Numerous MP5 Clones Hitting The Market In 2018
Kevin Felts 01.29.18
As with the 1911, it seems numerous gun companies are jumping on the MP5 and SP89 clone market. In 2016 H&K announced they will be producing an SP5K. Since then, a number of companies have either announced, started production, or are in development of an MP5 clone.
Some of you may ask, “Kevin, what’s the big deal?”
The story goes all the way back to 1989 when President Bush banned certain firearms from import. The H&K SP89 was one of the firearms banned. What is the SP89? It was a pistol version of the MP5.
Here we are around 29 years after the SP89 was banned, and now we have a number of choices to pick from.
- PTR had their MP5 clone on display at the 2018 SHOT Show.
- Zenith firearms had several on display. They even had some for people to shoot during Industry Day at the Range.
- Palmetto State Armory had a version of theirs on display. It will be later in 2018 before the PSA hits the market. A company representative would not give a firm price, as the firearm is still in development. However, he stated it would be about half the price of the competition.
- H&K announced their SP5K in 2016.
For years the GSG-5 has been on the market, but it is chambered in 22 long rifle.
While walking around the 2018 SHOT Show and looking at the various MP5 clones, Zenith Firearms had the largest selection. During Industry Day at the Range I got handle and shoot some of the Zenith MP5 clones. The Zenith shot rather well and sports a number of improvements over the original H&K design.
During the past 29 years there has been talk here and there about a domestically produced MP5 / SP89 clone. Now, it seems that a number of companies are jumping on the bandwagon, why? Why now? What took them so long to kick production into gear?
The questions is, “What took so long?”
Why did it take gun companies almost three decades to make an MP5 clone? It does not even have to be a clone, why not develop something along the lines of an SP89 or MP5?
