Heckler & Koch MP7
The Heckler & Koch MP7 (German: Maschinenpistole 7) is a personal defence weapon chambered for the HK 4.6×30mm armor-piercing cartridge designed by German defence manufacturer Heckler & Koch. It was designed together with the new cartridge to meet NATO requirements published in 1989, which called for an SMG type weapon that had a greater capacity to defeat Kevlar body armour than the current submachine guns using conventional pistol cartridges such as .45 and 9mm.
Heckler & Koch MP7 | |
---|---|
An HK MP7A1 with a suppressor, extended magazine and Elcan reflex sight | |
Type | |
Place of origin | Germany |
Service history | |
In service | 2001–present |
Used by | 20+ countries (see Users) |
Wars |
|
Production history | |
Manufacturer | Heckler & Koch |
Produced | 1999–present |
Specifications | |
Mass | |
Length | 638 mm (25.1 in) stock extended / 415 mm (16.3 in) stock collapsed[3] |
Barrel length | 180 mm (7.1 in)[4] |
Width | 51 mm (2.0 in)[3] |
Height | 169.5 mm (6.7 in)[3] |
Cartridge | Caliber 4.6×30mm |
Action | Gas-operated, short stroke piston, rotating bolt |
Rate of fire | 950 RPM |
Muzzle velocity | 735 m/s (2,411 ft/s) (Fiocchi CPS Black Tip ammunition) |
Effective firing range | 200 m (660 ft)[5][6][7] |
Feed system | 20-, 30- or 40-round detachable box magazine |
Sights | Tritium-illuminated flip-up night sights; handgun and rifle sights (adjustable) |
The MP7 went into production in 2001, and is a direct rival to the FN P90, also developed in response to NATO's requirement. The weapon has been revised since its introduction and the latest production variants are the MP7A1 and MP7A2.[8][9][10]
The proliferation of cheap yet effective soft body armor has begun to make guns that fire pistol ammunition (such as Heckler & Koch's earlier MP5 submachine gun and USP pistol) ineffective. In response to this trend, Heckler & Koch designed the MP7 (along with the cancelled UCP pistol, which uses the same ammunition) to penetrate soft body armor while being small enough to be used in place of either a pistol or a submachine gun.[8][9][11]
Design details
The MP7 uses a short-stroke piston gas system as used on H&K's G36 and HK416 in place of a blowback system traditionally seen on sub-machine guns including those by H&K.[12] The 4.6×30mm ammunition is exclusive to the gun and offers low recoil.[8][9] This ammunition is unique among submachine guns in that the bullet is made almost entirely of a hardened steel penetrator instead of softer copper or lead.
The MP7 allows a conventional 20-, 30- or 40-round box magazine to be fitted within the pistol grip (the 20-round magazine is comparable in size to a 15-round 9×19mm magazine, while the 40-round magazine compares to a 30-round 9×19mm magazine). It features an ambidextrous fire selector, bolt catch lever and magazine release. It has an extendable stock and a folding front grip (MP7 and MP7A1 variants, MP7A2 lacks the folding front grip); it can be fired either one-handed or two-handed.[8][9] It is compact and light, due to the use of polymers in its construction.
The MP7 has a cyclic rate of fire of 950 rounds per minute (RPM).
Ammunition
The MP7's specially designed armor piercing (AP) high velocity rounds consist of either copper-plated solid steel (DM11), alloy plated steel jacket (DM21) or copper-alloy-jacketed lead core projectiles (Fiocchi FMJ ZP). Standard AP high velocity DM11 (Ultimate Combat) round with a 2.0 g (31 gr) projectile has a muzzle velocity of 720 m/s (2,362 ft/s) and has a muzzle energy of 506 J (373 ft-lbf).[13] The DM11 round penetrates the NATO CRISAT target (20 layers of Kevlar with 1.6 mm titanium backing) at 200 m.[14] The round has a small diameter, allowing for redoubling penetration capability and high capacity in a very small magazine.[15]
VBR of Belgium produces a 4.6×30mm two-part controlled fragmenting projectile that is claimed to increase the content of the permanent wound cavity and double the chance to hit a vital organ.[8][9][16] Heckler & Koch claims that the CPS Black Tip ammunition made by Fiocchi has a muzzle energy of approximately 525 J, which would be comparable to 9×19mm Parabellum rounds.[17][18]
Accessories
The MP7 features a full-length, top-mounted Picatinny rail that comes as standard with folding fore and rear iron sights attached. When the sights are folded flat, they resemble Patridge style open sights. Folded up, they feature aperture sights. The sights can easily be removed by loosening a single screw and lifting them off. It can fit additional rails on the sides of the barrel, which allow it to mount commercial optical sights (telescopic and red dot sights), laser aiming modules (LAM), and tactical flashlights. It can also accept a suppressor, and its tailor-made suppressor does not interfere with its accuracy or rate of fire.
