolled and assembled, but then you could run into the issues Steyr mentioned.
If you do some homework you can find well built clones by people who will stand behind them.
Just a word of advice, MKE’s are still climbing pricewise, HK94s are stable. MKE’s are more affordable now than they will be in the near future. I would jump directly to a MKE if you can reasonably afford to do so. I suspect they will eventually stabilize at about 75% of the price of an HK 94 just as Hellenic Arms SAR 3/8s and FMP G3S rifles did relative to HK 91 rifles.
…and the “high end builders” as you call them are still using jigs and tooling that have simply worked good in the past.
You can give Mario Batali a fridge full of the finest ingredients and just one teaspoon of dog crap to make lasagne with… it doesn’t matter how skilled he is, or what kinds of “heirloom tomatoes” or “artisenal cheeses” go in- it’s still Dog Crap Lasagne. (and using a cheap electric range in some guy’s house sure wouldn’t help)
You can’t avoid using some commercial parts, and most of the folks that go that route find it oh-so-tempting to get a “deal” on SW parts over what LSC charges for a flat stamping.
Even if you sourced the highest quality commercial parts from LSC, RCM, etc, the resulting product still would not be the equal of licensed production… which is now showing up at an affordable price.
Meh. I haven’t come across many legit folks over there… a lot of clowns. I think their knowledge, collectively, is light too.
Let the fit and finish freaks talk about the welds or how it’s “too shiny.” Most of them paid a lot more for a gun that is far less.
Getz uses the highest percentage of SW parts outside of Bobcat/Cohairie/Cocheesey/Black Market/etc… he actually recently brokered the sale of their remaining inventory and Bailey claims they are hanging it up for good.
You probably don’t want to thread, cut crown and install a 3 lug. Have it done properly so the rifling goes all the way through the 3 lug to the end. Not every gunsmith knows how to do it. Send it to Curtis Higgens at S&H Arms.
Or just get the MKE 94k version, register and add PDW stock, K grip and done.
Will be interesting to see what round three from MKE is like. I’m betting a full on feeding frenzy if the prices are under $1,500.00, lots of people missed the boat TWICE.
