The MP5 Submachine Gun

Leroy Thompson

Jul 2014 · Weapon Book 35 · Bloomsbury Publishing

About this ebook

Since the mid-1960s the Heckler & Koch MP5 has become the most widely used submachine gun in the world, especially among counterterrorist and special-operations units. Lightweight and offering a blistering rate of fire of up to 900 rounds per minute, the MP5 quickly earned a reputation for accuracy. Fielded early by West Germany's GSG 9 counterterrorist unit it was soon adopted by the SAS. Today military and police agencies in over 80 countries from Albania to Zambia utilize the weapon. Featuring specially commissioned full-color photographs and expert analysis, this engaging study charts the origins, use, and impact of the MP5, Heckler & Koch's innovative and long-lived submachine gun.

About the author

Leroy Thompson has trained and advised military and police special-operations units around the world, focusing especially on the tactical use of firearms. He has previously had more than 35 books published including several for Osprey. He has also appeared as a weapons expert on documentaries for Discovery, National Geographic, and the BBC.

Johnny Shumate works as a freelance illustrator living in Nashville, Tennessee. He began his career in 1987 after graduating from Austin Peay State University. Most of his work is rendered in Adobe Photoshop using a Cintiq monitor. His greatest influences are Angus McBride, Don Troiani, and Edouard Detaille.