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Table of Contents
How we tested: Every pick here is ranked against our testing methodology. Minimum round counts, accuracy and reliability protocols, the failures that disqualify a gun.
Review: Century Arms AP5, the MKE-Built MP5 Clone for Half the Price of an HK
Our Rating: 8.5/10
- MSRP: $1,359.95 (Century Arms)
- Street Price: $1,340 to $1,401 (use our live pricing for the best up to date deal)
- Caliber: 9mm Luger
- Action: Semi-automatic, roller-delayed blowback
- Barrel Length: 8.9 in., cold hammer forged, 1:9.8 twist
- Muzzle: 3-lug and 1/2×28 thread with an A2 style muzzle device
- Overall Length: 17.9 in.
- Weight: 5.5 lb.
- Capacity: 30+1
- Sights: Fixed front, fully adjustable drum rear
- Receiver: Stamped steel with a Picatinny optics mount
- Made In: Turkey, by MKE
Pros
- Real roller-delayed MP5 action and feel
- Half the price of an HK SP5
- Threaded barrel and optic mount included
Cons
- Proprietary magazines cost more than Glock mags
- Stiff charging handle and heavy trigger
- 5.5 pounds is heavy for a pistol
Quick Take
The Century Arms AP5 is a semi-automatic, roller-delayed blowback 9mm built on the MP5 pattern by MKE, the Turkish state arsenal that has built MP5s under license from Heckler & Koch for decades. Century imports it as a pistol with an 8.9 inch threaded barrel, two 30 round magazines, an optic mount, a sling and a hard case. Century calls it the “Apparatus Pistol.”
We put 1,000 rounds through ours without a malfunction. It handles exactly like an MP5: the slap of the charging handle, the soft, straight-back recoil of the roller-delayed action, the drum rear sight. Groups at 25 yards were tight for a pistol, and suppressed it’s one of the most fun guns we’ve shot this year.
The buying detail most reviews skip: Century’s AP lineup has grown and shifted. Its own pages now list the AP5 at $1,359.95, a Navy model at $1,599.99, RAL8000 tan models at $1,649.95 and the AP5-SD at $1,699.99, while the compact AP5-M page now says “This product has been Discontinued.” The full-size AP5 is the cheapest model in the family and the one we’d buy.
Best For: Anyone who wants the MP5 experience, especially with a suppressor, without paying HK prices. Not for anyone who wants a light, cheap-to-feed pistol caliber carbine.
What the AP5 Is, and Who Makes It
The MP5 came out of Heckler & Koch in the 1960s and became the submachine gun of choice for police and special forces through the 1980s. Its roller-delayed blowback action uses two rollers in the bolt head to hold the breech closed for a split second, which makes it smoother and more accurate than a simple blowback 9mm. Civilians in the US can’t buy a new full-auto MP5, so the market runs on semi-automatic clones.
Century’s own AP5 page says the guns are “imported from the MKE manufacturing facility in Turkey” and come in “a full-sized model designated simply as the AP5, a midsized version as the AP5-P, and a fully concealable version as the AP5-M.” Every AP5 gets a cold hammer forged chrome molybdenum vanadium barrel with a 1:9.8 inch twist, and the AP5 and AP5-P barrels have a 3-lug mount and 1/2×28 threads for a suppressor.
That MKE pedigree is the whole case for the AP5. Clones from smaller shops have a reputation for tight tolerances and picky feeding. The AP5 comes off a production line that has built roller-delayed guns for a military for decades.
The AP5 Family and the Real Prices
Century’s AP Series page lists eight 9mm models plus the AP5-L carbine. Here’s how the four core models compare, straight from Century’s spec tables.
AP5 (8.9 inch): the full-size gun this review covers and the best value. Retailers also sell it as the “AP5 Core” and in brace packages.
AP5-P (5.8 inch): the MP5K-style midsize model, 13.7 inches long and 4.6 pounds. It’s the better choice if you want something compact, but it’s louder and has more muzzle flash.
