Military Arms Corporation MAC 5: Best MP5 Clone Available?

Turkey has been in the firearms business for a long time and for most of that history there were two things you could count on. Highly questionable shotguns, and surprisingly good MP5 clones. 

Times have changed and now we see 1911s, 2011s, great over/under shotguns, and even durable semi-auto shotguns all imported for the American market. The same MP5 clones still exist, but unlike the other clones, a Turkish MP5 clone is still fairly expensive.

The fantasy of a sub-$1,000 MP5 clone has been the dream for people like me for years. Finally, in the year 2024, SDS Imports delivered with the MAC 5.

MAC 5 SPECS

• Caliber: 9MM
• Action: Roller Delayed Blowback
• Weight: 5.5lbs
• Barrel Length: 4140 8.9″ Button Rifled, Fluted Chamber, Chrome Lined
• Grip Module: Reinforced Polymer, Glass Filled
• Trigger: SEF Pattern, 4.25lb Pull (Approx)
• Finish: Laquer Paint Over Manganese Phosphate
• Front Sight: Hooded Front Post, Elevation Adjustable
• Rear Sight: Diopter Rear, Adjustable
• Optic Mount: HK® Claw Mount Compatible (Not Included)
• Magazine: 30rd Standard (Two Included)

Guns.com	$999
KyGunsCo	$999
Atlantic Firearms	$999

BASE GUN

From the factory, the MAC 5 comes in a pretty standard setup. No brace, “thin” handguard and simple iron sights. The nice part is it comes in a nice case with foam and extras. There are two magazines, a tri-lug flash hider, a cleaning kit, and a sling. This added value plus the low MSRP makes for an impressive package and by far the best bang for your buck to get into the world of MP5 clones.

The MAC 5 was left totally stock for about 200 rounds. Once a JMAC Customs MP5 1913 pic rail rear plate arrived in the mail, it was thrown on along with a JMAC 1913 armbar, folder and a SB Tactical SBA3 brace.

Another 150 rounds later and it was time to pimp this ride.

BUILD LIST:

• MAC 5
• Midwest Industries MP5 Suppressor Handguard
• Midwest Industries MP5 Picatinny Claw Mount
• JMAC Customs 1913 Adapter
• JMAC Arm Brace
• SB Tactical SBA3 Brace
• Timney Triggers MP5 Trigger
• Magpul MP5 Safety
• Shadow Systems HS923 Suppressor w/ Tri-Lug Mount
• StreamLight ProTac 2.0

RANGE TIME

Those first 350 rounds ran flawlessly. The base gun works, and it works well. There isn’t much else to say about that.

At a bare minimum, most people should add a brace or convert MAC 5 to an SBR and add a stock. This makes it feel like a real gun and how it was intended to be enjoyed. If that’s all you do, you’re in for a great time with a cool piece.

But… the MP5 platform actually has a lot of options for customization. For this build the goal was to plus it up as much as possible with a selection of great components. And that exactly was the result.

Almost 1,000 rounds later, this gun is pretty awesome. Two malfs occurred, both magazine-related, but more on that later. Otherwise, the MAC 5 just ran and ran. On that note, huge thanks to True Shot for providing the ammo for this review. While they are local to me, they ship nationwide and have a great ammo selection.

Subsonic ammo, 124gr +P, self-defense rounds, the MAC 5 ate it all without a problem.

As with most of the guns that land in my hands for review, much of my trigger time was done at local shooting matches. While MP5-style guns aren’t ultra-competitive compared to some other PCCs on the market, it still ran great and was a ton of fun. I even managed to sneak in a PCC stage win.

Other PCCs are faster with flared magwells, mega-extended magazines, and fat muzzle brakes, nothing really beats roller-delayed when it comes to suppression. Combined with subsonic ammo and the Shadow System HS923, the MAC 5 is Hollywood quiet. Tri-lug mount is awesome as a mounting system and has a vibe all on its own. 

Even after all this shooting, the HS923 comes off the tri-lug mounting as easily as the day it went on. 

Each upgrade added something new and tangibly better to the build. The JMAC brace was a no-brainer and felt great. The arm is longer than most brace arms, making the length of pull comfortable even with an SB Tactical SBA3. The folding latch is a bit stiff on mine, but it’s strong as hell and that’s what matters most.

Midwest Industry’s new handguard is a huge upgrade giving you M-LOK space to add a light or anything else. The extended part of the handguard helps protect the suppressor and you’re soft hands from the heat of the suppressor.

