Mass-produced gun as olde worlde heirloom
This little engraved MP5K is a machinenpistol produced in 1976, "designed at the request of HK South American sales rep, who saw a market for dignitary protection and increased firepower in a small package." It comes with its own leather "briefcase" carry-case that allows for fast, machine-gun-kelly-style blasts from within the bag. As Matt sez, "The juxtaposition of the work of skilled craftsmen with a mass-produced machine-stamped weapon like this one produces palpable waves of cognitive dissonance." Link (Thanks, Matt!)
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Ah just lovely
but the magazine really needs some work
Being American, I have a bit of a fetish for guns. Being me, I also think the recent steampunk movement is fascinating. And this photo is what I think of when I try and picture a steampunk MP5. It's sleek and pretty, but there is no mistaking what it is meant to do and which end is the wrong end. The engraving reminds me of a safe that was installed in a hotel circa 1920-ish. Awesome find.
Beautiful engraving job, I love how the grips were done. At last an MP5 I could actually see spending $15K+ on (price of a pre-86 civilian ownable full-auto MP5 in the USA)! Unfortunately, unless its in the US and on the right kind of form, it couldn't be privately owned for us mere citizens at any price.
Anyone know the story about this specific gun, ie the engraved piece shown? Most fancied up machineguns end up in nasty gold-plate or worse.
Beautiful. The link doesn't say, but I'll bet it's for someone in Argentina. The engraving has a gaucho look to it. Some gauchos spent loads of their pay on elaborately-worked silver tack (bridle, saddle, stirrups, etc.) and spurs. It was their portable and ostentatious wealth. I saw stuff like that (not the gun, obviously, at least not yet) at a fine arts fair a year ago.
I bet the other MP5s laugh at him. HKs are really cool, I have a USP and love it.
Ah, one of my favorite little guns. And so lovely.
That's a beautiful, beautiful thing.
There is a long history of such embellishments on firearms.
Heh, That gun normally costs like 9-10 grand.
I'd flinch at the pricetag.
but that thing can accurately be described the same way the SMG was described by the halo developers after halo 2 came out.
"its a bullet hose, plain and simple"
Reminds me of a lot of beautifully engraved arms & armor especially from the Renaissance.
Surprisingly, this is obviously the first time that Matt and many others have seen an engraved firearm despite the fact that it's a 150+ years-old tradition. In fact, Colt has been giving an engraved pistol to every US president almost since it's inception. For some more examples, check out the exhibition of engraved firearms hosted by the Autry National Center in LA this year:
http://www.autrynationalcenter.org/pistols/index.html
Looks like it's going to start traveling in '09.
This is the sort of thing that you'd see in The House on the Rock, or maybe Graceland, although I can't remember if Elvis' gun collection has anything quite this fine.
SteamPimp. I want.
to #4... Did you not read the description? Second half of the first sentence- "designed at the request of HK South American sales rep, who saw a market for dignitary protection and increased firepower in a small package."
From that I gather that the H&K rep wanted it as a demo model to show off to *South African Blood Diamond warlords* (the part between th *'s is meant as a half joke).