Century Arms MKE AP5-C....buy it or you will regret it later.

[BWT]

I think all the standard AP5s have 3 lug and 1/2x28 threads. They just come with a 3 lug flash hider mounted.

The CORE’s don’t, but they’re clearly notated.

https://atlanticfirearms.com/century-ap5-core-HG6034A-N

Not that I care or have looked… or wrung my hands over it.

ETA: To clarify they don’t come with the flash hider. Sorry

[GlockenSpiel]

Any thoughts on the AP5 (normal MP5 size) vs. the AP5-P (the short "K" model)? Thinking if the normal one is used more by the military the factory might have more experience with those. I also saw reports that the HK tooling was brought over in the 70s. The MP5K only came out in the 70s too, so wondering if that is the same tooling or not. Probably no way to know, and if people are happy with their AP5-Ps then it should be fine. I think the full-size looks cooler.

[helothar]

is there a consensus about how these fare against the Pakistani mp5 clones?

[LittleLebowski]

F*** @LittleLebowski

In for a pair.

Earlier today I fondled one at my LGS; they had an AP5 and an HK SP5. I have no experience with these guns; I couldn’t tell a 2x price difference between them. If they run, I’ll keep the brace on the bigger one and maybe just single point the smaller one for a real deal bag gun.

Dude, I just left the door open, you went in and followed me down the path

[bofe954]

When I bought my Zenith some years ago it was $1,400. I'm glad I bought the gun then because they've gotten stupid expensive now.

https://www.cdnnsports.com/firearms/...s-zf5-9mm.html

[757_Magnum]

Any thoughts on the AP5 (normal MP5 size) vs. the AP5-P (the short "K" model)? Thinking if the normal one is used more by the military the factory might have more experience with those. I also saw reports that the HK tooling was brought over in the 70s. The MP5K only came out in the 70s too, so wondering if that is the same tooling or not. Probably no way to know, and if people are happy with their AP5-Ps then it should be fine. I think the full-size looks cooler.

I've read of far more issues with the K models since these dropped in price, but now the suspicion is that it's an issue with the included brace rather than the firearm itself. But if you plan on suppressing it, there's a debate on whether or not you have to switch locking pieces on the K. Even if it functions fine with the stock one, there's also debate on if it damages the roller mechanism. The K types are also not the same firearm with just a longer barrel. The charging handle has been moved back slightly, and I didn't like how I tended to hit my knuckle on the optic rail. I went with the full size for reliability, more handguard real estate (especially due to the charging handle), and it's only a few inches longer.

[LittleLebowski]

I'm watching Six Days for no reason whatsoever

[GlockenSpiel]

I've read of far more issues with the K models since these dropped in price, but now the suspicion is that it's an issue with the included brace rather than the firearm itself. But if you plan on suppressing it, there's a debate on whether or not you have to switch locking pieces on the K. Even if it functions fine with the stock one, there's also debate on if it damages the roller mechanism. The K types are also not the same firearm with just a longer barrel. The charging handle has been moved back slightly, and I didn't like how I tended to hit my knuckle on the optic rail. I went with the full size for reliability, more handguard real estate (especially due to the charging handle), and it's only a few inches longer.

That's interesting, I remember either Teufelshund or 9-Hole Reviews on Youtube saying that using a stock vs. not on the K really changed up the operation of the gun. Obviously it would also have an effect on the full size, but if the full size just has a larger operating window then maybe you just wouldn't see the problem as much.

I'd want a version I could reasonably shoot without a brace or stock if i didn't want to mess with changes in that world. Then again, the classic SAS style is with a full-size with a sling, unless I'm forgetting something.

[richiecotite]

Picked up my AP5 and AP5-P yesterday. Got em home, disassembled (really really simple) lubed up all the metal parts and pieces and took it out this morning. Mags were the 2 30 round MKE mags that came with the guns. I put the included brace on the AP5, but not the P mode due to reported/potential issues with SB brace. When I ordered it, the idea was no brace and a simple sling to keep the footprint as small as possible.

I had 450 rounds of ammo with me; 5 boxes of 124 gr federal, 1 box of win 9mm nato, 1 box of 124 standard pressure HST, and 100 rounds of my 124 gr coated round nose reloads (5.0 gr of WSF, solid middle of the road plinking load)

The Bad:

-HST didn’t really work. It flat out would not feed in the P, and I’d only get through 2-3 rounds with the standard version. I tried the hollow points after 150 rounds of ball through each gun.

