By Dobbin87
Published: 9 January, 2004
History
When Germany was unified in 1990 , it marked the end of the Cold War. Thus, things in Germany changed in regards to its military. But the G3 series was one thing that remained the same. Before the development and acceleration in military technology that has taken place throughout the 80’s and 90’s, the G3 series was undoubtedly one of the most popular series of guns in the world. But with the modernization of weaponry, the G3A3 became somewhat of a one-dimensional weapon. While amazingly accurate thanks to a delayed blow back system, and very powerful, the hefty rifle was not very mobile or suited for multiple environment combat. While it still has its place, the G3 series needed an addition that was more suited for Special Forces use.
At the same time, Heckler & Koch had its MP5 series which is very maneuverable and good for closer combat and counter-terrorist operations. The only problem was that with the technological advance in weaponry, body armor naturally advanced as well. Since the MP5 only fires 9mm rounds, more terrorists began wearing body armor that was impervious to 9mm fire. Counter-terrorists groups needed a compromise.
Hence we have the H&K MC-51. It is essentially the “child” of the MP5 and G3 series, and was cooked up by Bill Fleming of Fleming Firearms. The MC combines the mobility of the smaller MP5 body style, and retains the G3’s firepower by being chambered for the 7.62 NATO round. No longer do Special Forces units have to compromise power for reliability and compactness, the MC-51 is a new form of weapon. While not "technically" a sub machine gun, it combines firepower and compactness in one well designed package.
Appearance/Build
As one might expect, the gun is made mostly from plastic. Although it is still a solid piece, I would definitely feel safer if it was made of a bit heavier material. It is slightly heavier than TM MP5’s, and it combines parts of the G3 and MP5 body parts. For example, the reciever is suited only for G3 style stocks and is chambered for the G3 magazines.
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| A close of the box. |
The basic look of the MC-51, out of the box. |
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| Just opened, with my HK-51 inner and outer barrel installed. |
But it also combines the usefulness of the MP5 body style, with the MP5 sized forward hand grip, and MP5 short barrel (although with my HK-51 parts the barrel is slightly longer than an M4A1). The gun sports the telescoping G3 stock like the G3A4, and has a better quality cocking lever and tube. The forward handgrip is plastic like the MP5’s, and rattles just slightly.
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| Another angle of the 'stock' MC-51. |
The front iron sight, and cocking tube. |
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| A rather fuzzy shot of the cheap plastic handgrip. It still gets the job done, however. |
I plan on purchasing the MC-51 all metal RIS handgrip. Perhaps my favorite part of the guns build is the cut-out in the back iron sight. This allows me to use the iron sights much more effectively in short range combat (and even better when playing at night, where iron sights are close to useless).
Although I admit I’m not a fan of the gun’s original appearance, it looks significantly improved with the extended barrel and sling. It will look even better with the solid stock (check out www.airsoftextreme.com for a picture of the complete package). But as many will say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the looks of a gun aren’t what’s important. This sounds sort of cliché, but it IS what’s on the inside that counts!
Another thing to mention is the plethora of aftermarket accessories for this gun. This is due, again, to the G3-MP5 hybrid body styling. Many of the hundreds of MP5 accessories will work for the MC, as well as most of the G3 specific accessories. There is also an RIS system made specifically for the MC, allowing attachment of any number of different things. From claw mounts to foregrips, red dots to solid stocks, the MC is one of the most accessorizable guns on the market. The only thing it lacks in this category is the fact that you need a thread adapter for silencers.
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| The "Dobbinized" version of my MC-51. |
Another look at the HK-51 outer barrel piece. This allows for a longer inner barrel, something the MC-51 needs for improved accuracy. |
A concern many have about this gun is its limited battery space; Well not to worry! The MC-51 has many electrical options. If you want it for its perfect urban/CQB ability, then you can power it with a mini-tpye battery. If you want to improve range, install an internal upgrade and purchase the solid G3 series stock. The MC-51 comes pre-wired to connect a large type battery held in the solid stock. Viola, problem solved!
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| A fellow airsofter's MC-51, sporting the 'solid' G3 stock for large battery space. |
This is where the MC-51 makes up for its slight shortcomings in the appearance and build section. With it's 500 round maximum ammo capacity, and it's great rate of fire, the MC-51 is the perfect "greay area" gun for those situations halfway between CQB and Woodland. As mentioned above, its lighter wieght allows for great urban useage, and if you pull out the stock it can become the light-support weapon among a team full of MP5's thanks to its enormous magazine capacity.
Like most Tokyo Marui A.E.G's, the MC-51 can take a good amount of abuse and still operate well. Even though the gun is made from mostly plastic, it's solid. So If your under fire and need to take cover quick don't worry about the MC, it should be just fine. Adjusting the hop-up in the middle of a fight is quick and easy. Like a few other TM guns, simply pull back the cocking lever and the ejection port opens to reveal the hop wheel. Also I like how the G3 mags form a nice, level angle. This makes firing while prone much easy as you can rest the mag on the ground without pointing your gun at an odd angle.
Overall, the MC-51 performs very well in comparison to other TM guns. While accuracy without a tightbore inner barrel might leave a little to be desired, the high rate of fire will make sure you hit your target. It's range is about even with other TM SMG's, perhaps slightly better. It is by far the best CQB gun I've ever used, and it can useful in a pinch in other situations.
Modification
Although I mentioned this before, I will go into a little more detail here. Since you've read this far I'm assuming you know there are a ton of accessories and electrical options for the MC-51. As an added bonus, it's an extremely easy gun to take down and install internal upgrades on its version 2 mechbox. Since I don't have much experience with mechbox upgrading, I'll provide you with some ideas on how to make your MC-51 more appealing to the eye. The first option that is available to you (which happens to be the option I took) is converting the gun into an HK-51 semi-replica. This requires the proper inner and outer barrel kits, which together are about $70 at UNcompany. You will also want the solid G3 stock. This also allows you to fit a large battery to power upgrades.
As for the other types of accessories, nearly anything that fits on an MP5 will fit on this as well. For instance the TM Claw Mount, low profile mount, or the JUST MC-51 all metal RIS handguard. If you've got money and really want to trick out your MC, try the G&G R.I.S system made specifically for this gun. It features full length rails on left, right and bottom of the gun. With this you can attach, for example, a tactical light or laser. Or my favorite, RIS vertical grips.
If you need more battery power, the easiest choice is to go for the G3 solid stock. The Classic Army version can fit up to a 10.8v battery with a little modification. If you still want the versatility of the of the telescoping stock, then there are plenty of compatable large hand grips available.
PROS:
- Great for situations in between CQB and woodland
- Retractable stock allows for perfect CQB usage
- Lots of aftermarket accessories
- 500 round hi-cap option
- Pre-wired to accept a G3 solid stock, as well as other battery options
- Good rate of fire
- Easy to work on
- Better quality cocking tube and handle than MP5's
CONS:
- Plastic used a little to often (but still durable)
- Odd initial appearance
- Thread adapter needed for silencers
- Plastic handgrip rattles a little
- Below average accuracy without tight inner barrel
The Final Word:
The MC-51 is perhaps the least recognized of all Tokyo Marui's AEG's.
But its uses outweigh its shortcomings by a good deal, making it one of the finest AEG's I've owned or fired. Many will be deterred by its appearance, but once you see how useful it can be it just may become your favorite AEG for many situations.
I suggest you look into this AEG if you want something great for that odd combination of "mid-range CQB" combat or urban fighting. With its accessories it can also be converted to a long range woodland gun in a pinch. Although its not perfect for any situation, it's near perfect for more than you might think.
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