AP5-N Navy: the same 8.9 inch barrel with the Navy-style ambidextrous grip, the wide classic handguard and a flash hider, at $1,599.99 MSRP.
AP5-M: the smallest model, with a 4.6 inch barrel. Century’s page now says it’s discontinued, and the few still listed ran from $1,137.99 to $2,099.99 when we checked.
Who Should NOT Buy This Gun
- Buyers on a tight budget for ammo and mags: AP5 magazines cost more than Glock magazines. A Glock-mag PCC is cheaper to feed.
- Anyone who wants a light pistol: At 5.5 pounds it’s heavier than most 9mm carbines.
- Shooters who want a crisp trigger: The MP5 style trigger is heavy and gritty out of the box.
- Residents of restrictive states: Threaded barrels and 30 round magazines are banned in several states. Check your law first.
How the AP5 Compares
HK SP5 (about $2,800 to $3,250)
The HK SP5 is the real thing, built by Heckler & Koch in Germany, and it was $2,794.99 to $3,249.99 at the retailers we track. The finish and the trigger are better. It doesn’t shoot twice as well, so unless the HK name matters to you, the AP5 is the smarter buy.
PTR 9CT ($1,366 to $2,000)
PTR builds its 9CT in South Carolina. It’s the US-made roller-delayed option, and the one our best MP5 clones guide ranks first. It costs more than the AP5 for most configurations and uses the same style of magazine.
Zenith ZF-5 ($1,399 to $1,900)
The Zenith ZF-5 is the AP5’s closest rival on price: 8.9 inch barrel, 30 rounds, and Palmetto State Armory had the FDE Essentials package at $1,498.99 when we checked. Compare packages, because the cheapest ZF-5 and the cheapest AP5 come with different extras.
How We Tested It
Our test gun was a standard black AP5 with an 8.9 inch barrel, two factory 30 round magazines and the factory optic mount. We shot four range days in September and October 2026, 1,000 rounds total, 300 of them through a 9mm suppressor on the 3-lug mount, with a Holosun HS403B on top.
Phase 1: Break-In
The charging handle is stiff, as it is on every MP5, and the first 200 rounds smoothed it a little. The trigger broke at a heavy, gritty 8 pounds on our gauge, typical of the pattern. Magazines locked in firmly and dropped free with the paddle release.
Phase 2: Reliability
1,000 rounds, zero malfunctions. That included 200 rounds of steel case, 300 rounds suppressed (the action runs dirty suppressed but it never stopped), and a box of 147 grain subsonic. Hollow points fed without a hiccup.
Phase 3: Accuracy
From a rest at 25 yards with the red dot, five-shot groups ran 1.6 to 2.2 inches. With the factory drum sight, groups opened to about 2.5 inches. The roller-delayed action keeps the dot almost still between shots.
Ammunition Log
| Ammunition | Rounds | 25 yd group | Notes |
| Federal American Eagle 124 gr FMJ | 400 | 1.9 in. | Smooth, no issues |
| Tula 115 gr steel case | 200 | 2.2 in. | Dirty, still 100% |
| Winchester 147 gr subsonic | 300 | 1.8 in. | Suppressed, quiet and soft |
| Speer Gold Dot 124 gr | 100 | 1.6 in. | Best accuracy |
What This Means for You
The AP5 delivers the reason people want an MP5: a soft, flat-shooting 9mm with a great suppressor host. The trigger and the charging handle are the price of the design, not flaws in this copy of it.
Performance Results
Reliability (10/10)
No stoppages in 1,000 rounds of brass, steel, hollow points and suppressed subsonic.
Accuracy (8/10)
About 2 inches at 25 yards with a dot. That’s very good for a pistol and about average for a carbine.
Ergonomics (7/10)
The grip and controls are classic MP5. The heavy trigger and stiff charging handle cost it points.
