10.5 M4 vs MP5 SD

[rickmy]

I work in a city of approx 1 million and am assigned to a full time Tac Team. We have both MP5-SDs no optic and Colt 10.5s in our armory. The Colts can be suppressed with supplied Gemtechs that are approx 6 in long and not very quite. The Colt is our primary weapon and gets 99% of our training time.
I am pro using the 10.5 M4s for everything. I'm also not very big on the suppressor as the whole team always wear's ear pro on operations. Further, I grew up hunting without ear pro and I hear fine. I also find the extra 6 inches pita working in houses and vehicles.

Question: Considering the above, would the MP5-SD be your choice for Bus, Plain, Train Assaults? I am in the minority favoring the 10.5 M4. I am in favor of the M4s lethality, accuarcy, and familiarity. Others favor the MP5-SD for its compactness,, limited recoil, and quietness.

Thanks for your responses. I appreciate your responses but if you only carry a long gun online please mention this.

[mkmckinley]

I would use what you train with 99% of the time.

I've done a limited amount of training with an MP5 and while I can appreciate its qualities I'm nowhere near as competent/proficient with it as I am an M4. With Mk-18s getting issued I can't think of many scenarios where I'd prefer the MP5, even more so considering hitting a noncombatant is unacceptable. Also I'm not the expert on the subject but my understanding is that with proper loads a 5.56 is less likely to over penetrate a target than a hot 9mm. If your team is wearing Peltors then the I don't see why sound signature would matter that much for your team.

[RyanB]

The MP5SD is not smaller or lighter than a 10.5 and has poor wounding potential. It also has its own manual of arms. I find the idea of switching depending on the target to be foolish. I'd rather use a pistol for confined space work.

[Failure2Stop]

I'd take the M4

Typos brought to you via Tapatalk and autocorrect.

[rickmy]

Thanks for the responses. Keep the coming. If you feel strongly one way or the other shoot me your background as policy will likely develop from this.

[dash1]

I'm not LE, but I've worked with the MP5 SD. It's a cool gun, but it is pistol caliber. I would much rather use an M4 than an MP5. If I couldn't get an M4 into a confined space, I'd transition to a pistol. The scenarios you described could spill out doors, where an MP5 would seem inadequate to me.

Do your M4's have optics?

[Failure2Stop]

Thanks for the responses. Keep the coming. If you feel strongly one way or the other shoot me your background as policy will likely develop from this.

I would recommend that you seek out appropriate individuals and communicate with them directly rather than leaving it open to the internet.
Look for those with experience on both platforms that have experience in domestic LE.

Typos brought to you via Tapatalk and autocorrect.

[rickmy]

I would recommend that you seek out appropriate individuals and communicate with them directly rather than leaving it open to the internet.
Look for those with experience on both platforms that have experience in domestic LE.

Typos brought to you via Tapatalk and autocorrect.

I have no idea how much experience you have with "appropriate indiduals" but sometimes these folks choose a 45 because it has stopping power and a 1911 because its a specialist pistol. I would like s

[rickmy]

Someone to tell me that there is something out there better than a short M4 and why. Also, this transition to pistol idea comes up often and I don't see the point. I am more accurate with an M4 and have much better weapons retention.

[ST911]

OP- LE, with experience on both M4 types and the MP5SD specifically. I would choose the former over the latter for the reasons one chooses 5.56 over pistol calibers (many already mentioned). Existing training time (you quote 99%), maintenance/spares considerations. I suspect many choosing the MP5 family do so for the novelty more than any other reason.

I would recommend that you seek out appropriate individuals and communicate with them directly rather than leaving it open to the internet. Look for those with experience on both platforms that have experience in domestic LE.

Good advice.

There were/are some NTOA references on this topic specifically.