CODE – 02-041-964

NAME – HK54

COMMON NAMES – MP54, Project 64

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Germany

DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1964

CALIBER – 9x19mm

OVERALL LENGTH – With fixed stock – 66 cm (26 in)

With sliding stock – 49 cm (19.3 in) Stock collapsed, 66 cm (26 in) Stock extended

BARREL LENGTH – 22.5 cm (8.85 in)

RIFLING (TYPE & TWIST) – 4 Grooves, Right-hand twist, 1 turn in 25 cm (1 turn in 9.86 in)

BULLET DIAMETER – 9.02 mm (0.355 in)

BULLET WEIGHT – 8.04 g (124 grain)

MUZZLE VELOCITY – 400 m/s (1312 fps)

MUZZLE ENERGY – 643 j (474 ft/lb)

WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 2.49 kg (5 lb 8 oz)

WEIGHT (LOADED) – 2.98 kg (6 lb 9.3 oz) with 30 rounds

SIGHTS – Fixed iron sights, Rear – Flip-type with “U” notch, Front – Post

EFFECTIVE RANGE – 200 m (219 yards)

OPERATION – Roller-delayed blowback, fires from closed bolt, hammer fired

TYPE OF FIRE – Selective, semi and full automatic

RATE OF FIRE – 40-50 rpm Semiautomatic, 100 rpm Full automatic

CYCLIC ROF – 600 rpm

FEED DEVICE – 30-round box magazine, double column, double feed

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 30-round straight 0.13 kg (4.6 oz)

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (LOADED) – 30-round straight 0.49 kg (1 lb 1.3 oz)

BASIC AMMUNITION LOAD – Six 30-round magazines (180 rounds)

LOAD WEIGHT – 2.94 kg (6 lb 7.8 oz)

MANUFACTURER – Heckler & Koch GmbH Oberndorf am Necker, Germany

STATUS – Obsolescent

SERVICE – German law enforcement

One of the noticeable features of the original MP64/HK54 is the location of the rear sight, above the magazine, on the receiver body. Besides the location at the center of the weapon, the sight was also of the flip-leaf type. This was later changed to a rotary drum-type sight at the rear of the receiver which extended the sight radius by more than a third. The front sight was an unprotected post which was surrounded by a protective ring in later models.

The project was based on the proven design and function of the HK G3 7.62 NATO battle rifle. The design team of Tilo Moller, Manfred Guhring and Halmut Baureuter worked for two years to create a reliable submachine gun using the same roller-locked, fluted chamber, delayed-blowback action of the parent weapon.