Do the chamber flutes have any affect on re-using the fired cartridge case ? Do they weaken the fired case ?

I had a P7 and a club member had a MP5. I was reloading striped 9mm for a long time after the guns were sold. I lost them before they wore out.

Early on it was conventional wisdom that 9mm cases fired in fluted HK chambers couldn’t/shouldn’t be reloaded. That was probably the claim by people who had never made the attempt because I never had any problem reloading the cases fired in my P7.

Excellent - that was something that I had always wondered about.

I have loaded a ZILLION 9mm cases shot in a fluted chamber with zero problems. Go for it!!

The only thing I heard that was bad with brass from a fluted chamber was that it was harder to clean before reloading.

Thank you for the quick replies, I am edging closer to picking up one of the MP5 clones.

quote:

Originally posted by squint:
Do the chamber flutes have any affect on re-using the fired cartridge case ? Do they weaken the fired case ?

Range that I used to shoot at had some federal LEOs that trained there. I picked up and reloaded some of their MP5 brass. Worked just fine.

quote:

Originally posted by squint:
Thank you for the quick replies, I am edging closer to picking up one of the MP5 clones.

MP5s have extreme cool factor. And I had wanted one for years.

I got a screaming deal on a CMMG Banshee upper (40% off). SBRed an AR lower, uses MEAN Arms endo mags. Put on a 9mm can.

Got to shoot it side by side with an MP5. I much prefer the ergos of the AR, and the recoil impulse was a wash with the CMMG having radially delayed blowback as opposed to roller delayed blowback.


Worth looking into, but it isn't as cool as the iconic MP5.

quote:

Originally posted by squint:
Thank you for the quick replies, I am edging closer to picking up one of the MP5 clones.

I'm not 100% certain. But I don't know for sure if all the clones have the fluted chamber. I'm sure someone will chime in.

I also have reloaded lots of rounds from my SP5K with no issues. Sometimes they take longer to clean in the vibratory cleaner to remove the stripes, that's about all. The stripes are just carbon, not deformation in the brass. Many of my reloaded rounds still have the stripes; they still go pew pew.

If the brass is deforming into the flutes with a 9mm, you've got some serious overpressure issues.

Zenith clones have a fluted chamber: https://zenithfirearms.com/cap...es-and-improvements/

As far as I know, the Century Arms and others also have the fluted chambers, but I can't vouch for every clone.

I went with the HK, but the others can be MUCH more affordable, leaving you with more cash for ammo, magazines, and accessories.

Thank you all for the information. This is probably going to cost me some money !

quote:

Originally posted by squint:
Thank you for the quick replies, I am edging closer to picking up one of the MP5 clones.

Just do it. The number of options and prices has never been better. They're a ton of fun.

The flutes in any HK firearm have zero effect on the ability to reload the fired brass. I had a Portuguese G3. My brass was in more danger of being tossed into the next county, or of having case neck dents than it was from the fluted chamber.

quote:

Originally posted by SgtGold:
My brass was in more danger of being tossed into the next county, or of having case neck dents than it was from the fluted chamber.

Same here. I bought a HK91 back in the early 1980s. The fluted chamber wasn't the issue. It was the dented brass from the violent ejection.