Looks like braces are legal everywhere now (?) so should I just put a brace on it or go ahead and SBR it?
If I add brace....what is the best in your opinion?
If I SBR it, what all parts do I have to change?  Engrave it?

Thanks

I SBR'd mine. Very happy with it.

Safety Harbor Firearms KES stock. You shouldn't have to change anything else. Unless you want a baller pictogram lower.

As stated above, just pop out the rear pin, pull off the end cap, slide on stock or brace, and replace the pin.  No other technical parts need be changed.

If you're concerned about 922(r) compliance for doing the SBR, IIRC you need 6 US made parts to get there on the MP5.

And yes, if you go the SBR route, you would have to engrave your name and city/state where it is made into an SBR.

The brace market for HK’s is pretty lacking currently. Magpul won’t sell theirs despite the ATF being blocked, and I’m pretty sure SB Tactical is struggling big time as their availability is terrible.

For a MP5, it all revolves around this.

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Technically, braces are still considered a "stock" by the ATF, but they are enjoined from enforcing the rule.

Just SBR it....the brace options for an MP5 aren't great.  Plus, if you SBR it you can put a vertical grip on it...can't do that with a "pistol".

Good info.  Thanks

SBR is always the answer. Not just for MP5’s, but everything.






Always.
Braces look like AIDS and none of them are as good as a real, quality stock. Period.

The big draws of the braces were/are: not all states allowing SBRs, saving 200 bucks, not waiting dog years for approval, legality issues about pistols vs rifles in vehicles in some places, and interstate travel hoop jumping for SBRs.
So it's kind of about how you parse your use case.

The SB Tactical SBT5A and The SBT5KA

https://www.sb-tactical.com/product-category/brace/#hk-bt

Works pretty good, if down the road you decide to SBR the back of the brace is removed and an UMP Stock can be added. That a very common change/upgrade.

Thanks

I got my PTR right before the brace ruling came out, with a SB folding brace. That one, versus the other braces I was familiar with... is probably as close to a "stock" as you probably can get. Like no real play.

But when the ruling came out, I decided to SBR it since I didn't need to worry about engraving/tax. Best decision I ever made, being the stock options are just a lot better. A2, A3 and a UMP style folder (similar to my brace). I was in NFA realm for a little bit with suppressors, but the ruling got me interested in SBR and SBS. Since then, did a DOE clone and TAC-14. No regrets. Will eventually get my .45 Macon upper SBRed, when I get some time/money to send it out and do the shortening (from 16" to 10ish").

That being said, I did build a pistol lower with one of the SBA3s when it was preliminarily ruled against... being I like options (if I have to go somewhere for work that I can bring an AR pistol, but not enough time to do a 5320.20). And if things go back to the way they were (braces being ok), I'll keep the one pistol lower and future short barrel builds will be Form 1ed as I do it. It may be a hassle for some, but I like the end result over a braced pistol.

8 days.  E-filed/certified Dec 30th, had the approval/stamp Jan 7th.  

This guy gets it. Well said.

For years I never gave the MP5 guns a thought because the HK guns were selling for more than I wanted to pay. Even the clones were just barely more than I wanted to spend and they had a hit or miss reputation and besides I thought they were overrated.

Then when the MKE guns were selling for little more than $1k I figured I’d get an AP5-P model just to stick away in the safe.
I stuck a brace on it because it seemed to make sense but I never completely liked the brace and the gun just sat.

Then when the amnesty hit it seemed stupid not to take advantage of a free SBR and being able to put a real stock on the gun. And by coincidence it was the same time my 1st 9mm suppressor was approved.

I’m a big fan of folders so that’s what I went with and suddenly this MKE AP5-P with a folding stock and suppressor is my absolute favorite gun to shoot. I can hardly hit the target I’m laughing so hard at how much fun this gun is to shoot.
So much fun to shoot I decided to do a standard MKE AP5 into a SBR too.

IMO, braces suck!
The only reason to have them is if you can’t afford a stock and stamp or if you have a legitimate reason not to want to get in an ATF “list.”