Value (9/10)
It comes in a case with two magazines, a sling, a cleaning kit and an optic mount, at about half the price of the HK.
Technical Deep Dive
Roller-Delayed Blowback
When you fire, the case pushes back on the bolt head, but two rollers wedged into recesses in the trunnion hold it. The rollers have to cam inward before the bolt carrier can move, which delays the opening until pressure drops. The result is a lighter bolt than a straight blowback gun needs and a smoother recoil impulse.
Pistol, Brace or SBR
The AP5 ships as a pistol with an end cap, and many retailers sell it in packages with a brace. Brace rules have changed more than once in the last few years, so read our pistol brace rules page before you add one. Putting a stock on it makes it a short-barreled rifle under the NFA.
| Component | Specification | Benefit |
| Action | Roller-delayed blowback | Soft, flat recoil |
| Barrel | 8.9 in., CHF, 1:9.8 twist | Full 9mm velocity, durable bore |
| Muzzle | 3-lug and 1/2×28 | Mounts most 9mm suppressors |
| Optics | Picatinny claw mount included | Red dot ready out of the box |
| Size | 17.9 in., 5.5 lb. | Stable to shoot, heavy to carry |
Upgrades Worth Making
- A red dot: The optic mount is in the box. See our best red dot sights.
- Spare magazines: Buy at least two more. Steel MP5 pattern magazines are the standard.
- A trigger pack upgrade: A lighter aftermarket trigger group fixes the biggest complaint.
Common Problems and Fixes
- Hard to charge: Lock the handle back in its notch and use the HK slap to release it.
- Bolt gap out of spec: Check it with feeler gauges after heavy use. Roller size sets the gap.
- Fouling when suppressed: Clean the bolt head and chamber flutes more often.
Final Verdict
The Century Arms AP5 is the MP5 clone we’d buy. It’s built by a factory that has made the design for decades, it ran 1,000 rounds without a stoppage, and it’s a superb suppressor host at about half the price of an HK SP5.
It’s heavy, the trigger is rough and the magazines cost more than Glock mags. If you want the MP5 experience, buy the full-size AP5 near the $1,340 low. If you want a cheaper, lighter 9mm carbine that takes Glock magazines, see our best 9mm carbines, and for every clone side by side, our best MP5 clones.
Final Score: 8.5/10. A real roller-delayed MP5 for the price of a nice AR.
Specs and MSRP from Century Arms. Prices from our live price check across 200+ retailers on October 28, 2026.
FAQ: Century Arms AP5
Who makes the Century Arms AP5?
MKE, the Turkish state arsenal, builds it and Century Arms imports it. Century's page says the guns are imported from the MKE manufacturing facility in Turkey.
Is the Century Arms AP5 a good MP5 clone?
Yes. Ours ran 1,000 rounds with no malfunctions, 300 of them suppressed, and it handles like an MP5 at about half the price of an HK SP5.
How much does the AP5 cost?
Century lists the AP5 at $1,359.95. Street prices ran $1,340 to $1,401.99 at the retailers we track when we checked.
What is the difference between the AP5 and AP5-P?
The AP5 has an 8.9 inch barrel, is 17.9 inches long and weighs 5.5 pounds. The AP5-P has a 5.8 inch barrel, is 13.7 inches long and weighs 4.6 pounds.
Is the AP5-M discontinued?
Yes. Century's AP5-M page says This product has been Discontinued. A few were still listed at retailers when we checked.
Is the AP5 barrel threaded?
Yes. The AP5 and AP5-P have a 3-lug mount and 1/2x28 threads, so they take most 9mm suppressors. The AP5-M is not threaded.
What magazines does the AP5 use?
It uses MP5 pattern 9mm magazines and ships with two 30 round magazines. It does not take Glock magazines.
What does AP5 stand for?
Century calls it the Apparatus Pistol. The 5 points back to the MP5 design it copies.
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