ForgottenWeapons
patreon
Can the Honey Badger a Replace the MP5SD?
🕑 Added 2024-01-27 12:48:01 +0000 UTCThe .300 Blackout cartridge and the rifle we now know as the Honey Badger were originally developed by AAC by request of a US special forces military unit. They wanted to replace their MP5SD submachine guns with a weapon that was still very quiet but had more terminal lethality than subsonic 9mm Parabellum ammunition. To do this, Kevin Brittingham and AAC started with the .300 Whisper cartridge and made a few tweaks, then chambered it in an AR derivative with a collapsing stock, short buffer system, short barrel, and telescoping silencer like the MP5. Later, when Brittingham started the company Q, he introduced a commercial version of that rifle as the Honey Badger. So the question is; how well does the Honey Badger accomplish the mission of replacing the MP5SD?
For this video, I will be comparing a Honey Badger with an H&K SP5 converted to SD configuration by HiTec Arms.
My conclusion is that the Honey Badger actually is a very competent replacement for the MP5SD. The MP5 is a bit quieter and has quicker followup shots (thanks to less recoil and more weight). The Honey Badger is lighter and handier, has better controls, is just as fast, is more accurate at ranges beyond CQB, and has better terminal performance. The MP5SD has massive aesthetic appeal, but I think the Honey Badger is pretty clearly the more practically effective of the two designs for the role they were designed for.
Comments
Guido Schriewer
beside the looks (of THE best mp5 variant) NO reason for the hk over a 300blk! starting with the weight.
Christian D. Orr
I love the MP5, but the Honey Badger is a cool-azz name for a firearm.
Forgotten Weapons
No, I have not. I have some of the ammo in case any of the US-made VSS projects actually come thought, though.
Kerwin Kerr
Ian, have you got to test out any rifles in 9x39 Russian caliber?
Mark S
That's always been the goal for Special Ops. To find a light, compact, accurate, quiet, and reliable weapon with sufficient lethality (that doesn't eat up your limited carry ammo) that can take out a enemy in a room or enclosed area, but can also be effective up to a couple hundred yards for encounters outside without changing weapons or calibers.
Martin Morehouse
Both are quiet enough to hear the ricochets.
Tamara Keel
The ability to swap mags and have, essentially, an MP5 in the sheets and a Krink in the streets is a big improvement in utility.
Phill Oliver
Nice Video, Ian. Interesting comparison.
William Frank
Thanks, Ian!
