Heckler & Koch MP7
The MP7 is a German submachine gun manufactured by Heckler & Koch (H&K) and chambered for the 4.6×30mm cartridge. It was designed with the new cartridge to meet NATO requirements published in 1989, as these requirements call for a personal defense weapon (PDW) class firearm, with a greater ability to defeat body armor than current weapons limited to conventional pistol cartridges. The MP7 went into production in 2001. It 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 current production version is the MP7A1.[5]
The proliferation of high-quality body armor has begun to make guns that fire pistol ammunition (such as HK's earlier MP5 submachine gun or USP pistol) ineffective. In response to this trend, HK designed the MP7 (along with the now cancelled UCP pistol, which uses the same ammunition) to penetrate body armor, but small enough to be used in place of either a pistol or a submachine gun.[6][5]
Design details
The MP7 essentially operates like a scaled-down assault rifle, with the same action as HK's G36, a short stroke piston.[7] It fires a specially designed, armor-piercing round with a muzzle velocity nearly as high as that of the 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge used by many modern rifles. 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 ammunition is virtually exclusive to the gun (save for the now cancelled H&K UCP and a planned variant of the Brügger & Thomet MP9) and also offers low recoil.[8] VBR of Belgium produces a 4.6x30mm 2-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.[9][5] 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 9x19mm Parabellum rounds.[10][11]
The round also has a small diameter (it can almost be described as a scaled down .223 Remington), allowing for high capacity in a very small magazine.[12] The weapon allows a conventional 20-round, 30-round, or 40-round box magazine to be fit within the pistol grip (the 20-round magazine being comparable in size to a 15-round 9mm magazine, while the 40-round magazine compares to a 30-round 9 mm magazine). The weapon features an ambidextrous fire-select lever and rear cocking grip. It has an extendable stock and a folding front grip; it can be fired either one-handed or two-handed.[5] It is compact and light, due to the use of polymers in its construction.
Variants
- PDW: The first prototype shown in 1999 was designated 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 named the 'MP7' and went into production. It included 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 featured 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.[5] In early 2011, US Naval Special Warfare units tested a 5.7x28mm version of the MP7A1.
- MP7-SF: Semi-automatic only variant of MP7. Currently used by Ministry of Defence Police in United Kingdom.
Accessories
The weapon features a full-length, top-mounted Picatinny rail that comes standard with folding fore and rear iron sights attached. When the sights are folded flat, they resemble simple 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. The MP7 can also accept a suppressor.
Users
Gallery
See also
References
- ^ [http://www.hkpro.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88:mp7&catid=9:the-submachine-guns&Itemid=5
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "HK MP7A1". Guns Lot. December 13, 2007. http://www.gunslot.com/guns/hk-mp7a1. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
- ^ "Heckler & Koch - Group Website". Heckler-koch.de. http://www.heckler-koch.de/HKWebText/detailProd/1926/81/4/20. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
- ^ Cutshaw, Charles Q. (2003). "Heckler & Koch's cutting-edge compacts G36C and MP7 PDW: when less really is more". Guns Magazine. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_2_49/ai_95680072/.
- ^ "HK MP7A1". Guns Lot. http://www.gunslot.com/guns/hk-mp7a1. Retrieved January 03, 2012.
- ^ "The 4.6x30 mm B2F cartridge". Fsdip.com. http://www.fsdip.com/website/The46x30mmB2Fcartridge/tabid/405/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
- ^ "Heckler & Koch - Group Website". Heckler-koch.de. http://www.heckler-koch.de/HKWebText/detailPara/1926/81/4/20/257. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
- ^ "Modern Firearms - ammunition for submachine guns and handguns: semi-automatic and automatic pistols". World.guns.ru. http://world.guns.ru/ammo/am_pistol-e.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
- ^ a b "Modern Firearms - Heckler - Koch HK MP7 submachine gun / personal defense weapon (PDW)". World.guns.ru. http://world.guns.ru/smg/smg49-e.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
- ^ Zeiss RSA-S Reflex Sight
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pomD16sAV5s
- ^ http://www.bmi.gv.at/cms/BMI_EKO_Cobra/publikationen/files/LawOrder.pdf
- ^ Gourley, S.; Kemp, I (November 26, 2003). "The Duellists". Jane's Defence Weekly (ISSN: 02653818), Volume 40 Issue 21, pp 26-28.
- ^ "АРСЕНАЛ: ОРУЖИЕ НЕМЕЦКОГО СПЕЦНАЗА (Arsenal: Weapons of the German Special Forces)" (in Russian). Bratishka. http://www.bratishka.ru/archiv/2009/9/2009_9_9.php. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
- ^ "photo of the SEK of Lower Saxony" (in German). ?. http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/2390/kamiminden1dw1522990p.jpg. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
- ^ Tom Brady (2008-09-04). "Quick-change armed gardai hit the streets — National News, Frontpage". Independent.ie. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/quickchange-armed-gardai-hit-the-streets-1468916.html. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
- ^ a b Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
- ^ Skagemo, Leif Inge (2007-06-05). "En liten røver med trøkk i" (in Norwegian). Hæren. Forsvarsnett. http://www.mil.no/haren/start/article.jhtml?articleID=141475.
- ^ Steven Partridge. "A Modern Weapon for a Modern Role". http://www.publicservice.co.uk/pdf/dmj/issue28/DMJ28%200402%20S%20Partridge.pdf. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
- ^ Nicholas Schmidle (2011-08-08). "Getting Bin Laden: What happened that night in Abbottabad — New Yorker". http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/08/08/110808fa_fact_schmidle. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
- ^ "Cupertino cement plant shooting". San Jose Mercury News. 6 October 2011. http://extras.mercurynews.com/slideshows/news/2011/10/cupertinoShoot1005/. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
- ^ "Cupertino cement plant shooting". 6 October 2011. http://extras.mercurynews.com/slideshows/news/2011/10/cupertinoShoot1005/600_450/ssjm1007allman08gr.jpg. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
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