“I wanna go fast!” said Ricky Bobby and the majority of Americans agree. We all like to go fast.
With the exception of a few boomers with enlarged prostates wearing RSO hats, when it comes to our guns, Americans like to go fast. At least they like having the option to go fast when the mood strikes.
One trait that freedom-loving Americans have in common is that when the elitists in government tell us that we can’t have something, we want it even more. Ever since our masters in D.C. decided that only they can define the meaning of “shall not be infringed” and select-fire guns became prohibitively expensive, American engineers have been looking for ways to give American gun owners options to go fast(er).
Franklin Armory Binary Triggers
Before the modern malevolent destruction of the English language, the prefix “bi” commonly stood for “two, twice, or double.” Binary triggers work “twice” or “two ways,” backward and forward. Thanks to the very specific language used by our betters in government to restrict our behavior, For the purposes of the National Firearms Act . . .
The term Machinegun means: Any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.
Binary triggers, therefore, DO NOT fit the definition of a machine gun because they only allow one shot per “function of the trigger.”
If you’re unfamiliar, a modern binary trigger such as those that are made by Franklin Armory can be used in standard semi-automatic mode or in binary mode, where the hammer falls when the trigger moves rearward and falls again when the trigger moves forward…two separate functions. If you have a skillful trigger finger and a steady hand, you can learn to manipulate the trigger rapidly and, as Ricky Bobby said, “Go fast!”
Franklin Armory has been in binary business quite a while now and has a wide variety and selection of products from which to choose. Most recently, I went to their website and chose the BFS-III HK-C1. This trigger package works in HK 91, 93, and MP5 models as well as their exact clones. It just so happened that I have an exact clone of the MP5 called the AP5.
Century Arms AP5
Announced in 2020, the AP5 line of 9x19mm pistols is one of Century Arms’ most exciting offerings and they expanded it dramatically in January to include 5.56mm and 7.62mm NATO guns. The firearm I have here was built in Turkey on genuine Heckler & Koch machinery and is nearly identical to the famous German submachine gun. Through the decades, the MP5 underwent numerous cosmetic changes, but the model that the AP5-SD most closely mimics is the current production HK SP5 pistol.
As for specifics, the AP5 has an overall length of 17.9 inches and a 8.9 inch barrel with 1:9.8 twist rifling. Barrel steel is cold hammer forged chrome molybdenum vanadium. Try saying that three times fast.
Empty weight is 5.5 pounds. The action is semi-automatic roller delayed blowback. The AP5 arrives with a flash-suppressor muzzle device. Underneath the muzzle device you will find a three-lug attachment and 1/2×28 muzzle threading. The ½x28 thread is perfect as most American made silencers use that thread pitch. The sights are the traditional HK adjustable drum rear and protected front sight post. Yes, the AP5 uses MP5 style magazines from 10 rounds up to 30 or 40 and even 50 round drums.
Accessorizing the AP5
Whether it’s a blessing or a curse, gunwriters, and a lot of Americans in general, just can’t leave things alone, at least for very long. The AP5 from Century worked just as advertised out of the box, but I knew immediately that it could be improved upon.
Step number one was to add a stabilizing brace from SB Tactical. Remember, when Americans are told “no” they set about to get what they want, regardless. By definition, a stabilizing brace is NOT a stock. And so, I added the SB Tactical “HKPDW” brace to the AP5. I think you will agree that it was a definite improvement.
The AP5 came with an aluminum Picatinny optic mount which I installed after my first range session. On the rail, I mounted a Holosun “HS403B” optic with a 2 MOA red dot. I zeroed the dot for 25 yards and was off to the races.
The last big addition was the installation of the Franklin Armory BFS-III trigger package. Despite the fact that Youtube took down Franklin’s “How To” install video, I was able to follow the printed directions and, within about 15 minutes, I had the original trigger out and the new trigger in and was ready to test it. The selector on the BFS-III is all the way up for “safe,” one click down for “semi” and two clicks down for “binary.” They give you stickers to put on your gun.
One other change you may have noticed was the installation of an M-LOK forearm gives me the option to add accessories in the future such as a light if I so chose to. Because the AP5 is a direct clone or replica of the HK SP5, about 95 percent of the parts that will work on the original German guns will fit on the AP5.
I have enough experience with 9mm sub guns — Sterling, Uzi, Colt, AK-V and HK — to realize that they almost exclusively prefer conical FMJ projectiles. I have yet to meet one of the aforementioned that would run JHP ammunition 100 percent reliably. Therefore, for my range testing of the “AP5 Enhanced”, I dispensed with the typical “let’s try out different defensive rounds” protocol and took an OD green ammo can full of plain old 115 grain FMJ 9x19mm.
Running the gun in the semi-automatic mode was exactly as expected. No surprises there. When you flip the selector down to Binary or the “Go Fast” mode, that’s when things get interesting. Be sure you have a good amount of ammunition when you hit the range because you’re going to need to train your trigger finger. However, once your finger gets used to the binary experience, brothers and sisters, the brass is going to fly.
It took me a couple of magazines worth before I started to develop a rhythm. I suppose that’s the best way to describe the process. You get a rhythm for the movement of the trigger in binary mode and the feel of the recoil. Of course, with a 5.5 pound gun chambered in 9mm, there isn’t that much felt recoil, even in a blowback gun.
Are you going to want to go fast all the time? Probably not, but you’re an American and as such you deserve a choice as to whether to go fast or not. If you decide that going fast is something you want to explore, check out what the folks at Franklin Armory have in stock.
Paul G. Markel is a combat decorated United States Marine veteran. He is also the founder of Student the Gun University and has been teaching Small Arms & Tactics to military personnel, police officers, and citizens for over three decades.