O.k., on to features, ergonomics, and handling qualities–let’s go down the list: The MP7 shouldered very quickly. Most of these people were seasoned SWAT operators. Everyone DefRev spoke with who shot the MP7 came away extremely impressed with it. Felt-recoil impulse was roughly half that of a 9mm subgun. On full-auto, the gun just stayed right on target the whole time, even during multiple-shot strings at 900 rounds-per-minute. When I shot the MP7 on semi-auto, from the shoulder, the super-light recoil actually took me a little by surprise at first, a pleasant surprise, if you will. Once he shouldered it, it didn’t seem to move at all(This can be seen in the video). During the demonstration, Fred Yates held the MP7 out in front of him like a pistol, one handed, fired it, and the gun’s muzzle hardly moved. First, it shouldered quickly, so I was able to get a very fast sight picture with the Hensoldt Z-Point reflex sight. I got the chance to fire the Heckler & Koch (HK) MP7 PDW at SWAT Round-Up 2002, and it was one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had with a firearm in a long time. The weapon has a business-like appearance, and looks pretty cool, as well.Īssuming you really couldn’t care less how the MP7 looks, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. Heckler and Koch must have really done their homework with regard to the human engineering aspects of the MP7. As if this isn’t enough, all the operating controls are really well laid out. When you want to use the flip-up BUIS, you just flip them up and “un-ass”(short for “unassemble”) the Hensoldt. The pistol sights are co-witnessed with the Hensoldt Z-Point reflex sight (red dot) that was provided on the test prototype we fired. Specifically, the MP7 has a folding vertical foregrip, a nicely integrated telescoping buttstock, and pistol sights that turn into flip-up rifle sights/BUIS (Back-Up Iron Sights). Things fold out, snap open, and retract in Transformer-like fashion, and the weapon is just pretty neat in general. Mark White, of Sound Technology, commented(after shooting it himself) that it reminds him of those old Transformer figures. The MP7 has a really neat design to it, too. You get all this in a pretty lightweight package–3.8 lbs with a 20-round loaded magazine. Once it defeats the armor, the round will yaw inside the target, thus creating a larger wound channel. After CRISAT penetration, the 4.6mm ball round will penetrate 10-12 inches of tissue. For instance, the HK MP7 PDW’s 4.6x30mm round was designed to be able to defeat CRISAT body armor and Kevlar Helmets out to 200 meters. Its ammunition must also be able to defeat modern battlefield body armor, which is one of its primary mandates. PDW’s are designed to give rear-line/auxilliary combat troops and specialized units a select-fire weapon that can still lay down an impressive amount of suppressive fire, while being significantly lighter, more portable, and more concealable than an infantry rifle/carbine. It’s important to first understand the purpose of the “Personal Defense Weapon” category of small arms, and by extension, the HK MP7. However, all that said and understood-man, I liked this gun! I’ll get back to this in a minute. Of course, the HK MP7 has a much different mission profile than the M16/M4, but it’s primary purpose is still to save one’s behind when the you-know-what has really hit the proverbial fan. HK’s 4.6x30mm PDW round is a 26.2 grain round at roughly 2400 fps. Understand that the 5.56x45mm M855 round is a 62 grain round with a muzzle velocity between 24 fps, depending on barrel length. I mean, let’s face it–the fact that it’s been taking multiple 5.56x45mm M855 rounds to put some of these Al Queda guys down recently has not helped to change their views. This applies to both the HK MP7 PDW and its proprietary 4.6x30mm ball round, and FN’s P90 PDW and their proprietary 5.7x28mm AP round. Truth is, most knowledgeable people that I’ve spoken with have talked rather condescendingly about PDW’s in general, and the ammunition they fire, in particular. This is the result of two things: conversations with fairly knowledgeable people in the firearms community, and late results with the performance of the 5.56x45mm round in Afghanistan.
To be honest, I’ve had a few preformed ideas about the 4.6x30mm round it fires, and they haven’t exactly been positive. Please keep in mind that I did not expect Heckler & Koch’s newest wondergun, the MP7 PDW(Personal Defense Weapon), to have such a profound affect on me. Every once in awhile, as the editor of Defense Review, I have the rare and somewhat distinct pleasure of handling and firing a firearm that is not only brand spanking new, but actually manages to knock my socks off.