HK MP5

Silhouette (Visual Identification)

Technical Specifications

Category	Submachine Guns
Operating system	delayed-blowback; selective-fire
Cartridge	9mm Parabellum (9 x 19mm)
Length	680 mm
Feeding	detachable box magazine

Though the Heckler & Koch MP5 was designed in the 1960s, it is still one of the most widely deployed sub-machine guns and has been developed into a family with numerous variants. The gun features either a fixed or a sliding (telescoping) butt-stock. The original MP5 offers a choice of single shot or automatic fire, whereas later models received a burst-fire device, allowing two or three-round-bursts each time the trigger is operated. Current models remain in (licensed) production in several countries, though The China North Industries Corporation, officially abbreviated as Norinco, manufactures an unlicensed copy, the NR08.

Global distribution map

Weapon prevalence

Country of origin

Licensed production

Production without a license

Scale dependend aggregation of production sites

The HK MP5 is found in 99 countries according to our data.

This map is a reflection of data on global distribution and production provided primarily by the BwVC. It is not exhaustive. If you would like to add to or amend the data, please click here.

Global distribution list

The data on global distribution and production is provided primarily by the BwVC, but also from national and regional focal points on SALW control; data published by think tanks, international organizations and experts; and/or data provided by individual researchers on SALW. It is not exhaustive. If you would like to add to or amend the data, please click here.

Symbol legend

	Country of origin
	Licensed production
	Production without a licence

G	Government: Sources indicate that this type of weapon is held by Governmental agencies.
N	Non-Government: Sources indicate that this type of weapon is held by non-Governmental armed groups.
U	Unspecified: Sources indicate that this type of weapon is found in the country, but do not specify whether it is held by Governmental agencies or non-Governmental armed groups.

It is entirely possible to have a combination of tags beside each country. For example, if country X is tagged with a G and a U, it means that at least one source of data identifies Governmental agencies as holders of weapon type Y, and at least one other source confirms the presence of the weapon in country X without specifying who holds it.

Afghanistan (AFG)		G
Albania (ALB)		G
Argentina (ARG)		G
Australia (AUS)		G
Austria (AUT)		G
Azerbaijan (AZE)		G
Bahrain (BHR)		G
Bangladesh (BGD)		G
Belarus (BLR)		G
Belgium (BEL)		G
Brazil (BRA)		G
Bulgaria (BGR)		G
Cameroon (CMR)		G
Canada (CAN)		G
Chile (CHL)		G
China (CHN)		G
Colombia (COL)		G
Costa Rica (CRI)		G
Croatia (HRV)		G
Czech Republic (CZE)		G
Democratic Republic of the Congo (COD)		G
Denmark (DNK)		G
Dominican Republic (DOM)		G
Ecuador (ECU)		G
Egypt (EGY)		G

El Salvador (SLV)		G
Estonia (EST)		G
Finland (FIN)		G
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MKD)		G
France (FRA)		G
Georgia (GEO)		G
Germany (DEU)		G
Ghana (GHA)		G
Greece (GRC)		G
Honduras (HND)		G
Hong Kong (HKG)		G
Hungary (HUN)		G
Iceland (ISL)		G
India (IND)		G
Indonesia (IDN)		G
Iran (IRN)		U
Iraq (IRQ)		G
Ireland (IRL)		G
Italy (ITA)		G
Jamaica (JAM)		G
Japan (JPN)		G
Jordan (JOR)		G
Kazakhstan (KAZ)		G
Kenya (KEN)		G
Kuwait (KWT)		G

Lebanon (LBN)		G
Liechtenstein (LIE)		G
Lithuania (LTU)		G
Luxembourg (LUX)		G
Malaysia (MYS)		G
Malta (MLT)		G
Mauritius (MUS)		G
Mexico (MEX)		G
Morocco (MAR)		G
Nepal (NPL)		G
Netherlands (NLD)		G
New Zealand (NZL)		G
Nicaragua (NIC)		G
Niger (NER)		G
Nigeria (NGA)		G
Norway (NOR)		G
Pakistan (PAK)		G N
Peru (PER)		G
Philippines (PHL)		G
Poland (POL)		G
Portugal (PRT)		G
Qatar (QAT)		G
Romania (ROU)		G
Russia (RUS)		G
Saudi Arabia (SAU)		G

Serbia (SRB)		G
Singapore (SGP)		G
Slovakia (SVK)		G
Slovenia (SVN)		G
South Africa (ZAF)		G
South Korea (KOR)		G
Spain (ESP)		G
Sri Lanka (LKA)		G
Sudan (SDN)		G
Sweden (SWE)		G
Switzerland (CHE)		G
Taiwan (TWN)		G
Thailand (THA)		G
Trinidad and Tobago (TTO)		G
Turkey (TUR)		G
Ukraine (UKR)		G
United Arab Emirates (ARE)		G
United Kingdom (GBR)		G
United States (USA)		G N
Uruguay (URY)		G
Vatican City (VAT)		G
Venezuela (VEN)		G
Vietnam (VNM)		G
Zambia (ZMB)		G