Variants
- PDW: The first prototype was shown in 1999 and was designated as the 'PDW' (Personal Defense Weapon). It had a short Picatinny rail on the top and a smooth pistol grip surface.
- MP7: In 2001 it was designated as the 'MP7' and went into production. Changes include a full length Picatinny rail, a thick curved stock and an anti-slide surface on the pistol grip much like the HK USP. It also features a folding iron sights mounted on the Picatinny rail and the button to fold the foregrip was made larger for easier operation.
- MP7A1: In 2003 its designation was changed to 'MP7A1' and featured a redesigned pistol grip with a different surface and curved shape, a smaller stock with a straight buttpad, side-mounted picatinny rails as standard and the folding iron sights were made more compact. The weapon was made slightly longer, but because the stock was shortened, the overall length did not change. The stock is also able to be locked into 3 positions. Recent MP7A1 models have a trigger safety similar to a Glock pistol; the middle section of the trigger must be pulled first before the outer part will move. This helps to stop accidental discharges if the trigger is bumped.[8][9]
- MP7A2: A variant without the folding front grip but features a Picatinny rail to mount various grips in line with the user's preference.
- MP7-SF: A semi-automatic only variant of the MP7 which is currently used by the Ministry of Defence Police in the United Kingdom.
Users
Country | Organization name | Model | Quantity | Date | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Special Operations Battalion (Albania) | − | − | − | [9][20] | |
Algerian special forces, DSI, DGSPP | − | − | − | [21][22] | |
Western Australia Department of Corrective Services Emergency Support Group | − | − | − | [9][23] | |
Einsatzkommando Cobra (EKO Cobra) of the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior | − | − | − | [9][24] | |
1st Para Commando Battalion Bangladesh Army | − | − | − | [25] | |
Special Forces Regiment of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces | MP7A1 | − | − | [26] | |
Special Group of Intervention (GEI) of the Mossos d'Esquadra | _ | _ | _ | ||
Police of the Czech Republic - PDW of ordinary police officers - guns are locked in a special compartment of ordinary police cars' front doors | MP7A1 | − | 2012 | [27] | |
Unit 777 - Egyptian military counter-terrorism and special operations | -- | -- | -- | - | |
ESTSOF | − | − | − | [28] | |
French special forces, DGSE SA, GIGN | MP7A1 | − | − | [29] | |
German Army | − | − | [8][9][30] | ||
Grenzschutzgruppe 9 (GSG 9) counter-terrorism group of the German Federal Police | − | − | [9][31] | ||
SEK SWAT police unit (state police) of several German states | − | − | − | [9][32] | |
Baden-Württemberg Police | - | 3000 | - | [33] | |
Ministry of Internal Affairs | − | − | − | [34][35] | |
13th Special Operations Command special forces of the Hellenic Army | -- | -- | -- | - | |
Komando Pasukan Khusus (KOPASSUS) special forces of the Indonesian Army | − | − | − | [36] | |
Garda; Special Detective Unit, Emergency Response Unit, Regional Support Unit, National Bureau of Criminal Investigation | MP7A1 | − | 2006 | [8][37][38] [9][39] | |
9th Parachute Assault Regiment | − | − | − | [9] | |
N.O.C.S. of Polizia di Stato | − | − | − | [9] | |
Japanese Special Forces Group | − | − | − | [40] | |
Royal Guards, Special forces 71 Antiterrorism Unit | − | − | − | [9][41] | |
Pasukan Khas Laut (PASKAL) counter-terrorism group of the Royal Malaysian Navy | MP7A1 | − | 2006 | [9][42] | |
Pasukan Gerakan Khas (PGK) counter-terrorism divisions of the Royal Malaysia Police | − | 2007 | [8][9] | ||
GIPM | − | 2013 | - | ||
Norwegian Armed Forces | 6,500 | 2007 | [8][9][43] | ||
Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) and the Royal Police Escort | − | − | [44] | ||
− | − | − | − | [9][41] | |
Republic of Korea National Police Agency SWAT | − | − | − | [8][9] | |
Presidential Security Service | − | − | − | [45] | |
SRI Brigada Antitero | MP7A1 | − | − | [46] | |
Serbian Special Forces | MP7A1 | - | - | [47] | |
SOG | Kpist MP 7 | − | - | - | |
Spetsnaz special forces unit of the Russian Army | MP7A1 | - | - | [48] | |
Ministry of Defence Police and Metropolitan Police | MP7-SF | − | − | [8][9][49] | |
United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group | − | − | − | [9][50] | |
Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety in California | MP7A1 | − | − | [9][51][52] | |
Pontifical Swiss Guard | − | − | [53] |
Gallery
- An MP7A1 with Zeiss RSA reflex red dot sight and LLM01 laser light module.