-The P’s handguard got really hot near the chamber. Like, after 75 rounds it was almost too hot to hold with my support hand. In its defense, I was straight blasting ammo as fast as I could, so it was seeing basically 60 round strings of fire in about 2-3 minutes.

The Good:

AP5 - No problems at all with the larger version and ball ammo. I fired a total of 221 rounds through the larger one and discounting the 21 rounds of HST, it had no failures or bobbles. I didn’t really test accuracy since I was really just testing reliability, but at 20 yards I could keep all 30 inside the large circle of a FAST target, shooting around .5 second splits. Recoil is soft and smooth without much muzzle movement. The diopter sights were fine, as was the brace and shooting with it, don’t know why the brace gets so much hate online.

AP5 P - Fired a total of 200 rounds and had 1 FTF the second magazine, around round 50, with federal ball ammo. After that, no issues shooting ball ammo. Like I mentioned above, it just would not feed 124 HST. I could keep all 30 @ 10 yards inside the black of a B8 shooting around .5 splits. Gun was a bit jumpier than the bigger version, and it didn’t have a brace either.

The triggers on both were better than I thought (I figured they were gonna be terrible) and totally fine and serviceable IMO. The MKE magazines worked fine too. I think my next move is to order more 30 round MKE mags and a few KCI 20’s to test out as I think 20’s are the perfect size for the P sans brace, in a bag.

Planning on shooting it again tomorrow with some factory 115 gr ammo and some more handloads. Overall, I’m very pleased with these guns. I was planning on shooting both and getting rid of the one I like the least; right now I’m leaning towards keeping both, assuming they keep working. If I could only have pick one, I’d probably go full size, just because it’s easier to shoot and fed HP’s slightly less terrible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LittleLebowski]

Picked up my AP5 and AP5-P yesterday. Got em home, disassembled (really really simple) lubed up all the metal parts and pieces and took it out this morning. Mags were the 2 30 round MKE mags that came with the guns. I put the included brace on the AP5, but not the P mode due to reported/potential issues with SB brace. When I ordered it, the idea was no brace and a simple sling to keep the footprint as small as possible.

I had 450 rounds of ammo with me; 5 boxes of 124 gr federal, 1 box of win 9mm nato, 1 box of 124 standard pressure HST, and 100 rounds of my 124 gr coated round nose reloads (5.0 gr of WSF, solid middle of the road plinking load)

The Bad:

-HST didn’t really work. It flat out would not feed in the P, and I’d only get through 2-3 rounds with the standard version. I tried the hollow points after 150 rounds of ball through each gun.

-The P’s handguard got really hot near the chamber. Like, after 75 rounds it was almost too hot to hold with my support hand. In its defense, I was straight blasting ammo as fast as I could, so it was seeing basically 60 round strings of fire in about 2-3 minutes.

The Good:

AP5 - No problems at all with the larger version and ball ammo. I fired a total of 221 rounds through the larger one and discounting the 21 rounds of HST, it had no failures or bobbles. I didn’t really test accuracy since I was really just testing reliability, but at 20 yards I could keep all 30 inside the large circle of a FAST target, shooting around .5 second splits. Recoil is soft and smooth without much muzzle movement. The diopter sights were fine, as was the brace and shooting with it, don’t know why the brace gets so much hate online.

AP5 P - Fired a total of 200 rounds and had 1 FTF the second magazine, around round 50, with federal ball ammo. After that, no issues shooting ball ammo. Like I mentioned above, it just would not feed 124 HST. I could keep all 30 @ 10 yards inside the black of a B8 shooting around .5 splits. Gun was a bit jumpier than the bigger version, and it didn’t have a brace either.

The triggers on both were better than I thought (I figured they were gonna be terrible) and totally fine and serviceable IMO. The MKE magazines worked fine too. I think my next move is to order more 30 round MKE mags and a few KCI 20’s to test out as I think 20’s are the perfect size for the P sans brace, in a bag.

Planning on shooting it again tomorrow with some factory 115 gr ammo and some more handloads. Overall, I’m very pleased with these guns. I was planning on shooting both and getting rid of the one I like the least; right now I’m leaning towards keeping both, assuming they keep working. If I could only have pick one, I’d probably go full size, just because it’s easier to shoot and fed HP’s slightly less terrible.

This post brought to you by LittleLebowski 😆