In short
- The MP5 is the safer buy. More brands, more versions and magazines that most shops stock.
- The MP7 is the smaller gun. Stock in, it is not much longer than a large pistol, but its magazines, batteries and parts are tied to one system.
- Both can fire automatically. In Great Britain that puts them under the 1.3 joule line of the law; indoor sites set their own, lower limits on top.
- In the UK it is UKARA or two-tone. A realistic one is sold only with evidence that you skirmish, usually a registration with UKARA, the player register British shops check. Otherwise it is a brightly coloured two-tone.
MP5 airsoft and MP7: two classics, two eras
A submachine gun (SMG) is a short automatic gun, and in airsoft the word stands for a replica made for close work. The two best known both copy Heckler & Koch designs: the MP5 from the 1960s and the MP7 from around the turn of this century.
As replicas they differ a good deal. The MP5 is a small rifle, with its magazine in front of the trigger and a long list of versions. The MP7 is closer to a large pistol: the magazine sits inside the grip and the stock slides out of the body.
- Tokyo Marui electric MP7A1, stock pushed in
- 380 mm
- Tokyo Marui Next Generation MP5 A5, stock pushed in
- 500 mm
- that MP7A1, without its battery
- 1,390 g
- that MP5 A5, with battery and empty magazine
- 3,100 g
Source: Tokyo Marui product pages, read on 12 November 2026
Airsoft MP5 variants: A4, A5, SD and MP5K
Shops list an airsoft MP5 under a code. The letters and numbers describe the outside: the stock, the handguard and the length. You choose on handling and on where the battery goes.
Four versions of the MP5
MP5A4: fixed stock
The full-size MP5 with a solid stock, sold as A2 or A4; on a replica the difference between those two is cosmetic. The stock holds a large battery and sits steadily in the shoulder, but it is the bulkiest of the family in a corridor.
MP5A5: sliding stock
The same gun with a stock that slides in along the body, sold as A3 or A5. Pushed in, it is short enough for a stairwell. The battery moves to the handguard, where only a slim one fits. The all-round choice.
MP5SD: suppressor look
A thick handguard that runs into a suppressor tube, with a fixed stock (SD5) or a sliding one (SD6). On an electric replica the tube does little for the sound: it adds length and weight at the front.
MP5K: the short one
K for kurz, German for short: no stock, a stubby barrel and a vertical grip at the front. It handles like a big pistol, but the battery space is tiny and the short barrel gives up some reach.
MP7 airsoft: small electric, full electric or gas
The MP7 comes in three forms that share a shape and almost nothing else. Decide which system you want before you look at a price, because magazines and batteries do not cross over.
Three kinds of MP7
The compact electric
Tokyo Marui builds its MP7A1 around a scaled-down electric mechanism and a small 7.2 volt battery. Players call this class an AEP, an automatic electric pistol. Light, and modest in power and reach.
Tokyo Marui in the webshopThe full-size electric
A complete electric mechanism (an AEG, an automatic electric gun) inside the MP7 body, as in the licensed Umarex Heckler & Koch MP7 A1. It runs on a small 7.4 volt lithium battery (LiPo) only.
Umarex in the webshopThe gas blowback
Gas in the magazine fires the BB and throws the bolt back with every shot: a gas blowback gun, GBB for short. The heaviest of the three, and the one that minds the cold.
Used gas gunsThree MP7s as their makers describe them
| Model | Drive | Length | Weight | Magazine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Marui MP7A1, electric | Small electric, 7.2 V | 380 mm | 1,390 g without battery | 50 BBs |
| Umarex Heckler & Koch MP7 A1 | Full electric, 7.4 V LiPo | 418 mm | 1,665 g | 120 BBs |
| Tokyo Marui MP7A1, gas | Gas blowback | 381 mm | 2,200 g with empty magazine | 40 BBs |
Which brands make a good one, per budget
Nearly every maker of electric guns has built an MP5. CYMA and Jing Gong cover the affordable end, Tokyo Marui the top, and WE builds its MP5 as a gas blowback under the name Apache. For gas guns with licensed markings players look to VFC.
The MP7 field is much smaller. Tokyo Marui makes the small electric and a gas version, and Umarex sells the licensed Heckler & Koch replicas. You will find both guns among the SMGs in the webshop.
Brands by budget class
| Class | MP5 | MP7 | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry level | CYMA, Jing Gong | WELL (small electric) | A working gun with simple parts inside |
| Mid-range | Classic Army, G&G, ICS | Tokyo Marui (small electric) | A better finish, parts support and a name that helps when you sell it on |
| High end | Tokyo Marui Next Generation, VFC (gas) | Umarex Heckler & Koch, Tokyo Marui (gas) | Recoil, licensed markings or gas realism |
SMGs in the webshop
Shown here: guns within the limits for Great Britain. In Northern Ireland and Ireland the line is 1 joule.
In stock, ships right away
Airsoft GBB VMP-2SD 1J (Black)
In stock, ships right away
HECKLER & KOCH (Umarex) Electric Rifle MP7 A1
In stock, ships right away
Airsoft GBB VMP-1 Compact (Black)
In stock, ships right away
Airsoft GBB VMP-1 Compact (Tan)MP5 or MP7 for CQB?
CQB, close-quarters battle, is play inside buildings: rooms, stairs and shots of a few metres. Both guns suit it.
