Pros: Compact, Adaptable, Reliable, Sturdy Design, Proven Version 2 Mechbox and EG 700 Motor
Cons: Plastic Body, the infamous Cocking Tube Handle, Collapsible stock issues
Basic Information:
This gun includes a standard 50-round magazine, loading
tool, un-jamming rod, barrel plug, and manual. As with most Marui AEGs, a 200-round bag of Precision .25 Gram BBs is also included. There is a slot on the Styrofoam packaging for a mini battery and a charger.
Product Description:
The Marui MP5A5 HG is the collapsible stock version of the MP5 SMG. The gun is based on the Heckler & Koch MP5 Navy – a variant produced for maritime operations. The features of this gun include the Full Auto, Semi, and Safe Ambidextrous Fire control and a threaded muzzle to allow the easy attachment of aftermarket sound suppressors. Internally, the MP5A5 HG includes the EG700 motor and redesigned cocking tube assembly as well as a metal rear sight and front muzzle. Because the weapon includes a collapsible stock, the battery must be housed in the removable fore grip.
The Fore grip is removed by first removing one metal pin from front of the fore grip, sliding the grip muzzle-forward and down. The battery is then housed in a hollowed-out space. Unfortunately, as the fore grip pins are held in place by friction and a ergonomic form fitting to the natural curves of the fore grip assembly, these pins are often lost in the field.
Due to size limitations, only the mini batteries may fit. As this may have been a limitation previously, higher capacity mini batteries, such as the 1100 -1500 MaH NiMh A cells has proven tremendously beneficial for this design.
If that is still not enough capacity for you, there are any number of aftermarket fore grips that will allow the use of Large Battery packs, while also providing RIS-capabilities.
As with the MP5SD series, the A5 may also incorporate a full stock, to house a wider range of batteries by simply disconnecting the battery wire from the rear of the mech box, and attaching the full stock and battery wire. In this configuration, the gun becomes the MP5A4.
Further variants are classified by lower receiver style and stock options. Marui currently produces 4 MP5A variants:
• MP5A4 – the full stock variant
• MP5RIS - a side-folding stock variants which includes an RIS, Navy-style flashhider and Red dot
• MP5J – An updated variant of the A5 with the newly designed Hk collapsible stock, Navy-style flash hider, scope mount, and (nonfunctional) three-round burst trigger group Markings.
• MP5A5 – the collapsible stock variant.
All current Marui MP5A series guns included a redesigned cocking tube assembly, ambidextrous fire control,
Additionally, Classic Army and ICS produce the MP5A2 and A3 variants that include the older "SEF" style receiver, which has a right side selector switch and ergonomic pistol grip.
Many MP5 players tend to prefer the "SEF" style because of its ergonomic design. The A4, A5, RIS are characterized as having the "Navy" style that has ambidextrous fire controls and pistol grip. While these differences are essentially aesthetic in nature, it seems to be one of the most common modifications.
The stock is essentially a four position collapsible stock which was designed to collapse almost flush with the receiver end cap. The stock forks are held in place by two bands which pin them along two horizontal grooves that run most of the length of the upper receiver. The stock is further held in place by the butt of the stock which joins both pieces together. The stock is held in position by a toggle pin which interlocks with cut notches on the inside of the stock fork.
Both forks are made of metal while the "club" of the butt stock is made of plastic. The butt stock is also checkered to aid in gripping the shoulder. Some other variants of the stock, such as that found on the MP5J, include a textured rubber grip. CA and ICS designs utilize different variations of the same designs.
Some users do not like the collapsible stock as, when fully extended, the stock has some wobble. This is largely because when full extended, the stock forks have moved out of the grove system and are largely contained within the end cap itself. One of the remedies for the stock wobble is to replace the Marui stock with that found on the UHC MP5SD3.
It is said the UHC stock will fit without modification, but
I personally prefer the more direct approach of replacing the entire end cap assembly with that of the Classic Army, while utilizing the ICS collapsible stock. This method adds reinforcement to the receiver from the CA metal end cap and the ICS Stock is a bit more comfortable.
On the left side of the end cap is the rear sling pin. This pin protrudes from the end cap assembly and is essentially a curved length of metal wire, held in place by fitting around the end of the upper receiver. With the screw on the end cap in place, the sling pin is secured. The fore grip sling is mounted to the left side of the sight assembly. A secondary sling device is attached to the outside of the left side of the magazine well. This device is said to aid in use of a 3-point sling, allowing the user to run the sling out of the way of the cocking tube. Many find this device to be a nuisance, while others seem to not know what it is at all.
On older Marui A Series, the sight assembly was plastic, but has since been replaced as the MP5 High Grade modifications were applied to the existing MP5 variants. These changes include use of the or EG1000 motor, metal front and rear sights, and a redesigned cocking tube handle assembly.
