Tokyo Marui MP5sd5
By TripleA
Published: September 1, 2005
Updated: September 27, 2008





So, how come I bought a Tokyo Marui MP5SD5?



The answer is simple... price/value... and a little bit of fame as it's been proven worthy by the Navy Seals and pretty much every major police department in the western hemisphere. Also, though I'm not into customization, the MP5 series is one of the most upgradable in the market with the option to install different silencers, flashlights, red dot sights, scopes, collapsible stocks, you name it. If it's been made, it's available for the MP5.



First Impressions



The first thing I said when I opened the shipping packaging was "NOOOOOO".... Why? 'cause the gun was packaged in a Steyr Aug box (sick, but tasteful joke by the friendly staff at the Italian retailer Campobase).











As soon as I held it I couldn't help but smile. The excellent weight distribution, the sturdiness, the nice paint finish that makes it look like metal, and the overall looks of this gun really make it a wonderful piece to have.



The gun has 2 firing modes, Semi and Full Auto, which are easily selectable from both sides of the gun as it has an ambidextrous design.



A piece of advise: ALWAYS shoot a couple of rounds in "semi" before you put the gun away. If your last rounds were shot at "full auto", you will leave the inside mechanism cocked which will hurt your gun in the future.



The Tokyo Marui MP5SD5 comes standard with front and rear metal sling attachment points which are a must in order to install a 3-point tactical sling for greater mobility and versatility.











Trademarks



The left & top sides of the gun show some branding as shown in the images, and the right side, the side you don't see if you're right handed, is where it says "Made in Japan Tokyo Marui". On the left side, on top of the magazine, it reads "Kal.9mmx19" and on the top it reads "HK MP5", "32569", and "210" with a pair of symbols before and after it.













Weight/Balance/Battery Size



With battery and full standard magazine, this AEG weighs around 2.5 kgs which are nicely distributed in the gun. The fixed stock tightly accommodates a large 8.4v 1800mah battery (I didn't have it around for the picture, but it was actually smaller than the featured Tamiya 7.4V 1700mah) leaving the front of the gun virtually weightless, which is ideal for long hours of play and greatly improved accuracy.













I tested this gun in CQB and long range and it performed better than I had hoped. Hitting human targets was no challenge even at sniping distance. The external hop-up adjustment setting is very convenient and allows you to modify the bb's spin by simply pulling a small pry to the left of the barrel. Always go for the compact, lighter gun when making a purchase decision. A day after about 6 hours of gross playing time (but under 1000 bbs), my shoulder had already felt the effects of the gun's weight and at only 2.5kg, this AEG is even lighter than some full metal pistols.



I'm not a big fan of visual upgrades as I believe they just make the front heavy and instead of improve, would actually deteriorate my aim and comfort. Though it may sound negative, this is actually a compliment to the MP5 since I believe it needs no upgrades to excel in every combat setting... specially compared to the long G3s, M16s, Steyr Augs, and AK47s, and even the G36 which I felt pretty heavy at the front. The MP5SD5 even with the silencer installed, is 10cm to 15cm shorter than any of the other models mentioned above.



UPDATE IN AUGUST 10

<<< Begin

I bought it used and apparently the previous owner had attempted to upgrade it, which causes it to overheat and kill batteries after a few hundred rounds. I wouldn't have had this problem with a new AEG since I know people who have it and theirs work great. No problem though, I will simply return mine and get another piece. Campobase has been great as usual and they're backing me up.

End >>>



Aiming/Accuracy



I tested the gun at about 8 steps distance from a target drawn on one of the shipping cardboard boxes and let it go in full auto... I swear that out of 30 BBs I may have shot, at least 25 of them went into the same hole. I was also impressed by the high rate of fire, which I read somewhere that it shot an average of 750 rounds per minute and travel straight for about 30 meters with a 0.20gr BB (if you've adjusted the hop-up correctly). The iron sight works pretty well and you can rotate it for different accuracy levels. With it, I could plink small pieces of glass of about 2 inches in diameter from a distance of about 7 meters with two or three of shots. If your aim is better, you could do it from the first shot without the need of any expensive fancy laser sights, which in my opinion, are an absurd waste of money. I used .20g Tokyo Marui BBs for the test.













As you notice above, when you have the charging handle on, it interferes a little bit with the iron sight. So, for sharp shooting, I suggest you switch the handle to the off position and rotate the sights to the smaller hole as shown on the third image above. On the real steel, you actually pull this handle back, change the magazine, then pull the handle down and let it spring back into place. So, you're not suposed to be able to shoot with the handle locked up anyway.



Nevertheless, back to the airsoft version, no aiming will be worth anything unless you have good grade BBs and you have properly calibrated your hop-up, which on this gun, is as easy as pulling a pry at the left side of the gun (I've circled it in yellow).











All this reminds me to mention the purpose of the charging handle of the Tokyo Marui MP5SD5. It's there, it springs, you can cock it on and off, but it serves as a perk since it doesn't actually "do" anything.











Magazine



The standard magazine capacity holds 50 BBs, but I'd still advise everyone to get an extra Hi-Capacity magazine. However, depending on the scenario you're playing, as in low ammo CQB, the standard 50rd Mag would DEFINITELY be your favorite choice. The standard magazine won't jam and it's 100% quiet as the BBs tightly fit in a single row, as opposed to hi-cap magazines where the BBs rattle all over giving you away at every step of the way. The casing is made out of metal, on which after lots of action, the paint at the edges will start wearing off making the gun look even more realistic.



In the Field



The MP5SD5 by Tokyo Marui is so accurate and quiet that it allows you to snipe from medium to long range and see your enemies go down puzzled trying to understand where they even got shot from. Its quietness along with its compact size allows you to excel in surprising enemies around tight corners, making it pretty obvious why it's the favorite weapon of special forces around the world.



I've read in other reviews of other guns that some pieces fall off during combat, etc... nothing will fall off this gun I can tell you that. The most common parts that falls off other guns are the pins that secure the forend. On the Tokyo Marui MP5SD5 these pins fit tight and there is no chance of them falling. In fact, you don't ever need to take them out unless you need to disassemble it by sliding out the forend.

The metal parts of this gun aren't many, but you can hardly tell unless you touch it. Even the welding points are simulated and together with the excellent paint job, you could swear the body is made out of metal. Because of small comment in the MP5's description at Redwolf, which could be said to be a little misleading, some people are under the impression that the silencer is made of metal and/or that you can take it out to expose the barrel. Both are untrue. You CAN indeed take out the PLASTIC silencer, but it will make your gun look incomplete and I'd only recommend it when you store your AEG away.

Conclusion



The MP5SD5 is an Automatic Electric Gun that's very accurate, maneuverable, lightweight, upgradable, easy to maintain, and with a great rate of fire that comes handy in both CQB and Open Field scenarios. Hand in hand with the M4A1, the MP5SD5 is probably the most versatile gun in the market for both rookies and pros, but is quieter and offers greater maneuverability than the M4A1. So if you're stuck in a dilemma between buying an M4A1 or an MP5SD5, my vote goes for the MP5 and if you get it, believe me when I tell you, you will be glad you did.

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