Heckler & Koch UMP

Infobox Weapon
name=Heckler & Koch UMP


caption=The Heckler & Koch UMP45 with a flash suppressor and vertical foregrip
origin=flag|Germany
type=Submachine gun
is_ranged=yes
service=
used_by=See "Users"
wars=
designer=
design_date=1990s
manufacturer=Heckler & Koch
production_date=1999-present
number=
variants=
weight=2.3 kg (5 lb) without magazine (UMP45)
2.1 kg (4.6 lb) without magazine (UMP40, UMP9)
length=450 mm (17.7 in), stock folded
690 mm (27.2 in), stock extended
part_length=200 mm (8 in)
cartridge=.45 ACP (UMP45) .40 S&W (UMP40) 9x19mm Parabellum (UMP9)
action=Blowback, closed bolt
rate=650 rounds/min (600 rounds/min for UMP45)
velocity=
range=100 m
max_range=
feed=25-round detachable box magazine (UMP45), 30-round detachable box magazine (UMP40, UMP9)
sights=

The UMP ("Universale Maschinenpistole", German for "Universal Submachine Gun") is a submachine gun developed and manufactured by Heckler & Koch and licence produced in Mexico by SEDENA.

Design details

The UMP is a blowback-operated, magazine-fed submachine gun firing from a closed bolt. [ [http://world.guns.ru/smg/smg16-e.htm Modern Firearms - SubMachineGuns - HK UMP] Retrieved 27 March 2007.] As originally designed, the UMP is chambered for larger cartridges than other submachine guns like the MP5, to provide more stopping power against unarmored targets (with a slightly lower effective range) than the 9x19mm MP5 provides. A larger cartridge produces more recoil, and makes control more difficult in fully automatic firing. To mitigate this, the cyclic rate of fire was reduced to 650 rounds per minute (600 for UMP45), which makes it one of the slower firing submachine guns on the market. Such a slow rate of fire makes a burst-fire setting superfluous; yet many users regard a 2- or 3-round burst setting to be a desirable feature in a submachine gun.

Despite these shortcomings, the UMP is regarded as a reliable and useful submachine gun. Moreover, the UMP9 (the 9x19mm version of the UMP) is almost 0.45 kg (almost 1 lb) lighter than its MP5 counterpart. Its predominantly polymer construction reduces both its weight and the number of parts susceptible to corrosion. These polymers stand up well to wear and tear in the field.

The UMP is available in four trigger group configurations, featuring different combinations of semi-automatic, 2-round burst, fully automatic, and safe settings. It features a side-folding buttstock to reduce its length during transport. When the last round of the UMP is fired, the bolt locks open, and can be released via a catch on the left side. The standard viewing sights comprise an aperture rear sight and a front ring with a vertical post. It can mount four Picatinny rails (one on top of the receiver, and one on the right, left, and the bottom of the handguard) for the attachment of accessories such as optical sights, flashlights, or laser sights. Vertical foregrips can be attached to the bottom rail for increased controllability during burst and automatic fire.

The UMP was intended as a lighter and less expensive replacement for the Heckler & Koch MP5, designed to look, feel, and operate so much like an MP5 as to require little if any MP5 operator retraining. While the UMP has proven largely successful in the field, it has not replaced the MP5 as intended, but rather acts as a complement.

Variants

There are three versions of the UMP: the UMP45, firing a .45 ACP cartridge; the UMP40, firing a .40 S&W cartridge; and the UMP9, firing a 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge. Apart from the different chambering, all versions feature the same basic design, the most noticeable difference being the curved magazine used on the UMP9 (whereas the UMP40 and UMP45 use a straight magazine). All three versions of the weapon can be converted to any of the available chamberings via replacement of the bolt, barrel, and magazine.

The USC or Universal Self loading Carbine is a semi-automatic version of the UMP that could be owned by private citizens for sporting purposes. It was designed following the Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 and conforms to those standards. [ [http://www.hkpro.com/usc.htm HKPro: The USC ] ] Changes from the original UMP include a "thumbhole" type stock and grip (versus the pistol grip of the UMP), longer barrel, limited 10-round magazine, and semi-automatic only trigger group and action. Originally available in gray, beginning in early 2007 the USC comes only in an all-black finish.

Users

*flag|France - Used by the Gendarmerie Nationale, (UMP9).
*flag|Mexico - Mexican Military and various police agencies.
*flag|Portugal - Small numbers in use for testing and training purposes by both military units and law enforcement agencies; also used by the "Polícia Aérea" special operations units (UMP9).
*flag|Romania - Romanian special operating groups.
*flag|Slovakia - Used by the Slovakian 5th Special Forces Regiment (UMP9).
*flag|Thailand - Used by the Royal Thai Navy SEALs (UMP9).
*flag|United States
*flag|Australia - Used by New South Wales Corrections.

References

External links

* [http://www.heckler-koch.de/HKWebText/detailProd/1926/82/4/20 Official page]
* [http://www.kerensky.net/pdf/ump_man.pdf UMP operator's manual]
* [http://photos.imageevent.com/smglee/cltactical/HK%20Military%20LE%20Catalog.pdf 2008 Heckler & Koch Military and LE brochure]
* [http://world.guns.ru/smg/smg16-e.htm The UMP at Modern Firearms]
* [http://www.hkpro.com/ump.htm HKPRO page on UMP]
* [http://hkpro.com/usc.htm HKPRO page on the USC]
* [http://www.nazarian.no/wep.asp?id=309&group_id=4&country_id=60&lang=0&p=8 Nazarian's Gun Recognition Guide - H&K UMP Demonstration] (MOV)