Description
The Century Arms AP5 RAL8000 is the roller-delayed 9mm pistol in the tan-brown finish German forces have used on small arms for decades. Mechanically it is identical to the black AP5 Navy: stamped steel receiver, 8.9-inch threaded barrel, Navy trigger group and 30+1 capacity. The difference is the coating, applied over the whole gun rather than just the receiver.
RAL8000 and What It Is
RAL8000 is a specific shade in the German RAL color standard, a green-brown that reads as desert tan in most light.
It is applied across the receiver, handguard, grip and stock components, so the Century Arms AP5 RAL8000 is uniform rather than two-tone.
8.9-inch barrel, threaded at the muzzle, in the same specification as the black model.
Stamped steel receiver under the finish.
Roller-Delayed Blowback
Rollers riding in the barrel extension slow the bolt mechanically at the start of its travel, which is what makes this action feel so much smoother than straight blowback.
A lighter bolt and softer spring become possible, so the gun stays flat through a string instead of hammering back and forth.
Navy-style trigger group with pictogram markings and a Navy pattern grip.
Picatinny rear cap instead of a stock, which is what makes this a pistol.
Model number HG6034GB-N.
Century Arms AP5 RAL8000 Specifications
- Caliber: 9mm Luger
- Capacity: 30+1
- Barrel: 8.9 inch, threaded
- Action: roller-delayed blowback, semi-automatic
- Receiver: stamped steel
- Finish: RAL8000
- Rear: Picatinny rail cap
- Grip and trigger group: Navy pattern
- Model: HG6034GB-N
- Country of origin: Turkey, made by MKE
- UPC: 787450985001
Color on a firearm is usually cosmetic, but RAL8000 carries some history. It is the shade German forces adopted for small arms finishes, and it appears on issued rifles and machine guns rather than only on commercial variants. On a gun built to the original submachine gun pattern, it reads as period-correct rather than as a fashion choice, which is most of the appeal.
Why it is worth considering
- Genuine roller-delayed action, not a blowback imitation.
- Full RAL8000 finish rather than a tan receiver on black furniture.
- Made on licensed tooling by MKE.
- Threaded barrel and Picatinny rear cap fitted from the factory.
- Magazines for this pattern are inexpensive and easy to find.
Who it suits
Anyone choosing between this and the black model is choosing on appearance alone, because the mechanics are identical. The Century Arms AP5 RAL8000 suits collectors who want the German service color and shooters who simply prefer it. As with the black version, this is a pistol rather than a short-barreled rifle: adding a shoulder stock would create an SBR requiring ATF approval, and MAG5 Firearms does not sell NFA items.
AP5 Variants and Feeding It
Century imports the AP5 in several lengths and finishes. The black 8.9-inch Navy model is this same pistol in the traditional finish, and the AP5-P shortens the barrel to 5.75 inches for a far more compact package. Browse the rest of the Century Arms range or the wider firearms catalog. Century publishes model specifications at Century Arms.
Roller-delayed actions prefer full-power ammunition. Standard-pressure 115-grain and 124-grain loads cycle reliably; very light target ammunition can short-stroke a tight new gun. 115-grain brass-cased ball makes a sensible break-in load, with a 124-grain jacketed hollow point for 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.
A note on the finish: applied coatings on stamped receivers wear at the edges and at the magazine well before anywhere else. On a tan gun that wear shows as dark steel rather than as lighter metal, so it reads differently than it would on a black gun. Some owners consider that patina; if you do not, a light coat of oil on the wear points slows it down.
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