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The injunction only applies to the feds.  In 26 states that outlaw sbr' unless properly registered (as opposed to states that ban them completely or just have no laws addressing them) you could still theoretically get prosecuted.  I don't think that is likely while things are in limbo and hopefully the brace ban falls, but it might be a consideration according g to the FPC.

SBR it.

It's only $200, worth every penny.

I agree. Came out of my first range trip with it all fussied up (binary, vertical grip, choate stock) and already forgot about the $200.  Smile on my face was worth it!

Definately sbr it.  I have an A3F stock and A2 stock for my SP5.  Prefer the A2.

SBR.

Some weird shit from my photo hoster!

I need to get some stuff SBRd, but for a folding brace, A3 tactical is extremely solid, doesn't look like shit, and works well for what it's intended to do (and not do) and an easy transition once SBRd.



For any PCC/Pistol I plan to travel with frequently, I'm sticking with the brace (for now it's a B&T GHM9c with A3T brace).

ROCK6

SBR is money well spent.  

I have a brace for now. Going to SBR it once I get my FFL/SOT this June or July though. Honestly if I was t a purist I’d just stick with the brace.

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The nice thing about the brace concept is it lets you explore SBR type of usage without committing and all the paper-work hassle.  And also keeping you out of NFA world and all that registration business.  So for now, I suggest starting with a Brace.  the entry cost isn't high, and you can recover by selling that part if you want, and then if you are hooked, get the SBR at your discretion.

FWIW, who knows where this is going to land.  One possibility is they might even reopen the free-stamp forbearance option.  I don't give that high odds, but not off the table.  That was the actual smart play; despite everyone losing their minds on the topic (sorry bro's).  If yours is an actual Made in Germany HK, there's the nice benefit of no-engraving and no 922R concerns, if that plays out again (which it may well not - in fact probably won't - but doesn't cost anything to wait and see while running the brace).  

I will say my only suggestion in the brace route is to have a little care not publicly running it shouldered, or documenting that.  Unlikely you'll have any problems, but be aware all of the cases about braces being legal and all the Stays on Enforcement - are based on them being braces.  Not on it being OK for them to actually be made and intended to be shoulder fired stocks.  ATF has potential to be less forgiving on provable intent to shoulder fire; despite the braces still being legal right now.  I'm not aware of them actually doing anything on that yet - but it's on the table.  If ATF does lose their appeals (they probably win - at least at USSC level); but if they do lose, I expect them to come back with a much more rigorous enforcement campaign on those who run them as actual stocks - and are easy to prove them doing so via internet postings, witnesses, and videos and such.  

I gotta agree. Starting with a brace let's you do a couple of things before committing to a tax stamp. First it lets you make sure it is working and reliable. Nothing worse than spending the time and money on a form1 only to find it has problems, etc. Second it let's you determine if you are going to like it or not. Then after checking off those things you can decide to either move forward or leave it as is. And if you move forward you can always sell the brace or you can keep it and use it when you want to take it out of state without the hassle of doing the NFA paperwork to do so. Simply swap out your stock and slap on the brace and you are good to go.

I live on the border of NC & TN so I cross state lines practically every range trip so I got a brace for simplicity. It will do until it’s banned again or the need for an A3 stock wins out.

^^^Looks awesome.  What brace is that?

Magpul BSL. It very solid feels almost as good as an A3.

Eform1s are going rather quickly now.

Last one was 10 days.

Just SBR it and be done with it.

My K is sbr'd, my full size is braced with an A2 replica.

I have a brace on my full size MP5.
I don’t love it.
When I have held and shot MP5s with collapsible or solid stocks, I do love them.

Just sold my K sized gun and felt the same about it.
No gun needs to become an SBR as badly as a MP5.

I just need to get off my butt and do it.

current wait times for a form 1 is 3.5 days..... amazingly fast

Is that efile trust too or just individual?

Damn, that is fast. I think I'm going to e-file on the Silencer Shop kiosk at my range.