Unfortunately, the modifications to the cocking tube handle do not prevent damage from the dubious "HK slap." This damage occurs when the cocking handle is "slapped" from its "bolt open" position and allowed to fly forward to the "bolt closed" position. Repeated use of this technique will damage the cocking tube handle assembly when the handle hits the front of the cocking handle grove.
A simple fix for this condition includes placing a spacer at the front of the inner cocking tube assembly to buffer or prevent the cocking tube handle from being stopped by the front of this grove. Preventative measures – simply do not do the "HK Slap" would tend to be a better step.
The Cocking handle serves no functional purpose on the Marui MP5 A and SD Series, the right ejection port, as found on the Marui G3 series, is absent. Adjustment to the hop is done via a small lever which protrudes from the left rear-quarter side of the fore grip. This makes use of the cocking tube handle purely aesthetic.
However, on the MP5K/PDW series, the cocking handle does aid in extraction of the required stick battery and, when battery and rear receiver plate is in place, the cocking handle cannot be used.
The Magazine release lever is of similar design to that found on the G3 series and is that of a reversed trigger that engages the actual release found on the right side of the gun, directly above and behind the magazine well. The release lever is held in place by one of the takedown pins.
Since the Marui MP5 bodies are constructed of plastic, there is some flex in the magazine well area which can develop "Mag shakes." This means that the magazine, while locked in position, has a certain amount of play inside the magazine well. When moving, the magazine can shake, causing a rattle. This issue can also become present on both the ICS and CA metal bodies. The fix for this issue is to purchase an aftermarket metal clip fitted around the outside of the magazine well, reinforcing the outer body, while forcing the seems closer together. The clip requires removal of the magazine well sling adapter, but has machined holes to allow this piece to be reinstalled. In fact, this aids in securing the clip to the magazine well.
The fire control system on the A5 is that of the ambidextrous "Navy" design, referring to that found on the MP5 Navy. The fire control selection is depicted with bullet pictograms to designate full auto, semi auto and safe. The ambidextrous selector switch runs physically through the mech box via a small metal pin. The switch is connected the pin via a small grub screw.
Fire control is physically changed by a small knob inside the lower receiver, which moves the selector plate on the left side of the mech box. Fire control is accomplished when the selector plate closes a specific circuit for semi or full auto. Once the corresponding position on the control lever is selected, the knob physically moves the selector plate into position to complete that desired circuit. Pulling the trigger closes that circuit, providing current from the battery to the motor, from motor to mech box.
Operational Details:
Operation of the MP5A5 is straightforward. Assuming, you have already inserted a fully charged battery, while the gun is on the "safe" position, insert a loaded magazine into the magazine well until it clicks home. Once the magazine is loaded, carefully aim the weapon at your intended target.
To fire, select the semi or full auto fire control settings and squeeze the trigger.
Magazines for the MP5 are available in the following configurations: 30-round MP5K Mag, 30-round Realcap, 50-round Standard, 100-round Midcap, 200-round Hicap, the 240-round MP5K Hicap, and various drums, electric winding magazines, etc.
Accessories for the MP5A5 range from RIS systems, muzzle mounted laser/tac lights, various stock configurations, and several variations of scope mounts. There are also several different sling configurations available to the user.
The Mp5 Mount area is located directly above the ejection port along the top of the upper receiver. There are four notches the mount must mate with. There are a few different types of mounts available and they should each be considered before choosing your optics package. It should also be noted that most, if not all MP5/G3 mounts are fully interchangeable.
Low-Profile mounts are essentially a Picatinny rail which mounts directly atop the receiver and which is held in place by four clamps mated to the four posts. These mounts can place your optics directly in line with your iron sights, allowing you to co-sight. Whether or not this is possible is dependent on the optics being used and the height at which the optic's mounting hardware sets the package.
Mid-Height Mounts elevate the optics slightly above the iron sights, but obscure the use of such. These mounts are usually necessary for use with tactical goggles. This allows the sight picture to be set at a comfortable level.
High-Profile Mounts set the optics above the iron sights and normally allow use of the iron sights. This is an option usually needed when using magnified optics or even multiple optical devices such as lasers or magnified and unmagnified optics.
Real Steel History:
The MP5 was first introduced by Heckler & Koch in 1966, and typically fires 9 × 19 mm Parabellum ammunition from a curved, detachable box magazine; magazine capacity is 15 or 30 rounds.
As with most weapons produced by Heckler & Koch, the MP5's trigger group is a replaceable modular component. The trigger group has a fire mode selector, which may include various combinations of fully automatic, 3- or 2-round burst, and semi-automatic, in addition to a safe position.
