GSG 5L

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GSG 5L

Postby phorvick on Mon Aug 18, 2008 11:52 am

" The GSG-5 in cal. .22lr is a product of German Sport Guns (GSG) in Ense-Höingen / Germany.The GSG 5 is an identical replication of the MP 5, except one great thing: Its a 22 cal. Because of the low cost of ammunition the GSG 5 makes a perfect plinking rifle, training rifle or a serious varmint hunting rifle. Nothing of its kind has ever been introduced in the United States. The user will be impressed with its weight and performance. If you are a varmint hunter you will be encouraged by all the options the GSG-5 has to offer with its railing system, faux suppressor and easy change magazine. For training purposes, the GSG-5 is a low-cost alternative for Law Enforcement agencies and departments that use MP5’s in the field."

(The above is ad hype...but accurate.)

I am not much of a long gun shooter. It is not that I don't like to, it is that I suck at it. Perhaps the best word for me is that shooting a long gun is funstrating. Clearly they are fun, but for me very frustrating due to olde eyze. I have a few long guns that some would put into the "cool" category. Since I do not hunt, perhaps that is all that I look at when considering a long gun...the cool factor. So, when Jerry45 had one of the GSG 5L models, and it sure looked cool, I had to have it. It comes in a smallish cardboard box (the stock is attached by the end user or dealer), a little "multi-tool" and one magazine. Interestingly enough, the magazine claims to hold 22 rounds. It instead holds 24. I also added two spare magazines, and they too hold 24 rounds, so it apparently is not an anomaly.

I assembled it this morning and off to the range I went, with three full mags (72 rounds). Normally when I go to the outdoor range, I don't have any other folks shooting. It is a generally very quiet place. Today there were two other fellows shooting handguns. I took residence at one of the rifle tables and took the gun out, inserted a magazine and fired 24 shots. The first mag was just a quick "does it work test". And it did.

Then, I set up a few Pepsi bottles and went back about 25 yards and fired off magazine number 2...again no problems (well, except the Pepsi bottles encountered some serious damage). I really cannot do any accuracy tests as my eyes are too crappy. But, there is no problem even for me to hit the Pepsi bottle (ok, not every time...but enough to have fun.) Next, I fired 10 rounds as fast as I could (trigger is decent, not great, but decent)...no problems. I then tried to "limp wrist" the gun and did induce one FTE. The remaining shots were all fine.

The two handgunners came over and ooohed and awed over the gun for some time. One had some spare .22 rounds and they shot off one more 24 rounds magazine without incident (except one of the guys had a smile on him that may have caused muscle strain!).

So, 96 rounds fired. One FTE. Accuracy good..."real" accuracy unknown.

What I liked:
1. this is not a toy; it is a lot heavier than I would have initially thought
2. seems well constructed
3. 24 round magazines! (and very easy to load them full)
4. cool looking!
5. has a boat load of accessories you could purchase (I may need to add a cheap red dot optic)

What I did not like:
1. instruction manual was written by someone not a native English speaker that apparently flunked out of "business English class"

Conclusion. There is absolutely no reason to add one to your collection. None. I guess it is good then that a "reason" is not needed! Definitely high on the "What is that?? I want one!!" ladder.

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Re: GSG 5L

Postby Widge on Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:08 pm

The cool thing is, if you buy the pistol version (that comes without the fake can), and add a stock (which simply bolts on, it's the same gun as the rifle), you have an SBR.
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Re: GSG 5L

Postby phorvick on Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:12 pm

Widge wrote:The cool thing is, if you buy the pistol version (that comes without the fake can), and add a stock (which simply bolts on, it's the same gun as the rifle), you have an SBR.
Do you collect $200 before going to jail on that, or do you just go directly to jail?
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Re: GSG 5L

Postby Pinnacle on Mon Aug 18, 2008 3:26 pm

How much is it
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Re: GSG 5L

Postby onebohemian on Mon Aug 18, 2008 3:39 pm

I see the pistol version at Bud's for 470. Bud's lists (out of stock) a rifle version too for $630, but it comes with some extras (e.g., additional folding stock, extra mag and mag holder, etc.).
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Re: GSG 5L

Postby phorvick on Mon Aug 18, 2008 3:46 pm

Pinnacle wrote:How much is it

I am not sure on the cost of the accessories other than the mags (about $35 each); the bare bones rifle+1 mag is about $500. Jerry45 might chime in here and give an exact price.
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Re: GSG 5L

Postby David on Mon Aug 18, 2008 7:58 pm

Two of these on the wall at Bill's North today as well. $589 for the price.

