Description
The Century Arms AP5 Navy is a roller-delayed blowback 9mm pistol built on the pattern that has defined the submachine gun class since the 1960s. It is made by MKE in Turkey on tooling licensed from the original design and imported by Century Arms, which makes it about as close to the genuine article as a semi-automatic pistol gets. Capacity is 30+1.
Roller-Delayed Blowback
Roller-delayed blowback action rather than straight blowback, which is why the Century Arms AP5 Navy shoots so much flatter than a simple blowback 9mm of the same weight.
The rollers slow the bolt against the barrel extension, spreading the impulse out instead of slamming a heavy bolt straight back.
Stamped steel receiver finished in black lacquer over manganese phosphate, the traditional treatment for this pattern.
8.9-inch manganese phosphate barrel, threaded at the muzzle.
Navy Trigger Group and the Rear Cap
Navy-style trigger group with pictogram markings and a Navy pattern grip.
Picatinny rear cap fitted in place of a stock, which is what keeps this a pistol rather than a short-barreled rifle.
That rail also gives a mounting point for a brace if one is fitted separately.
Thirty-round magazine, using the widely available magazine pattern for this platform.
Model number HG6034N-N.
Century Arms AP5 Navy Specifications
- Caliber: 9mm Luger
- Capacity: 30+1
- Barrel: 8.9 inch, manganese phosphate, threaded
- Action: roller-delayed blowback, semi-automatic
- Receiver: stamped steel, black lacquer over manganese phosphate
- Rear: Picatinny rail cap
- Grip: Navy style
- Trigger group: Navy pattern with pictograms
- Model: HG6034N-N
- Country of origin: Turkey, made by MKE
- UPC: 787450984981
Roller-delayed operation is the reason this design is still copied sixty years on. A straight blowback 9mm needs a heavy bolt and a stiff spring, which makes it recoil sharply and cycle violently. Rollers riding in recesses in the barrel extension slow the bolt mechanically at the start of its travel, so the gun can use a lighter bolt and a softer spring. The result is a smooth, flat-shooting action that stays on target through a string, which is why these guns feel so different from a blowback carbine of similar size.
Why it is worth considering
- Genuine roller-delayed action, not a blowback imitation.
- Made on licensed tooling by MKE rather than a rough clone.
- Stamped steel receiver with the traditional lacquer over phosphate finish.
- Threaded barrel and a Picatinny rear cap already fitted.
- Magazines for this pattern are inexpensive and widely available.
Who it suits
Shooters who want the roller-delayed experience without paying German prices are the natural buyers, and the Navy trigger group is the configuration most people prefer. Note that this is a pistol, not a short-barreled rifle: fitting a shoulder stock would create an SBR requiring ATF approval, and MAG5 Firearms does not sell NFA items. The Picatinny rear cap accepts a brace if that is the route you want to take.
AP5 Variants and Feeding It
Century imports the AP5 in several lengths and finishes. This 8.9-inch Navy model is the full-length pistol; the AP5-P shortens the barrel to 5.75 inches for a much more compact package. Browse the rest of the Century Arms range or the wider firearms catalog to compare. Century publishes model specifications at Century Arms.
Roller-delayed guns are not fussy, but they do prefer full-power ammunition: standard-pressure 115-grain and 124-grain loads cycle reliably, while very light target ammunition can occasionally short-stroke a tight new action. 115-grain brass-cased ball is a sensible break-in load, and a 124-grain jacketed hollow point covers defensive use. All firearm orders ship to a licensed FFL dealer for transfer, and MAG5 Firearms will coordinate the paperwork with the dealer of your choice.
One practical note on cleaning: roller-delayed actions run dirtier at the chamber than gas guns do, because the fluted chamber deliberately floats the case on a film of gas to ease extraction. That is normal and not a fault. Expect sooty cases and a chamber that needs a brush rather than a patch.
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