MP7

A compact German personal defense weapon firing the specialized 4.6x30mm cartridge, designed to defeat body armor at close range while remaining small enough for vehicle crews and special-operations personnel. Widely adopted by NATO special forces and close-protection units.

In service since 2001 · 20 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

200

m range

950

rpm

725

m/s

rds

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

German export-licensed

BAFA licensing with strict end-use review; approvals can be politically constrained.

Channel: Direct commercial / G2G

Fielded & proven

Widely fielded · 20 operators

In service since 2001. Status: active.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from.

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Effective range Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope.: 200 m

Bottom 8% of rifles
Rate of fire Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability.: 950 rpm

Top 9% of rifles
Muzzle velocity Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.: 725 m/s

Stronger than 20% of rifles

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.: 4.6x30mm HK personal defense weapon
Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.: 4.6 mm
Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.: 40

Top 10% of rifles

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.: 0.42 m
Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.: 2 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.: 1
Barrel length Barrel length — longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling.: 180 mm

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 20

Stronger than 67% of rifles

Specifications compiled from public Heckler & Koch and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

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