Jul 24th 2022
MP5 Slings and Mag Pouches
Gear that works with MP5s
Always Better. | July 25th, 2022
The H&K MP5 is a modern classic that has yet to be outdone by any modern submachine gun (SMG) or pistol-caliber carbine (PCC). Just because it was designed in the mid-1960s doesn’t mean it can’t be made more useful with modern gear.
Before we dive in, we need to get something out of the way so we are on the same page. Some folks wrongly believe the MP5, or SMGs in general, are outdated and irrelevant. “But why have a long gun firing a weak pistol round when you can have an AR?” Here are five reasons that line of reasoning is flawed.
First, SMGs are easier to shoot for inexperienced or smaller shooters. As cool as a tricked-out AR might be, it might be easier for your wife or girlfriend to shoot a CZ Scorpion or an MP5.
Second, over-penetration might be of concern operationally which makes the pistol caliber rounds better suited.
The third reason is the cost of ammo. If you’re like us, you’re still waiting for 2019 to come back. Remember when a box of 50 9mm rounds was around $10? Currently, 300 Blackout is around a buck a round and 5.56 is about half of that. With 9mm averaging between $0.25–$0.30 per round, it’s still significantly less expensive.
Fourth, if the world ever descends into a zombie apocalypse, a suppressed 9mm rifle/SMG might be the best weapon out there for the classic undead. It is much quieter than any suppressed 5.56 and about half the weight of each 300 BO round. And if you barter with survivors or loot the fallen, do you really think you’ll find 9mm rounds or 300 Blackout? (And don’t even try to argue all you need is a .22—that makes even less sense than the concept of zombies. Even with a headshot, it’s probably not enough to disrupt the signals in a zombie's brain. If you believe a subsonic 35-grain piece of lead with a few grains of powder behind it can do that, then you probably think zombies can swim too).
Lastly, SMGs are cool, with MP5 being the coolest. And that’s that.
Like most of the guns in our articles, the ones featured here are on loan from personal collections, and rarely does a personal gun stay “stock”. These were modified for personal reasons—and we get it, you might do things differently, and that’s totally fine. But the simple goal of this article is to show you different sling and gear options.
Also, remember to always adhere to the Four Rules of Gun Safety whenever handling firearms and be sure the firearm is clear before installing and adjusting a sling.
Full Size MP5 | H&K SP5 with QD Sling Attachments
Three QD Slings for your MP5
This SP5 has been modified to be a more modern shooter with the Midwest Industries MLOK handguard on the front and a Safety Harbor Entry Brace on the back. A side benefit is both parts have QD sockets in the front and rear. This makes your sling set ups straightforward. Some would say this is cheating, but QD sockets are becoming increasingly more popular on firearms these days. The ULoops were designed for the front HK eyelets so you could swap that out with the QD and get a similar setup.
1) QD Sling with One inch Webbing
Vickers 1” Push Button Sling: 2-Point QD Sling Designed for SMGs
This first sling is the Vickers ONE Sling with Push Buttons ; it was designed for platforms like the SP5 and it just fits well. The 1-inch webbing is light and adjusts quickly, and the push-button swivels are captive, so they cannot accidentally come off, get lost, or be deconstructed. The sling rolls up small, so if you are at a sling-free range, you can have it stowed in the rest of your gear; that way it’s never separated from the gun.
2) Dedicated Padded Single-Point Sling
UDC Padded Bungee Single Point Sling: Push Button
The next option for the full-size HK SP5 is the tried and true classic UDC Sling with Push Button Attachment. Every so often we get the question “Why is the side release buckle right below the hardware attachment?” Two main reasons: first, it allows you to keep the hardware attachment pieces connected to the gun and take the sling off for moving to multiple guns or for storage; second, it serves as a quick release. If you’re interested in seeing how this single-point sling is used on several guns – check out this article!
3) 2-Point and Single-Point Sling
Vickers 221 Sling: Convertible QD Sling for MP5s
Want the option for both a single-point sling and a traditional two-point sling? Here is a Vickers 221 Sling which allows you to quickly convert from a 2-point to a 1-point sling by connecting the push-button sling to the Burnsed Socket that floats on the swing webbing. (If you’re interested in seeing how the single-point sling is used on other guns check out this article.)
Heckler & Koch SP5K – The Commercial MP5K Slings without Mounting Points
Three Slings that mount directly to the MP5 buttstock
Like all the guns featured in our articles, this one was modified without ever even being shot in the factory “pistol” configuration and quickly got the A3 Tactical folding brace.
The odd thing about the SP5K is it really does not have a provision for a sling. The factory end cap has about a 1-inch loop that swivels around for use with the factory bungee sling, but that sling features an HK snap hook that has even more movement inside the 1-inch loop. Even then there is no readily available front attachment point leaving it naturally suited for a single-point sling.
1) Dedicated Submachine Gun Sling
Vickers SMG Sling - Limited Edition for Submachine Guns
The first option here is a Limited Edition SMG Sling featuring captive ULoops on the front and rear connected by the light one-inch webbing of the Vickers ONE Sling. There is a captive loop on the rear to which the front ULoop can be clipped.
2) A Tight Holding Single-Point Sling
GMT Sling with two ULoops - A Tailed Sling for an extra tight hold while carrying
If the Limited Edition SMG Sling is not available, you can always build your own with two ULoops attached to any sling—as with this example using the GMT Sling. The ULoop can be shackled around the wire or the polymer body of another ULoop as shown. We purposely kept one tan and one black for contrast to better show how they can connect to each other.
3) Direct Threaded Sling to MP5 Stock
UDC Padded Bungee Single Point Sling: Strap Adapter
Last is the tried-and-true UDC Sling with the Strap Adapter looped around a section of the brace. If you had the HK factory configuration, this would work perfectly through the sling loop on the rear end cap. Like the factory bungee sling, the UDC has two sections of bungee to reduce shock and allow the push-pull method used by the SAS.
Mag Pouches for the MP5
MOLLE Magazine Pouch Solutions
Once you sling your MP5, having a few mag pouch solutions is a good next step. After all, not everyone out there is going to look at an M4 Pouch and know it can also be used to hold three MP5 mags.
1) Quad to Single MP5 Mag Pouch Solution
The Ten-Speed MP7 Mag Pouch / SMG Pouch is a perfect fit
Blue Force Gear did not forget SMGs when it pioneered advanced lightweight load carriage. The easiest way to carry 15, 20, or 30-round MP5 mags is in the Ten-Speed MP7 Pouches. The magazine slot dimensions were designed for the thinner but deeper MP7 magazines, but like with all Ten-Speed® pouches, you can always fit other sizes in them
2) Triple Stacked MP5 Lidded Mag Pouch Solution
A Double M4 Mag Pouch Works Great here
Lastly, here’s an off-book solution using a Blue Force Gear Double M4 Mag Pouch. As it turns out, three 30-rounders fit perfectly in it. Just tuck the longer Velcro tab in and cinched up the bungee around the pouch and boom: solid, secure, and quiet.