- British Ministry of Defence (MoD) Police on patrol in London with a MP7-SF.
- MP7A1.
- MoD Police conducting search drills on a warship.
- MoD Police officer on range with an MP7-SF in CBRN suit.
- MP7A1 (note the safety trigger) with a Zeiss RSA reflex red dot sight.
- Royal Malaysian Navy PASKAL frogman on standby in Kuala Lumpur with an MP7A1.
Heckler & Koch UCP
Heckler & Koch UCP | |
---|---|
Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
Place of origin | Germany |
Specifications | |
Mass | 0.85 kg |
Length | 200 mm |
Barrel length | 130 mm |
Width | 30 mm |
Height | 135 mm |
Cartridge | HK 4.6×30mm |
Action | Delayed blowback |
Muzzle velocity | 695 m/s |
Effective firing range | 70 m |
Feed system | 20-round box magazine |
Sights | Iron |
The Heckler & Koch Universal Combat Pistol (HK UCP), also known as the HK P46 designed by Heckler & Koch, is a double action, semi-automatic handgun developed under commission for the German Bundeswehr.
The concept for the UCP was later cancelled at the prototype stage.
History and description
The UCP was to be the companion side arm to the HK MP7 submachine gun, using the same HK 4.6×30mm bottlenecked cartridge (see internal ballistics). The 4.6×30mm round is a direct competitor to the 5.7×28mm by Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN). As such, the UCP would have been a direct competitor to the FN Five-seven pistol. Both have greater armor-piercing capabilities and less recoil compared to other commonly used military handgun cartridges, such as the 9×19mm Parabellum or .45 ACP.
The UCP operated on the delayed-blowback operating principle. The external design of the UCP appears to have been borrowed from the HK P2000 pistol, and includes ambidextrous controls, interchangeable backstraps, and a MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny-type rail system for the attachment of accessories. Like the USP and P2000 series of pistols, the trigger mechanism is reported to have been modular and capable of different configurations. The UCP was designed to accept an extended, threaded barrel capable of accepting the attachment of a sound suppressor made by Brügger & Thomet.
The design remained in the prototype phase as of 2006, and had been reported as entering limited trials with the Bundeswehr.
In July 2009, HK USA's president, Wayne Weber, indicated that the UCP project has been cancelled because "HK felt it did not provide adequate ballistics in handgun form."[54]
See also
References
- "HKPro, PDW article". Hkpro.com. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- "Heckler-Koch, Products, MP7A1". Hk-usa.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
- "Heckler-Koch, Products, MP7A1". Heckler-koch.com. Archived from the original on 10 January 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- "Famous Guns, Heckler and Koch MP7: the Replacement for HK MP5". Famous-guns.com. 9 September 2007. Archived from the original on 3 December 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- "HKPro". HKPro. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- "Heckler and Koch MP7: the Replacement for HK MP5". Famous-guns.com. 9 September 2007. Archived from the original on 3 December 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- EnemyForces.com. "Enemy Forces, Heckler & Koch MP7". Enemyforces.net. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- "HK MP7A1". Guns Lot. 13 December 2007. Archived from the original on 29 April 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2011.
- "Heckler & Koch HK MP7 Submachine Gun / Machine Pistol (2001)". Military Factory. 30 July 2012. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
- "MP7 | Compact, lightweight and 4.6 times more effective". Heckler and Koch. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- "Heckler & Koch – Group Website". Heckler-koch.de. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
- Cutshaw, Charles Q. (2003). "Heckler & Koch's cutting-edge compacts G36C and MP7 PDW: when less really is more". Guns Magazine. Archived from the original on 29 November 2009.
- "HK MP7A1 Ammunition". Archived from the original on 3 January 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- "Heckler-Koch, Products, MP7A1". Heckler-koch.com. Archived from the original on 3 January 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- "Modern Firearms – Heckler – Koch HK MP7 personal defense weapon (PDW)". World.guns.ru. Archived from the original on 26 January 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
- "The 4.6x30 mm B2F cartridge". Fsdip.com. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
- "Heckler & Koch – Group Website". Heckler-koch.de. Archived from the original on 23 July 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
- "Modern Firearms – ammunition for submachine guns and handguns: semi-automatic and automatic pistols". World.guns.ru. Archived from the original on 2 September 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
- "Zeiss RSA-S Reflex Sight". Zeiss.com. Archived from the original on 4 October 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- "Youtube, the video "hk in albania"". Youtube.com. 26 December 2007. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- Vivenot, Emmanuel (March 2013). "Prise d'otages massive au Sahara". RAIDS (in French). No. 322. Histoire & Collections. p. 59. ISSN 0769-4814.
