The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a submachine gun developed in the 1960s by German firearms manufacturer Heckler & Koch. It uses a similar modular design to the Heckler & Koch G3, and has over 100 variants and clones, including selective fire, semi-automatic, suppressed, compact, and even marksman variants. The MP5 is one of the most widely used submachine guns in the world, having been adopted by over forty nations and numerous militaries, police forces, intelligence agencies, security organizations, paramilitaries, and non-state actors.
Heckler & Koch MP5A3
HK MP5 insignia printed on the firearm
A view through the MP5's iron sights
An MP5A2 with an aftermarket "dedicated forend" tactical light-equipped handguard. Also note the fixed stock and jungle style magazines.
A submachine gun (SMG) is a magazine-fed automatic carbine designed to fire handgun cartridges. The term "submachine gun" was coined by John T. Thompson, the inventor of the Thompson submachine gun, to describe its design concept as an automatic firearm with notably less firepower than a machine gun. As a machine gun must fire rifle cartridges to be classified as such, submachine guns are not considered machine guns.
A Mini Uzi and a Heckler & Koch MP5K, two common submachine guns
Artillery Luger P08 pistol with snail-drum magazine and removable stock.
The FIAT Mod.1915 is considered by some to be the first submachinegun.
A Standschütze Hellriegel M1915, the first submachinegun with a buttstock, seen here with stick and drum magazines
