Century Arms AP5 vs PTR's (MP5 Clones)

[LongDDan]

Hey I'm in the market for one of the MP5 clones. The AP5 have come down quite a bit while the PTRs have kept their higher value. Why do you think that is? They are both made on the same machines from what I've been told. Any pros getting the PTR over the AP5. Just looking for some input

Danny

 

[rc508pir]

Who owns the equipment? Century or PTR? PTR has a much better track record (QC) for assembling their product than Century.

 

[BadKarma]

I've never had good luck with the Drunk Monkeys at Century. I have the PTR and a Zenith(MKE) and both
run absolutely flawless. If Century is importing the MKE version, you should be GTG. If they had anything
to do with the assembly I'd leave it alone IMHO.

 

[LongDDan]

From what I read they are all MKE and Zenith was importing them, now centry is

Danny

 

[El Pablo]

Hey I'm in the market for one of the MP5 clones. The AP5 have come down quite a bit while the PTRs have kept their higher value. Why do you think that is? They are both made on the same machines from what I've been told. Any pros getting the PTR over the AP5. Just looking for some input

Danny

The prices dropped on ap5 because you get less extra crap on some of their newer models. You basically get a case and a mag on the entry level priced ap5’s.

I bought one, they are made by mke. If you are in the okc area, you can shoot it/see it.

 

[ten22sday]

PTR is made in the US and is a clone of the MP5. It has a single pin lower so it won't accept regular full auto trigger packs but if you have a transferable Fleming sear pack (which are expensive af) then it's ready to have that drop in and rock and roll. I used to own a PTR 9CT and enjoyed it, but it had its fair share of issues most notably that spent casings would somehow find their way down into the trigger housing and get stuck occasionally. Additionally the PTR 9CT and 9C has a welded on picatinny rail which looks ugly and out of place to some, whereas the normal MP5 design is bare and requires a claw mount to put an optic on. The PTR comes with an aluminum M-Lok rail from the factory and the 9CT is both 1/2x28 threaded with a tri-lug mount while the 9C is just tri-lug.

The AP5 is made in Turkey by MKE on HK equipment that was contracted out back in the 70s. They used to be imported by Zenith but the contract fell through a couple years ago and now Century is the importer for them. The main reason the AP5 had such a price drop is that the Turkish economy is in the shitter and the value of their currency devalued hard against the US dollar, as well as the market outright rejecting Century's initial offering price of $2500 when they first hit the shelves a year ago. Additionally the AP5 is a two-pin lower, so it will accept full auto trigger packs but there is a shelf welded into the receiver that will block the use of a full-auto profile bolt carrier, so even if you have a registered sear pack you would need to make permanent modifications to the firearm to make it full auto. The AP5 comes with a plastic slimline handguard like the original 70s version and has a 1/2x28 threaded barrel along with the regular trilug mount.

I just bought an AP5 and have so far put about 400-500 rounds of 124 and 115 grain ammo through it. I've had one failure to eject and one failure to feed within the first 200 rounds, and since then nothing. My range buddy has a genuine HK SP5 that he got back when those first hit the market at the beginning of 2020 and we were comparing the two to each other at the range; there was very little different between the two sans that the AP5 says 'Made in Turkey' and the SP5 says 'Made in Germany'.

Century offers the normal bundle AP5 that comes with two magazines, a nice case, sling, optic mount, and cleaning kit and at a much lower price they have the AP5 core that just comes with one magazine and a case. I bought the AP5 core at H&H as a bundle with the SB tactical folding brace and I love shooting it. I'd recommend the AP5 over the PTR personally, but that's because I prefer the look without the welded picatinny rail. From my experience and the experiences I've seen others have, either one should be just fine.

 

[LongDDan]

Thanks for the opinions, I'm going to hold off unless a great deal comes around. I got the 5" Banshee 45ACP which is a blast to shoot. SP5/AP5 will be my 9mm option

Danny

 

[Gideon]

Zenith have started manufacturing guns in the US now. New ZF-5 is allegedly better quality fit and finish than old Turkish MKE models.
Atlantic has some in stock now with more options coming soon maybe.

Zenith ZF-5 9MM Pistol - AtlanticFirearms.com

Zenith ZF-5 9MM Pistol ZF50000009BK- 860005414185. Full size semi automatic roller delayed blowback pistol from Zenith Firearms.

atlanticfirearms.com

Zenith ZF-5T Pistol Package For SALE - AtlanticFirearms.com

Zenith ZF-5T Pistol Essentials Package ZF5T01MAG9BK. 9MM semi auto MP5 style tactical pistol package. 850034726427

atlanticfirearms.com

 

[El Pablo]

Thanks for the opinions, I'm going to hold off unless a great deal comes around. I got the 5" Banshee 45ACP which is a blast to shoot. SP5/AP5 will be my 9mm option

Danny

I have two 9mm banshees. The ap5 suppresses better. I like the banshee controls better.

 

[johncm1977]

I like the MKE ones - saving up for an actual HK one soon.
The AP5s I have seen had bad weld marks ( just rough not damaged )