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Posted: 9/12/2026 3:16:13 PM EDT
| Good day. Been a few years since I've bought a MG, and need some guidance on an Mp5 purchase. There are so many variants on this particular platform, so was hoping to get some insight here. Are there any to stay away from? Ideally want to be under 50k, and I want something to shoot on occasion, but more so a collector. What do you recommend? Saw a moderately priced MP5a3 recently, and was considering making an offer on it as well. |
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It sounds like you are talking about an actual MP5. as in pre 1986 FULL AUTO. If thats the case then wonderful; but the prices are crazy as with any limited collectable. Just be sure who did the conversion. I dont have a lot of personal experience but the Volmer guns seem to be the "Best" IF OTOH you are talking about SEMI AUTO guns and possibly SBRd Semis; you have a few options. There are the actual HK made guns (SP5), which the HK devotees would tell you are the only options. However there are also a few "Made ON HK Equipment by HK Trained employees" These would include POF and the Century AP5 guns. Those seem to be fine at a significant reduction in price to the actual HK made guns; but they come with sneers from the HK Fan Boyz. Frankly I have both and I dont see the go to war value of an HK vs a Made on HK equipment gun. The real value of a real HK is the collector value; but collector values arent something Id bet my kids college fund on. So if you want to shoot it and use it for Self Defense in the next Zombie Uprising, then Id save the $$$ and buy a AP5 (its the same gun without the HK tattoo), then Id spend that $$$ buying ammo and mags. AND just to toss in a twist, HK has stopped making the SP5 (MP5 pistol). In the last week prices have jumped from $2000 to over $3000 |
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Reuben Mendiola (DealerNFA, Inc.) has a couple of Registered Receiver MP5's for under $50K. One is a Hard Times Armory A2 stocked gun for $48,995.00 The other is a Ballistics A3 stocked gun for $49,995.00 Armament Services Intl. and Only The Best also have quite a few MP5's but their pricing is way up there. |
Now with more political fatigue.
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Originally Posted By usmctopgun: Good day. Been a few years since I've bought a MG, and need some guidance on an Mp5 purchase. There are so many variants on this particular platform, so was hoping to get some insight here. Are there any to stay away from? Ideally want to be under 50k, and I want something to shoot on occasion, but more so a collector. What do you recommend? Saw a moderately priced MP5a3 recently, and was considering making an offer on it as well. Back in 2022, Frank Iannamico wrote a nice summary of transferable subgun options for a potential buyer. Here is a link: https://smallarmsreview.com/options-for-the-submachine-gun-buyer-2/ Scroll down to the MP5 section. In addition to the options listed, in 2024 or so, the ATF reclassified some pre-86 dealer sample guns as transferable. A number of these guns are from-the-factory full-auto MP5s. These will probably be the most expensive option, but from a collector standpoint, they are the most desirable. Good luck in your search! ETA to clarify: The link covers broad categories of MP5 "types/conversions". Once you settle on that, then you get into specific issues (is the sear "married" to the gun, etc). |
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Here is a brief description of the one I'm eyeballing. H&K MP5A3 - Registered as manufactured/converted by E.R. Maples Curtis Higgins at S&H upgraded complete gun to all German & refinished HK Black, remarked MP5, like new condition (range 2x since work done), three lug barrel, A3 collapsible stock, paddle mag release, new HK barrel & new pictogram clipped and pinned lower, all German parts, new HK wide slotted forearm, runs perfect. |
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Originally Posted By usmctopgun: Here is a brief description of the one I'm eyeballing. H&K MP5A3 - Registered as manufactured/converted by E.R. Maples Curtis Higgins at S&H upgraded complete gun to all German & refinished HK Black, remarked MP5, like new condition (range 2x since work done), three lug barrel, A3 collapsible stock, paddle mag release, new HK barrel & new pictogram clipped and pinned lower, all German parts, new HK wide slotted forearm, runs perfect. The part of the description that sticks out to me is the "clipped and pinned lower". You wanna learn about the difference between "double push pin" receivers and the ones that take "clipped and pinned" lowers and what implications that has on what lowers/housings you can use on the gun. |
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Originally Posted By BusterBrown: The part of the description that sticks out to me is the "clipped and pinned lower". You wanna learn about the difference between "double push pin" receivers and the ones that take "clipped and pinned" lowers and what implications that has on what lowers/housings you can use on the gun. To take that a little further, quite a few "Registered Receiver" guns had no modifications made to the receiver ..... and converted with a modified box or sear .... technically an improper registration, and it may impact your ability (legally) to start swapping housing/packs/etc Billistics (like Osprey mentioned above) were definitely proper pushpin RR conversions |
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In my opinion there are 2 good options for full auto MP5 goodness,............, if buying a RR gun, the best way to go is double push pin HK94 to MP5 conversion. Outside of some of the rare recently made transferables, this is as close as you can get to an actual HK MP5' Second good option is transferable sear. You can put the sear and it's associated pack, with an ejector and spring change, into a 91/93/94, etc. I personally went with double push pin 94 to MP5 conversion as I have a couple of other full auto rifles, including an FNC with SH sear and a RR Colt M16a1 and am not particularly fond of firing 7.62x51 NATO rounds from the shoulder in full auto, but you be you. Whatever you do, buy good stuff and you won't be disappointed in the future. RCA |
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to my understanding this is not considered a double push pin? https://www.sturmgewehr.com/forums/index.php?/topic/48237-hk-mp5a3-registered-receiver-er-maples-free-suppressor-41k/ |
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Originally Posted By usmctopgun: to my understanding this is not considered a double push pin? https://www.sturmgewehr.com/forums/index.php?/topic/48237-hk-mp5a3-registered-receiver-er-maples-free-suppressor-41k/ Correct. That is not a double pushpin. You can see that the front pushpin support ears have milled to fit over a receiver shelf and have cut pushpins epoxied in place. |
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