When you think of the HK MP7A1, many images come to mind. A DEVGRU operator dressed in AOR1 under a spotlight. A German counter-terrorism agent in jeans and a hoodie wearing a tactical vest and helmet. The possibilities are many, but they have two things in common: they are always in the hands of the best operators—and the HK MP7A1, of course. 

Realism 

The best thing this model offers us is realism. Not only because of the Umarex licenses that allow us to enjoy the original markings, but also because this replica manufactured by VFC is the first AEG to be true 1:1 scale. 

Construction 

Like the real model, it is made of reinforced polymer (except for parts such as the fire selector, trigger, magazine release… which are metal). This makes the design not only compact but also lightweight. Something interesting for escort duties or CQB assaults, or, in airsoft, to carry as a secondary for a sniper or to reduce weight during a 48-hour MilSim. 

Stock 

The stock has three positions to adjust it to the shooter’s build, with a buttpad small enough to work comfortably with most plate carriers. On it, we will find two holes to store the pins during disassembly. 

INTERNALS 

The gearbox it features is completely new; there is no version to compare it to. Due to the design of the model, its composition varies, and for example, we find the four steel gears mounted on 8 mm bearings and the fast motor that drives them positioned above the pneumatic assembly.

The gearbox is of top quality in any case. It comes with a real quick spring change system; you only need to disassemble the rear part to access it. The spring guide is metal with bearings, which helps improve the torsion of the spring, an M110 type but shorter than in a standard AEG. 

The piston is polymer; its design is also smaller, with only 8 teeth, but all except the first are metal. The piston head is polymer and includes a metal washer instead of bearings, something we can see in other VFC models. The cylinder is sealed, made of aluminum, and ensures the piston seals the air properly inside. The cylinder head, with a design similar to that of the M14 since the air outlet is not centered, is polymer, as is the nozzle.

It features a 190 mm, 6.00 mm barrel with which we have managed (the video proves it) to hit targets up to 70 meters, although shooting in an arc and needing several attempts. Effectively, we would say we can hit targets at 50 meters without problems. And that with a velocity of 340–345 FPS (barely varying a couple of FPS between shots) and a full-auto ROF of 1400 RPM. 

CONCLUSIONS 

In 1989, NATO was looking for a weapon with ammunition capable of penetrating armor, larger than a pistol but smaller than a rifle, and two options were presented: the P90 and the MP7. We’ll just tell you this: DEVGRU, one of the most recognized special forces units worldwide, uses the MP7. And now that Umarex presents this highly realistic replica in AEG version, offering such spectacular performance, we ask you: are you going to leave it black, or are you going to paint it?