MP5s were originally chambered for the 9 mm Parabellum cartridge, commonly used in pistols. In the late 1990s, more powerful variants chambered for the 10 mm Auto and .40 S&W cartridges (MP5/10 and MP5/40, respectively) were introduced. In 2000, however, both versions were discontinued in favor of the new UMP submachine gun.
The MP5 has a roller-delayed blowback mechanism tracing back to a mid-1940s German prototype known as the StG45(M) and further developed in the CETME rifle. Heckler & Koch has made many general improvements to the MP5 over the years since its introduction; both internal and external components changed considerably from the earlier models to the present design. – wikipedia, Heckler & Koch MP5
Aspects as a Replica:
I do have limited experience with the realsteel MP5A5 but can honestly say that despite the lack of functional ejector port such as that found on the Marui G3 and G&G's new PM5 series, this gun is an excellent replica of the realsteel prototype. The weight is slightly less than that of the real Sub machinegun, but Marui is consistently able to recreate the reliability for which H&K are known.
Marui's MP5s are known for having a high rate of fire and a high degree of stock, out-of-the-box reliability unmatched by most other MP5 manufactures. Despite this reputation, the MP5A5 does suffer from some weak spots.
The reliance on plastics common to Marui MP5s, make it a somewhat fragile piece to own. There are many reports of guns snapping in half. Most amusing was that of one found at a game, snapped in half, and left lying in a creek. The person who found the gun was able to clean up the mud and water inside the gun, replace the damaged components and it worked!
The stock wobble and cocking tube handle issues seem to be some of the biggest complaints about this weapon. I have personally seen the Marui Receiver end cap split as a direct result of some of the stock wobble issues.
The reliance on the Version 2 mech box for the Marui MP5A and MP5SD series means that in stock configuration, there is limited upgrade potential before replacing the gearbox with a "reinforced" body is required. Even so, the reinforced bodies often lack the adequate "reinforcement" in the areas most needed. While the MP5K and PDW variants, using the Version 3 mech box are known for being far more capable of taking punishment. It seems Marui could have taken those changes and applied them to the SD and A series.
Performance Characteristics:
The Marui MP5A5 is probably best used in stock configuration for Close Quarters work, where the small size and high rate of fire can be utilized most efficiently. The gun performs similar to other 12-inch AEGs.
Because the magazines are styled after the 9mm magazine utilized by the realsteel prototype, it is possible to fit two magazines in the space 1 M16/M4 magazine would fit. This means you are able to fit twice the amount of magazines into your load out. When using midcaps, a Stand 6-pocket tactical vest can hold 12-24 magazines, giving you 1200 – 2400 rounds! The weight issue of carrying this type of loadout is slightly less than that of carrying 12 fully loaded M16/M4 magazines.
The collapsible stock makes this gun extremely useful for close quarters and scouting work. The weight is such that it can be utilized as a secondary to a larger Sniper or Sharpshooting Rifle. This weight also makes it possible to carry that much more ammunition and equipment or "go light" and remain highly mobile. This added mobility is ideal for Scouting or for use by a Team Leader who needs to move around the field.
In stock configuration, the MP5A5 has an effective range of 30 yards – 90 feet. By utilizing a muzzle-mounted, can-style suppressor, an inner barrel from several of the larger AEG, specifically the M16A2 or G3 may be utilizied to increase effective range. The gun is extremely controllable in full auto and is accurate enough that semiauto is just as capable. The Speed makes double tapping in semi or full auto extremely easy.
Hop adjustment is easy to do on the fly as you simply move your supporting hand back to adjust the lever. This allows you to adjust while shooting. Though, I would only recommend doing so if you are running high quality ammunition to avoid possible jamming or misfeeds.
Finally, we have the question of adaptability. In A1/RIS configuration (no stock/side folding stock) you have a Personal Defense Weapon (PDW) or replacement for a pistol. The added barrel length allows increased accuracy and range over GBBs. In A2/A4 configuration (full stock) you have a stable platform for shooting and access to larger capacity batteries. You still have the ability to use this SMG in CQB environments. In A3/A5 configuration, you have a happy medium.
This adaptability can be facilitated by simply buying a full stock and large battery and/or buy the SD4 endcap. I had done both with a previous SD6 I owned and was pleased at the additional functionality I gained. Most users tend to flock towards the A4 for the added Battery Storage, often overlooking the compact nature of the A5 and the myriad of battery options that would give it equal battery life.
Conclusion:
Based on all of the aspects I have listed, I would highly recommend this AEG to anyone looking for a good Sub Machinegun. When faced with countless other variants, this gun has a certain niche it fulfills. Hk guns exude class and professionalism on almost every level. The Marui MP5A5 easily meets that expectation in a way that has been a sheer joy to behold.
There are some problems with this design that can be addressed through aftermarket upgrades. But it is equally capable of holding its own and should not be overlooked.
