The MP5, developed by the West German manufacturer Heckler & Koch (H&K) in the 1960s, has been in service for over half a century and is ubiquitous with many special forces around the World as well as showcased in numerous action movies. See LINK. The acronym “MP” stands for Machinenpistole, which is German for machine pistol or submachine gun.

 

This airsoft gun is a faithful replica of the H&K MP5A3 used by the British SAS during the Iranian Embassy Seige in London, 1980 (Operation Nimrod). It has 3 interesting features.

 

1) The retractable buttstock which defines it as the A3 variant of the MP5 family. The compactness makes it highly suitable for close-quarter battle (CQB).

 

2) The slimline checkered-metal handguard which was only available in MP5 models manufactured by H&K during the early years.

 

3) The Streamlight SL-20 flashlight which is often misidentified by casual observers a a Maglite flashlight.

 

The Streamlight SL-20 was a rechargeable flashlight with a 6V halogen bulb. It was sold from 1975 to 1986 before being replaced by the functionally identical SL-20X, which was sold from ~1986 to 2014 that most people are familiar with.

 

Back in the days, SAS training in Counter Revolutionary Warfare (CRW) required shooting while wearing a gas mask (Service Respirator #6 or S6), which was an impediment to using the MP5’s iron sights. 

 

Hence, the SAS (at Hereford UK) came up with the first weapon-mounted light system, where a Streamlight SL-20 attached to a H&K claw mount, was placed on top of the MP5 enabling the operator to use the variable beam focus on the light to double as both a light source and an aiming reference point. The adjustable bezel could adjust the throw on the beam, making it suitable for either a wide area or a small, focused spot depending on the situation. If needed, the operator could even shoot from the hip with reasonable accuracy while maintaining situational awareness.