- "G.I.S : Groupement d'Intervention Spéciale [Unité Dissoute] - ForcesDZ". www.forcesdz.com. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- "WAtoday, Armour-piercing bullets ordered for WA prisons". Watoday.com.au. 7 September 2009. Archived from the original on 10 November 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- "COBRA: Austria's Special Police Commandos" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- Bangladesh Army, National Security and Defense Policy Handbook 6th Edition. Washington DC, US: International Business Publications, USA. 8 August 2008. p. 110. ISBN 0-7397-5734-2.
- Faizal. "Terima anugerah Warga Kehormat RPK | Media Permata". mediapermata.com.bn. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
- "HK MP7A1 u Policie ČR" (PDF). June 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- "Kaitseväe eriüksuste juht: peame olema valmis reageerima igasugustele nähtustele". 6 May 2015. Archived from the original on 18 April 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
- "Al-Shabab militants in Somalia post alleged photo of French commando killed in botched raid". CBS News. 14 October 2012. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
- Gourley, S.; Kemp, I (November 26, 2003). "The Duellists". Jane's Defence Weekly (ISSN 0265-3818), Volume 40 Issue 21, pp 26–28.
- "АРСЕНАЛ: ОРУЖИЕ НЕМЕЦКОГО СПЕЦНАЗА (Arsenal: Weapons of the German Special Forces)" (in Russian). Bratishka. Archived from the original on 30 January 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
- "photo of the SEK of Lower Saxony" (in German). ?. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
- Germany, Stuttgarter Zeitung, Stuttgart. "Polizei in Baden-Württemberg: Alle Streifenwagen bekommen neue Waffe". Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
- "ინდივიდუალური შეიარაღება ("Individual weapon")". geo-army.ge. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015.
- "Exhibition of military equipment in Tbilisi". Geo Army. 26 May 2014. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- Ditulis Oleh Penkopassus (8 October 2012). "Wamenhan RI Berkunjung ke Stand Kopassus". Archived from the original on 22 September 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- Ferry, Declan (17 April 2013). "Garda crack squad that will protect Obama". Irish Mirror. Archived from the original on 4 May 2014. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
- Tom Brady (4 September 2008). "Quick-change armed gardai hit the streets — National News, Frontpage". Independent.ie. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
- "Garda College Yearbook listing weapons training on page 66" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2014.
- 陸上自衛隊唯一の特殊部隊 特殊作戦群の解説 (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
- "From the picture is Royal Malaysian Navy PASKAL tactical diver team with G36KV, XM8 DMR, HK416, MP7, G36C in 2014 Merdeka Parade at Kuala Lumpur capital". Archived from the original on 5 September 2014.
- Skagemo, Leif Inge (5 June 2007). "En liten røver med trøkk i". Hæren (in Norwegian). Forsvarsnett. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
- "MP7A1 - Femte generasjons maskinpistol innført i Norge" (in Norwegian). Pro Patria. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Parada album". Flickr. 1 December 2014. Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- "Specijalne-jedinice.com - HK MP7". specijalne-jedinice.com. Archived from the original on 28 February 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
- "Russian SPETSNAZ Weapons". Military Factory. 20 February 2016. Archived from the original on 1 March 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- Steven Partridge. "A Modern Weapon for a Modern Role" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
- Nicholas Schmidle (8 August 2011). "Getting Bin Laden: What happened that night in Abbottabad — New Yorker". Archived from the original on 1 August 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- "Cupertino cement plant shooting". San Jose Mercury News. 6 October 2011. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
- "Cupertino cement plant shooting". San Jose Mercury News. 6 October 2011. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
- "Guns of the Swiss Guard". Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- "pistol-training.com » Blog Archive » Pistol News from Heckler & Koch". pistol-training.com. Archived from the original on 27 August 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: |
- HK Defense: MP7 product page
- 2008 Heckler & Koch Military and LE brochure
- HKPRO page on HK MP7
- Modern Firearms&—HK MP7
- Bundeswehr fact sheet (in German)
- Gun-World.net gallery of the MP7 (in Chinese)
- Nazarian's Gun's Recognition Guide (FILM) H&K MP7 PDW Presentation (.wmv)
- Video of the MP7
- Presentation of mp7 for the German Police
- Modern Firearms: Heckler-Koch Ultimate Combat Pistol/HK UCP