The full history of the MP5 can be found at http://www.remtek.com/arms/hk/mil/mp5/choice/coang.htm. These articles provide insight into the ‘real-steel’, and the details of the AirSoft compare favorably. There are several points to make about this gun from the standpoint of a firearms enthusiast. Having owned several of the ‘SoftAir’ guns manufactured in the early 1980’s, I had mixed feelings about ordering one of the newer AEG’s sight unseen.

After an arduous wait, the rifle arrived and my inspection of the gun revealed an extremely detailed version of the actual gun, with a few minor negatives which I’ll go into in a moment. I should note here that I’ve handled many variants of the real steel, and just a few weekends before, had sought out an MP5 at a local gun show to re-familiarize myself with its features and feel. The Tokyo Marui replica is very pleasing to the eye and the hand. As a novice to the ‘new order’ of Auto-Electric guns, the finish on the replica is second to none from muzzle to stock. The integral silencer has the distinctive crinkle finish as on the real model, and provides a significant function as removal of the silencer (accomplished by a 90 degree, counter-clockwise twist) definitely changed the tone and intensity of the gun’s sound when firing. The front handguard and shoulder pad are made of a convincing rubber compound, both textured precisely to match the actual gun. At the rear of the front handguard, on the left side, stands a minuscule lever (which would have gone unnoticed, had I not been looking for it) which controls the HOP-UP mechanism. This feature gives a vast improvement in the ballistic characteristics when firing both single-fire and fully automatic.

The receiver is finished in a lightly textured ‘glazed paint’ look, although it’s molded in solid black plastic. The real steel MP5 series has undergone many process changes over time, and the finish on the receiver varies from year to year, and place of manufacture. The AirSoft replicates this finish accurately. Additionally, ‘weld marks’ can be seen in various positions on the receiver, which correspond exactly to those on the original. It appears as if every detail has been captured in this replica. The magazine is of a metal box structure, with the single identifying feature of the BB loading and holding mechanism at the top which distinguishes it from an actual firearm magazine. In addition, the magazine is stamped correctly with ‘9mm’ and ‘IF’ - these letters are a designator code used by HK to signify date of manufacture, in this case, 1996. Loading of BB’s is very easy, given the loading tool (and clearing rod) provided with the gun. The ‘Navy Group’ trigger block is accurate down to the smallest machining rivets which hold the reinforcements to the trigger, and the action is consistent and smooth. The selector switch (featuring select-fire except 3-round burst which was removed from the ‘Navy’ version) was one area where I noticed a deviation from the actual firearm as it’s action was both vague and undefined. After removing the safety, I identified the problem as a mis-aligned detent pin, and replaced the selector. After this simple operation, the detents are crisp and click into place (Safe, Single-Fire and Full Auto), as on the original.

Both front (guarded post) and rear (rotating, variable aperture) sights on this gun are constructed of metal, and seem adequately durable for rigorous skirmishing. Total weight is a bit light compared to the 7 plus pounds of the real gun, but additional weight (2.6 lbs) can be added to the forearm and buttstock to reach the weight of the actual gun. Aside from the non-functioning ejection port, the only other minor variation from the original is in the sling clip mounted on the left side of the magazine well which in the model is secured with 3 screws, but is riveted to the receiver on the full-blown MP5. This last comment demonstrates the level of detail which has been reproduced by Tokyo Marui in this gun.

This model reserves space in the full-stock for a standard 8.4 volt, 1200-1400 mAh battery, of which I have been unable to determine the life span per charge as of this writing. Suffice it to say that you’ll likely run out of pellets before you run out of juice. The sliding rubber buttplate gains access to the battery, fuse, and wiring harness. Firing the gun is a gratifying experience, particularly on full-automatic. Single fire is smooth and consistent with a slight report and barely noticeable mechanical noise, and switching to full-auto produces easily controllable firing which produces a ‘beating’ sound that’s hard to describe. There is very little delay between trigger pull and pellet firing, and will likely go unnoticed to the casual user. The firing sound is *almost* believable in a silenced version such as the SD5 and SD6, since it is definitely not a ‘gunshot’ sound. Rate of fire seems consistent at approximately 650-700 rpm, and the magazine is emptied in about 5 seconds. Very entertaining for indoor shooting, and even more so for outdoor running and gunning. You can’t beat the size and rate of fire of the MP5 for CQB operations.

In all, I am extremely impressed with the Tokyo Marui version of the MP5 SD5, and as a new entrant to the AirSoft community, highly recommend these replicas for the ultimate in detail and fun factor. Many of the dealers also carry an extensive line of add-on accessories which allow the user to customize the gun specifically for individual needs. Also available is the conversion kit to turn an SD5 into an SD6 or vice-versa, greatly increasing the flexibility of this gun. If you’re contemplating the purchase of an AEG, but haven’t already, BUY ONE. You won’t be disappointed.