H&K's Experimental SMG and SMG II for the US Navy

Published on January 3, 2020
Duration: 14:47

This video provides an expert-level deep dive into Heckler & Koch's experimental SMG and SMG II submachine guns, developed for the US Navy. Ian McCollum details their design, features, and the advanced technical solutions employed, such as a unique velocity reduction system. While not adopted, these prototypes significantly influenced later H&K designs like the UMP.

Quick Summary

Heckler & Koch's experimental SMG and SMG II prototypes, developed for the US Navy, featured advanced designs including a velocity reduction system on the SMG II to ensure subsonic performance for suppressed use. While not adopted, these guns influenced later H&K designs like the UMP.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction to H&K SMG Prototypes
  2. 00:32Development History and Navy Requirements
  3. 02:22H&K SMG (First Pattern) Features
  4. 04:12Advanced Sighting System
  5. 06:28SMG Internal Mechanics
  6. 07:40H&K SMG II Improvements
  7. 09:50Velocity Reduction Switch
  8. 13:47Legacy and the UMP Project

Frequently Asked Questions

What were the H&K SMG and SMG II developed for?

The H&K SMG and SMG II were experimental submachine gun prototypes developed between 1982 and 1985 in response to a US Navy request for a weapon superior to the existing MP5, focusing on reliability, durability, and suppressed optimization.

What was the unique feature of the H&K SMG II's velocity reduction system?

The SMG II had a 'Low' velocity mode that vented gas from the barrel into a canister. This reduced the muzzle velocity from 350 m/s to 305 m/s, ensuring the ammunition remained subsonic for effective suppressed use.

Why were the H&K SMG and SMG II not adopted by the US Navy?

Despite successful testing and advanced features, the US Navy ultimately did not adopt the H&K SMG and SMG II because they were not considered a significant enough leap in performance over the already widely-used and reliable MP5 submachine guns.

How did the H&K SMG prototypes influence later designs?

Although never adopted, the research and development conducted for the H&K SMG and SMG II directly informed the design of the later H&K UMP project, serving as a crucial bridge between the MP5 and modern polymer submachine guns.

More Tactical & Gear Videos You Might Like

More from Forgotten Weapons

View all →