:: HK MP5 clone based on a Zenith ZF-5 upper assembly
:: Spotted Woodland Cerakote by Stronghold Coatings
:: Chambered in 9mm
Since beginning the journey of creating some of the coolest bespoke firearms on the planet a decade ago, there was always something on my list that I wanted to get creative on. That piece is none other than the Heckler & Koch MP5. So many movies have run the iconic sub-gun that it has become a must-have for any aficionado or collector.
Films such as Die Hard, Sicario, Lethal Weapon, and The Matrix have shown how cool a small 9mm sub-gun can be, and an effective tool. Of course, the civilian-legal version, the HK SP5, is quite expensive and, for a good bit of time, was very hard to come by.
Thankfully, we have companies out there creating great quality MP5 clones at much more reasonable pricing. One of the best to get your hands on is the Zenith ZF-5. Zenith produces their variant in multiple lengths and with various options. The one I selected for this project was the standard ZF-5.
First, a bit of history about this most recognizable of guns. Heckler & Koch started development all the way back in 1964. It evolved from roots in the G3 battle rifle and was initially known as the HK54. Fast forward 60 years and it’s a gun that now has a good bit of aftermarket support to improve on even this iconic platform.
I know most people would prefer their MP5 (or variant) to stay in the standard black color. If you have been a fan of the magazine for any length of time, you would know that inspiration can hit me from any place and at any time. Plain black is generally not what we do around here, so it had to get turned up just a bit.
The cool thing with Zenith is they offer just the upper without the lower along with all the small parts you need to create something special for yourself, or just to have a stock of maintenance parts. Knowing how heavily modified this build was going to end up, I started with the standard ZF-5 upper receiver with barrel, cocking tube, cocking bearer, and handle. For the internals I opted to go with Zenith’s complete F-Type bolt carrier group assembly. It’s been proven to work great, so it was not a bad option to start out with to ensure reliable functionality.
As I did not want to run the slippery plastic handguard, a Midwest Industries guard was brought in. Lightweight, solid construction, and plenty of M-LOK slots make this piece a no-brainer addition to making a modern-day CQB build. There will be no issue with places to put lights, lasers, or forward grips on this handguard. For this configuration, I opted to run just an Emissary Development Handbrake foregrip that was Cerakoted to match the rest of the build.
Up on the ZF-5’s top there are some standard iron sights, but who really wants to use those nowadays? While I kept them on the build, a red dot is really what you want to have. To be able to mount an optic on this gun you will need an optic mount. Midwest Industries’ top Picatinny rail was the starting point.
It bolts onto the upper receiver with little effort and gives you a good bit of real (rail) estate to accommodate whatever optic you want. Forgoing something super massive and heavy, I selected the great Trijicon MRO 2.0 for both its durability and modest size. The mount holding the MRO to the rail is the LEAP/05 1.42” mount from Scalarworks. Scalarworks without a doubt designs and creates top-quality mounts that are easy to install with very solid lock-up.
Moving downward on the build—if you have ever held any MP5 variant before, you might feel like the grip angle and plastic construction leave a bit to be desired. Luckily there is a superb solution for the less-than-exciting factory lower receiver. Lee Sporting designed and created a billet lower that fits perfectly with the ZF-5 upper.
They also do a few other different lowers depending on what configuration you want to run. Another awesome feature of the Lee Sporting lower is that it runs AR-platform parts. Yes—that means whatever your favorite pistol grip is will work with this lower, along with your favorite safety selector and drop-in trigger. If you have ever put these parts into any AR, it is just as easy to install parts on this lower.
Speaking of AR platform parts, the MK Machining Utility Compact Grip (ULCG) Gen 2 with the Atom texture was the right choice. It features a great palm swell and a reduced angle that makes it a great pistol grip for such a compact build. The V Seven Hybrid Sport 57-degree ambi safety was next.
It reminds me of the spiked bicycle pedals that bruised my shins as a kid in the ’80s, but has a much better feel on your fingers. Lastly, for control parts, one of if not the most important thing is the trigger. Ballistic Engineering’s flat-face Accurized AR trigger was installed here. These have very quickly become the trigger of choice for a very large majority of my bespoke builds. The break is super clean, and reset is nearly unnoticeable.
