An MP7A1 with suppressor, extended magazine, and a reflex sight.
The MP7 is a German submachine gun manufactured Heckler & Koch and chambered for the HK 4.6x30mm cartridge. It was designed with the new cartridge to meet NATO requirements published in 1989, as these requirements call for a personal defense weapon (PDW) class firearm, with a greater ability to defeat body armor than current weapons limited to conventional pistol cartridges. The MP7 first went into production in 2001. It is a direct rival to the FN P90, also developed in response to NATO's requirement. The weapon has since been revised and the current production model is the MP7A1.
The proliferation of high-quality body armor has begun to make guns that fire pistol ammunition ineffective. In response to this trend, HK designed the MP7 to penetrate body armor, but small enough to be used in place of either a pistol or a submachine gun.
The MP7 essentially operates like a scaled-down assault rifle, with the same action as Heckler & Koch's G36, a short-stroke piston. The 4.6x30mm ammunition is virtually exclusive to the gun and also offers low recoil. This ammunition is unique among submachine guns in that the bullet is made almost entirely of a hardened steel penetrator instead of a softer copper or lead.
The weapon allows a conventional 20-round, 30-round, or 40-round box magazine to be fitted within the pistol grip. The weapon features an ambidextrious fire selector, bolt catch lever and magazine release. It has an extendable stock and a folding front grip; it can be fired either one handed or two handed. It is compact and light, due to the polymers in its construction.
Ammunition[]
A recnet production MP7A1 of the Bundeswehr with a Zeiss RSA reflex red dot sight and LLM01 laser light module.
The MP7's specially designed AP high velocity rounds allow copper plated solid steel projectile, alloy plated steel jacket projectile, or copper alloy jacketed lead core projectile. Standard AP high velocity projectiles have a muzzle velocity of 720m/s. The round penetrates the NATO CRISAT target even at 200m. The round has a small diameter allowing for redoubling penetration capability and high capacity in a very small magazine.
VBR of Belgium produces a 4.6x30mm 2-part controlled fragmeting projectile that is claimed to increase the content of the permanent wound cavity and double the chance to hit a vital organ.
Variants[]
A German Army soldier demonstrates the MP7A1 of the IdZ program.
PDW: The first prototype shown in 1999 was designated the 'PDW' (Personal Defense Weapon). It had a short Picatinny rail on the top and a smooth pistol grip surface.
MP7: In 2001 it was named the 'MP7' and went into production. It included a full length Picatinny rail, a thick curved stock and an anti-slide surface on the pistol grip much like the HK USP. It also featured folding iron sights mounted on the Picatinny rail and the button to fold the foregrip was made larger.
MP7A1: In 2003, its designation was changed to 'MP7A1' and featured a redesigned pistol grip with a different surface and curved shape, with a smaller stock with a straight buttpad, side mounted Picatinny rails as standard, and the iron sights were made more compact.
MP7-SF: Semi-automatic only variant of the MP7. Currently used by Ministry of Defense Police in the UK.
