Hello, this is XboxAhoy - and these are the Weapons of Modern Warfare.
In this episode, we're taking a look at the MP7.
The MP7, or 'Maschinenpistole Sieben' is a weapon that makes its debut appearance in
Modern Warfare 3.
It's a German weapon, manufactured by Heckler und Koch - and while designated as an SMG
in-game, can be better described in real-life as a 'Personal Defence Weapon', or PDW.
Personal Defence Weapons have largely displaced the submachine gun and machine pistol in their
roles with rear echelon troops - with their ability to better penetrate body armour, they
retain effectiveness where standard pistol calibres might prove ineffective.
They have has found a place in the hands of special forces units, as well - replacing
weapons such as the M4 carbine on missions that require manoeuvrable close-range power.
The MP7 can trace its design roots to the H&K G36 - as both weapons share the same gas-operated
action.
The short-stroke piston replaced H&K's trademark roller-delayed blowback system, as employed
in the G3 rifle, and MP5 submachine gun.
H&K's first attempt at a Personal Defence Weapon was a modification of the MP5 - in
1991 the MP5K-PDW variant was announced, in an attempt to fulfil a NATO requirements for
such a weapon.
Lacking the ability to pierce body armour, however, the MP5K-PDW saw limited success.
The Belgian FN P90, introduced in the same year as the MP5K-PDW, performed slightly better.
Similar to the MP7, it uses a higher-velocity, smaller calibre cartridge for effectiveness
against armoured targets - and an unusual top-loading magazine configuration.
Other Personal Defence Weapons include the Russian PP-2000: chambered for 9mm Parabellum
rounds but taking advantage of specially-designed ammunition;
The Knight's Armament Company PDW - which is designed to be familiar to those trained
on the M4 platform;
and the Magpul PDR: a futuristic compact bullpup that fires NATO 5.56mm ammo and takes standard
mags.
These weapons, including the MP7, all share similar characteristics: their compact size,
lightweight manoeuvrability and high-velocity ammunition make them ideal close-quarter weapons.
The MP7 entered production in 2001, introduced alongside its proprietary cartridge: the HK
4.6x30mm.
The bullet contains a steel core to aid with penetration, and with a muzzle velocity of
over 700 metres per second - double the speed of a 9mm round - it's not hard to see why
this custom cartridge performs so well against armour.
In addition to the MP7, the 4.6mm round was planned to be used in the now-cancelled HK
UCP: A sidearm in the same vein as FN's Five-seveN pistol, which uses the same cartridge as the
P90.
Magazines for the MP7 are of a standard box type, contained within the pistol grip.
They're available in both 20 and 40 round capacities.
Rate of fire is quite high, at 950 rounds per minute - and paired with the lower recoil
of the smaller cartridge, automatic fire can be quite effective.
The MP7 weighs in at a mere 1.5 kilograms when unloaded, and measures a diminutive 340
millimetres with the stock folded.
Unfolded, the weapon extends to 540 millimetres - a little over half a metre - and the barrel
itself is 180mm long.
Since its introduction, the MP7 has been adopted by many different agencies: including Austria's
EKO Cobra, the German Army and GSG-9 units, UK Police forces, and the United State's SEAL
Team Six: with whom the weapon was purportedly used during the raid of Osama Bin Laden's
compound in 2011.
The MP7 in MW3 has earned a reputation as a terrifyingly effective weapon, with its
low recoil granting very effective performance.
Just like its real-life counterpart, it's lightweight with rapid handling characteristics:
and can dominate close-range engagements.
It might be designed for Personal Defense:
but the MP7 is equally comfortable on offense.
Thanks for watching, this has been XboxAhoy.
Join me for the next instalment of The Weapons of Modern Warfare, when I'll be covering two
variants of the same platform: an assault rifle, and light support weapon.
Until then - farewell.