The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a legendary subgun with many loyal fans. Not only has it been widely featured in media over the decades since it was released, but it’s also been adopted by countless military and law enforcement agencies around the world.
The HK MP5 also happens to be smooth-shooting and chambered in everyone’s favorite caliber, 9mm, which means ammo is affordable and (generally) available.
This pairing also means that the MP5 is suitable for everything from competition to self-defense.
There is just one catch. Actually, there are a few catches.
One is that MP5 subguns are rare in the United States. We get some, but the supply is limited. This, in part, drives the cost up through the roof. Depending on a variety of changing factors, you can expect to pay somewhere between $10,000 and $30,000. That’s not nothing.
But there’s more. If you want a bonafide H&K MP5, you’re going to need to apply for an NFA stamp since the MP5 is capable of selective automatic fire. That’s also not nothing. You can do it, but it’s an expensive hassle, and for some people in the country, impossible.
But there is a – much – better way, and an alternative that is highly rated and reviewed by shooters across the country, not to mention nearly indistinguishable from the original.
What if we told you you could find an American-made MP5 that effectively offers the same handling, performance, construction, and features as the original – but there are no shortages and no inflated prices?
Enter the Zenith Firearms ZF-5, an American-made MP5 that faithfully captures nearly all of the details of the original.
Like the H&K, the Zenith Firearms ZF-5 is built around a smooth-shooting, reliable roller-delayed blowback action and is chambered in 9mm. It features all the same controls and ergonomics with a few modest shifts that improve shooting (for instance, the fire selector is easier to access on the ZF-5).
The ZF-5, like the MP5, is configurable with muzzle devices and this one is compatible with a Pic rail adapter that mounts over the receiver, enabling you to expand the platform with optics, lights, and other accessories.
The ZF-5 also captures the details of the original in unexpected ways and throws in a few nice upgraded features as a bonus. For instance, the ZF-5 has a nitrided, mil-spec, cold hammer forged 4150 CMV barrel and a fluted chamber; it also features a design that facilitates, rather than complicates, the feeding of hollow point ammo – a big bonus for some shooters.
And, to top it all off, the ZF-5 is only capable of semi-automatic fire, which makes it much more attainable for most collectors and competitive shooters in the United States.
One more thing: Zenith Firearms’ ZF-5 is much more available and affordable than the original MP5.
To learn more, visit their website, ZenithFirearms.com, or get in touch with them at [email protected].