I have to say, although I love this gun, it comes apart more like a toy or toaster than a gun. There aren't take down pins or anything like that. Everything is screwed together. Including a few two-screw bolts a la Colt ARs.

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The receiver is split down the middle, and comes apart in halves, kind of like a kid's dart gun:

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Take them apart, and a lot of parts just sort of fall out.

Here's the barrel. It just lays between the halves, held in place by pressure from several bolts that fasten the halves together, and a single set screw from the bottom:

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The bolt and carrier are one unit, and they require a few screws and some removed parts (like a steel stopper at the rear of the receiver) to remove without taking the halves apart. I didn't take a picture of this subassembly disassembled, but it wasn't a big deal.

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Barrel slides through these parts:

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See the little spring above the tab on the silver part? Careful you don't lose that. Took me a few minutes to find it! There's also a very small ball bearing that make the rear rotary sight detent work. That one is tough to find, too:

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Gun shoots great, works with several types of ammo I tried, and, although it feels nothing like a real MP5, it's a lot of fun!
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Re: GSG 5L

Postby phorvick on Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:17 pm

re the above post that compares the gun to toy or toaster....

Then it is interesting to note that....GmbH has for a long time been a distributor of Airsoft replicas and Airguns in Germany. Their first real gun is the GSG-5
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Re: GSG 5L

Postby cobb on Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:22 pm

There are so many of these new toys that come out, most just don't interest me. But if the GSG 5L is actually reliable and half way accurate, I really think I have to get one.

So Jerry45 has a few at the Carry Depot? If so, gotta find a reason to make it up to the Fargo VA again in the near future
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Re: GSG 5L

Postby David on Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:52 pm

Regarding accuracy, several people tried mine at the anniversary event, and it pretty much put every round through one ragged hole (albeit at ten or fifteen yards). Lots of grins and "I've gotta get one of these!" type things going on.

And Paul, that makes a lot of sense. GSG apparently has experience building things this way, and in the case of the GSG5, it works for them!
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Re: GSG 5L

Postby Widge on Mon Aug 18, 2008 9:17 pm

phorvick wrote:
Widge wrote:The cool thing is, if you buy the pistol version (that comes without the fake can), and add a stock (which simply bolts on, it's the same gun as the rifle), you have an SBR.
Do you collect $200 before going to jail on that, or do you just go directly to jail?


Neither if you comply with the NFA. You give up $200.
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Re: GSG 5L

Postby selurcspi on Tue Aug 19, 2008 6:53 am

phorvick wrote:re the above post that compares the gun to toy or toaster....

Then it is interesting to note that....GmbH has for a long time been a distributor of Airsoft replicas and Airguns in Germany. Their first real gun is the GSG-5


phorvick,

GmbH is the German acronym for Incorporated :( :( :( :(
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Re: GSG 5L

Postby phorvick on Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:00 am

selurcspi wrote:
phorvick wrote:re the above post that compares the gun to toy or toaster....

Then it is interesting to note that....GmbH has for a long time been a distributor of Airsoft replicas and Airguns in Germany. Their first real gun is the GSG-5


phorvick,

GmbH is the German acronym for Incorporated :( :( :( :(

OK, then I should have stated "German Sports Guns GmbH" :(
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Re: GSG 5L

Postby phorvick on Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:03 am

Widge wrote:
phorvick wrote:
Widge wrote:The cool thing is, if you buy the pistol version (that comes without the fake can), and add a stock (which simply bolts on, it's the same gun as the rifle), you have an SBR.
Do you collect $200 before going to jail on that, or do you just go directly to jail?


Neither if you comply with the NFA. You give up $200.
Yes, I understand. I was perhaps reading too much into the original post, where I read it as saying/suggesting to do that w/o legal requirements. My mistake. It would be a very easy conversion ...and clearly that was the point being made.
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Re: GSG 5L

Postby Widge on Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:52 am

No harm, no foul.

It is, of course, necessary to comply with the legal niceties. I should have made that clear in my post. :D
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