An electric MP5 carries more BBs and a bigger battery, and takes whatever magazine the shop has on the shelf. An MP7 is lighter on the arms and can hang at your side as a second gun, but you reload more often.
MP5 against MP7, criterion by criterion
- MP5
- MP7
-
Small and light
- MP5
- 3 out of 5
- MP7
- 5 out of 5
the MP7 is close to pistol size with the stock in
-
Magazine choice and capacity
- MP5
- 5 out of 5
- MP7
- 2 out of 5
many makers for the MP5, one system per MP7
-
Battery space
- MP5
- 4 out of 5
- MP7
- 2 out of 5
best on an MP5 with a fixed stock
-
Parts and upgrades on offer
- MP5
- 4 out of 5
- MP7
- 2 out of 5
-
Choice of brands
- MP5
- 5 out of 5
- MP7
- 2 out of 5
-
As a second gun on a sling
- MP5
- 2 out of 5
- MP7
- 4 out of 5
Three things people say about these two
Myth
The suppressor on an MP5SD makes it quiet.
Fact
On an electric replica most of the noise comes from the motor and gears in the body. The tube is there for the look.
Myth
Any MP7 magazine fits any MP7.
Fact
Each of the three systems takes its own magazine, and gas magazines differ per maker.
Myth
A two-tone is a weaker gun.
Fact
The bright colour is on the outside only. Inside it is the same gun.
Reader poll
MP5 or MP7: which one is yours?
- MP5
- MP7
- I own both
- Neither
Magazines and batteries
A mid-cap is a magazine that feeds its BBs by spring alone, usually a hundred or so. A hi-cap holds several hundred and has a wheel you wind as you play. For the electric MP5 both kinds of magazines are cheap and plentiful, because most brands follow the same pattern. One exception: Tokyo Marui's Next Generation MP5 takes its own.
The MP7 is stricter, so count the price of three or four spares into the gun before you choose. Used ones turn up among the second-hand magazines; ask the seller which model they came from. The same goes for batteries: an MP5K and both electric MP7s take small packs only.
Before you order an MP5 or MP7
0 of 5 ticked
New or second-hand: what an MP5 or MP7 costs
We print no prices here: the figures below are read from the site as you open this page. As a rule, an electric MP5 from the affordable brands is entry level, while the licensed, recoil and gas versions of both guns belong to the high end.
Second-hand, the MP5 is one of the easier buys. It has been made for decades, so used ones turn up regularly. Look among the used electric guns, ask for a video of it firing and pay with buyer protection, so your money is held until the gun has arrived. Most sellers are in the Netherlands and Belgium, and the RIF rule covers a private sale into Great Britain too: expect to be asked for your UKARA number.
Used electric guns and new SMGs right now
Live figures from our marketplace and our webshop.
- listings in AEG on the marketplace
- more than 800
- middle asking price: half ask less, half ask more
- €280
- eight out of ten asking prices fall in this range
- €125 – €600
- products in stock in SMGs & Support Guns in the webshop
- 18
- lowest price of what is in stock in SMGs & Support Guns
- €179
- brands in stock in SMGs & Support Guns
- 3
Airsoft Bazaar data Measured on 13 November 2026
Used electric guns on the marketplace
Sold by other players. Search the listings for MP5 or MP7 to narrow them down.
Frequently asked questions
Which MP5 airsoft gun is best?
For most players an electric MP5 with a sliding stock, the A5 shape, from an established brand. It is short enough indoors and takes magazines that most shops stock. Tokyo Marui's Next Generation version adds recoil at the top of the range.
MP5 or MP7 for CQB?
The MP5 if it is your only gun, the MP7 if size matters most. The MP5 carries more BBs and a bigger battery. The MP7 is smaller and lighter, and also works as a second gun.
AEG or gas MP5?
An AEG, an electric gun, for regular game days: it works in any weather and its magazines are cheap. A gas MP5 moves its bolt with every shot and feels more real, but each magazine costs more and gas loses pressure in the cold.
What is the difference between an MP5A4, an SD6 and an MP5K?
The outside. An MP5A4 is the full-size gun with a fixed stock. An SD6 has a thick handguard that ends in a suppressor tube, and a sliding stock. An MP5K is the short version with no stock and a vertical front grip.
Is the Tokyo Marui MP7 still worth buying?
Yes, if you want the smallest and lightest electric MP7 and accept modest power. Tokyo Marui lists it at 380 mm with the stock in and 1,390 g without its battery. For more reach, look at a full-size electric MP7.
What does a used MP5 cost?
That depends on the brand, the version and what comes with it, so we give no fixed figure. An electric MP5 from an affordable brand is among the cheaper used guns. The live figures in this guide show what used electric guns are asking today.
Sources
- Firearms Act 1968, sections 57A and 24A legislation.gov.uk, 12 November 2026
- Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, section 36 legislation.gov.uk, 12 November 2026
- Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, Schedule 1 legislation.gov.uk, 12 November 2026
- MP7A1, electric (product page) Tokyo Marui, 12 November 2026
- MP7A1, gas blowback (product page) Tokyo Marui, 12 November 2026
3 more sources
- MP5 A5, Next Generation (product page) Tokyo Marui, 12 November 2026
- Heckler & Koch MP7 A1, electric (product page) Umarex, 12 November 2026
- The Iranian Embassy siege National Army Museum, 12 November 2026
