MP5K-PDW
(Heckler & Koch MP5K-PDW)

This sub-machine gun is manufactured in Germany by Heckler & Koch. The 'K' stands for 'Kurz' which is 'short' in German, while 'PDW' is for 'Personal Defense Weapon'. The MP5K-PDW is an updated version of the original MP5K of 1976, which at the time tried to meet the demands for a more compact version of the MP5. It didn't sell to well, which had a great deal to do with it's blemishes;

  1. It neither had a stock, nor any easy way to mount one, which made it hard to aim and keep steady.
  2. It's short barrel, that was flush with the receiver, made it impossible to mount barrel-accesories, like flash-hiders and sound-suppressors.
  3. The above mentioned imperfections made the gun only useful for one purpose, and not adaptable to fit other roles aswell, rendering it unavailable to departments on a budget.

But this was all solved in 1991, with the introduction of the MP5K-PDW. The new additions included a collapsible shoulder-stock and an extended barrel with a three-lug mounting system, that enabled the gun to take all kinds of barrel-accesories. It can be delivered with or without front and rear sights, and the trigger-groups come in all imaginable combinations of semi-auto, counted bursts, full auto and safe mode. It also has a rail up on top, that can take all kinds of scopes and red-dot sights.

The MP5K-PDW is only chambered for 9mm×19 cartridges, more specifically the 9mm Luger or Parabellum. These are very widespread, and are also chambered in amongst others the Glock 17. An MP5K-PDW utilizing these cartridges has a muzzle energy of about 650 Joules, and a muzzle velocity of 1392 fps, or close to 400 m/sec. It cycles about 800 rounds per minute. Short 15 round magazines are made, if compactness is desirable. - But getting with the modularity of the MP5-family, the standard 30 round magazines can be used just as well.

It weighs in at 6.14 lb's (2806 g) empty, fully loaded, with a 30 round magazine, it weighs 7.91 lb's (3616 g). Measurements equal 14.5o in. (368 mm) long, with the stock collapsed, and 23.75 in. (603 mm) long, with the stock extended. Barrel-length is 5.50 in. (140 mm). For comparing reasons, a MP5A3 weighs 6.47 lb's (2957 g) empty and 8.24 lb's (3767 g) loaded. It is 21.00 in. (533 mm) long with the stock retracted, and 27.25 in. (692 mm) long with the stock extended. Barrel-lenght is 8.85 in (225 mm).

The MP5K-PDW operates on a blowback principle and the breech is, so called, delayed roller-locked. The barrel-rifling is done in 6 grooves with a constant right-hand twist. The receiver is stamped, while the barrel is forged with a hammer (pretty large, I bet). The rear sights allow for adjusting accuracy vs target aqcusation time through changing between aperture sizes. The collapsible stock is manufactured by Choate, and is applied to the MP5K-PDW in the United States.

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