A few other features of the trigger are a 2.5- to 5-pound adjustable pull weight, nickel-boron-coated hammer, and a full-power hammer spring that gives a super reliable strike regardless of what caliber you are using.
As you can see, this build ended up becoming a suppressed SBR. So to aid in that, the JMac Customs 9” Skeleton Stock was chosen. It’s a beautifully machined piece and was supplied in a perfect shade of “money green” anodizing, making it a must.
The stock is paired up with JMac’s 1913 folding mechanism to shorten the overall length in case you are confined by a smaller space, inside a vehicle for example, or if you simply desire more concealability. To mount the stock to the rear of the gun, a 1913 adapter, also from JMac, was utilized to create a very solid lock-up with the stock extended and still allow the weapon to be fired when the stock is folded.
To keep the 9mm lightweight and quiet out front, a SilencerCo Spectre 9 suppressor was the proper option. This is an insanely light titanium 9mm unit that weighs in at only 3.9 ounces, so you don’t even feel it out front. And being only 4.75 inches long, this can doesn’t add much to the gun’s overall length if you are in and out of vehicles or navigating tight environments.
The Zenith ZF-5 upper already comes with a tri-lug mount connected to the cold-hammer-forged, 1:10-twist, 8.9-inch barrel, so the only thing needed to add to the suppressor was SilencerCo’s tri-lug adapter, which just screws into the suppressor itself and provides a very solid spring-loaded lock-up to the barrel.
Speaking of being mobile in and out of vehicles, size and weight are always a factor. Total weight including suppressor, stock, and optic clocks in right at 6 pounds and an ounce, so it’s not very heavy and easily wieldable. Length with the stock extended comes in at 29.5 inches, and folded up it’s a scant 21.75.
Feeding 9mm rounds through the ZF-5 come by way of KCI USA 30-round metal MP5-compatible magazines.
Earlier I noted that inspiration can hit me at any time. This project was no exception. Even though these sorts of guns are known to be used for their concealability and stealthy nature, I figured why not make something bright and in-your-face?
Typically, something like multi-cam black might have been be the right design and colorway for a firearm like this. Clothing brand Combat Iron Apparel, which produces some great quality items, featured in one of their email blasts some shorts with a new colorway they called Spotted Woodland Camo. It’s a woodland pattern with black raindrops over top, and I felt like this was a unique design that would fit the build perfectly.
I ordered a pair, and once they showed up, I knew that this was indeed the correct pattern. Alex of Stronghold Coatings in Mesa, Arizona, was tasked to take the all-black anodized parts from boring to this spectacular final vision.
The iconic MP5 (and its variants) do not have to stay all-black as the gun was originally created 60 years ago. And lots of available upgrade options nowadays can make it more personal to your wants and needs, which is also always part of the customization world. They are a very good option for an effective CQB, truck, or home-defense gun compared to an ordinary pistol.
Build Sheet – Zenith ZF-5 Suppressed SBR
Specifications
Caliber: 9×19
Capacity: 30 + 1
Barrel Length: 8.9 in.
Overall Length: 29.5 in. (stock extended), 21.75 (stock folded)
Weight Unloaded: 6 lbs, 1 oz.
Finish: Combat Iron Apparel Spotted Woodland Camo Cerakote by Stronghold Coatings
Featured Accessories
Upper: Zenith ZF-5 receiver w/barrel, cocking tube, cocking bearer & handle
Lower: Lee Sporting LS5
Handguard: Midwest Industries
MI-MP5-OR
Optic: Trijicon MRO 2 MOA
Suppressor: SilencerCo Spectre 9 Ti
Parts & Accessories: Zenith complete F-Type BCG, SilencerCo tri-lug adapter for suppressor, Emissary Development Handbrake foregrip, Midwest Industries top rail, Scalarworks LEAP/05 optic mount, JMac Customs 9” Skeleton Stock w/1913 folding mechanism & 1913 adapter, JMac Customs cheek riser, Ballistic Engineering Accurized AR trigger group, V Seven Hybrid Sport 57-degree ambi safety selector, Zenith takedown pin, MK Machining ULCG pistol grip, KCI USA magazines (30-rd & 20-rd)