It’s probably one of the most iconic guns of all time: the MP5. Appearing in countless movies and video games, the MP5 has cemented a place in the American public consciousness. But is this gun actually any good? YouTube legend Mrgunsngear (aka Mike) is going to answer that question for us with his hands-on review of the MP5SD.
What is the MP5SD?
To kick things off, Mike breaks down how the MP5SD differs from the regular MP5. The biggest difference with the design is the inclusion of an integral suppressor that makes the gun Hollywood-level quiet.
The suppressor attaches to a barrel that’s significantly shorter than the average MP5. While a normal MP5’s barrel clocks in at 8 in., the MP5SD’s stubby barrel measures only 5.7 in.. This does mean that the MP5SD loses a little bit of muzzle velocity to its unsuppressed cousin, but the difference is negligible—just over 100 fps.
However, there’s a much bigger factor sapping the muzzle velocity of the MP5SD. The shorter barrel also vents gas into the gun’s integrated suppressor, turning every round the MP5SD fires into a subsonic projectile.
Other Accessories
The integrated suppressor isn’t this gun’s only enhancement. For one, it’s a post-1984 machine gun, making it illegal for the average citizen to own. To pick up an MP5SD of your own, you’d need to acquire an FFL.
This particular gun also features an aftermarket handguard that allows Mike to mount accessories like a foregrip and light.
Mike also added a claw optic mount to attach an Aimpoint red dot to his MP5SD. He mentions that the claw mount will work for light optics like a red dot, but heavier optics (like a prism) will likely experience some zero shift over time.
Moving farther towards the rear of the gun, Mike mentions what he thinks is the most important addition to any MP5 or MP5 clone: a Magpul safety selector. This makes switching from safe to fire feel the same as an AR-15.
Charging Handle and Sights
If you’re familiar with the MP5, you’ll know all about its famous charging handle. The gun’s charging handle allows an operator to “slap” it downwards to chamber a round. While Mike doesn’t recommend this for practical use, he does concede that it looks pretty cool.
Finally, Mike covers the gun’s sights. The MP5 has some incredible iron sights, with a ring around the front sight post to protect it from damage and a rear sight with a diopter for close-in or farther-away shooting. Mike notes that these sights can get in the way if you’re using an optic (since the gun was never designed to be used with optics), but that it doesn’t present much of a challenge with a little practice.
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