The StreamLight ProTac 2.0 was added mostly because that is the light on the bench that didn’t currently have a host. 2,000-lumens, rechargeable, and won’t let me down. MP5s are known for being a pain in the ass to add a light to, but between the M-LOK mount and the MI handguard, this actually works pretty well.

For a red dot, the MI claw mount worked great. A little weird to install, but that is the nature of claw mounts. Irons are cool, but I’m a red dot guy so this was a must for me. Vortex has knocked it out of the park with the Defender XL. Huge window and robust design, it works great on the MAC 5.

The standard trigger wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected, but no one ever calls a stock MP5 trigger amazing. It was average compared with other clones I’ve shot, but still heavy for my taste. The Timney trigger solved that issue and makes it feel a lot closer to a competition-ready PCC.

Low-key major upgrade that is actually inexpensive, Magpul safety. Say what you want about HK, but I’ll die on the hill that whoever designs the safety levers on HK guns needs to be put in charge of something that does less harm to humanity. Magpul’s safety reangles the safety arm making it a lot easier to use, or able to use at all depending on your thumbs. 

For something flat shooting, quiet, and just a damn load of fun, the MAC 5 hits all the high notes.

Magazines

If there is one weakness of the MAC 5, it has to be magazines. Not the magazines that shipped with the MAC 5, those are actually great. But other magazines are, so far, not happy in the MAC 5 except for HK mags.

Overwatch Precision magazines don’t fit the MAC 5 magwell. Like, not even close. The outside dimensions just don’t work. Is this the fault of the mags or the gun, who can say? But my sample of one MAC 5 and two magazines just don’t work. Weird since these Overwatch Precision mags work just fine with other MP5 clone imports.

KCI magazines have always been kind of hit-and-miss in my book, but for the MAC 5, they seem to be a pretty big miss. One of the three KCI mags I bought works 100% (so far), one of them can’t feed worth a damn and will cause the bullets to get stuck in the mag and then turned at angles causing huge failures, and the last magazine has an unsolvable feed lip issue that makes it hard for the MAC 5 to pick up bullets.

MAC 5 branded magazines aren’t available yet, but they are coming soon. Until then, HK mags are always a great option but run ~$70 a pop. For a cheap magazine option, we might be out of luck for now.

LONG TERM DURABILITY?

The MP5 is an impressive design that has stood the test of time, but it isn’t perfect. Fact is, the MP5 design wears out over time. This is true for true HK MP5s and it is true for clones.

Two big deals to keep an eye on are the extractor spring and the bolt-head gap.

The extractor spring is just something that needs replacing every few thousand rounds. Not hard to solve and a new spring is about $10. The extractor claw and other small parts are also considered consumable items.

Bolt-head gap is a little more critical and takes a little more attention. If you’re not an MP5 nerd, I’ll keep this short. The gap between the bolt-head and the bolt body is important. Normal spec is between 0.25mm and 0.45mm. With more rounds down range, that gap will progressively get smaller. Once it is too small, the rollers need to be replaced or the entire bolt head needs to be replaced to keep the gun working.

Failure to keep the bolt-gap in spec will result in a bulged receiver and a ruined gun.

The MAC 5 arrived to me with a gap of ~0.26/27mm. The 0.25mm feeler fit in the gap cleanly, but the 0.28mm did not fit.

Almost 1,000 rounds later, the 0.25mm feeler still fits, but not as smoothly as before. The gap is getting smaller.

Solution? New rollers. Replacement rollers in a range of sizes are easy to come by, like these +2 rollers from HK Parts.

If you’re feeling special and want to maximize the longevity of the bolt, an entirely new F-marked bolt might be the ticket. Not cheap, but this is the most current HK design.

After 1,000 rounds, my MAC 5 doesn’t need anything… yet. Based on what the feeler gauges are telling me, it’s getting close. The simple answer would be new rollers. But I’m planning on putting a LOT of rounds through this gun, so once my 0.25mm feeler doesn’t fit — I’ll replace the entire bolt head. 

LOOSE ROUNDS

This is yet another banger import from SDS. Like the Tisas line of 1911s, the MAC 1911 DS Turkkato, and the MAC 1014 Turkelli, the MAC 5 punches way, way above the price point. 

Guns.com	$999
KyGunsCo	$999
Atlantic Firearms	$999

Even out of the box, the MAC 5 delivers a ton of value and just works. While my MAC 5 has gotten dressed to the nines, it doesn’t need it. If you want it simple, slap a brace on it and go to town.

But with all the options that exist for the MP5 platform… you can have a lot of fun with this little guy.