BXP
- Category
- Submachine Gun
- Barrel
- 208 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.50 kg
- Introduced
- 1988
About
What it is, and why it matters
The BXP is a South African 9x19mm submachine gun developed by Mechem in the mid-1980s and brought into production in 1988. It is a compact, blowback-operated, selective-fire weapon firing from an open bolt, with an underfolding stock that allows it to collapse to 387 mm for concealed carry. Conceived as a domestic replacement for imported weapons during the arms embargo against South Africa, its layout drew on the American MAC-10 but added ambidextrous controls, a grip safety, and compatibility with suppressors and muzzle-launched grenades. The BXP saw service with the South African Police and defence forces.
The BXP was developed under the international arms embargo imposed on apartheid-era South Africa, part of a broader push to make the country self-sufficient in small-arms production.
Magazines are offered in 22- and 32-round capacities. The weapon could launch rifle grenades and accept a suppressor. Production later passed to Milkor.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Mechem
- Category
- Submachine Gun
- Country
- South Africa
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1988
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 208 mm
- Overall length
- 607 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.50 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Blowback
- Firing mechanism
- Open bolt
- Capacity
- 32
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Steel
- Finish
- Phosphate
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 380 m/s
- Effective range
- 100 m
- Rate of fire
- 1000 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Underfolding stock
Open bolt operation
Selective fire
Ambidextrous controls
Suppressor compatible
Grenade launcher compatible
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 201 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 2.50 kg | 3.18 kg | Lighter than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 200 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 607 mm | 723 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 202 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 208 mm | 213 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 204 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 32 | 32 | Holds more rounds than about 60% |
Answers
Questions about the BXP
How much does the BXP weigh?
The BXP weighs 2.50 kg (5.51 lb) empty.
What caliber is the BXP?
The BXP is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the BXP hold?
The BXP holds 32 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the BXP?
The BXP is 607 mm (23.9 in) long overall, with a 208 mm (8.19 in) barrel.
Who makes the BXP?
The BXP is made by Mechem (South Africa). It was designed by Andries Piek.
When was the BXP introduced?
The BXP was introduced in 1988.
How does the BXP operate?
The BXP uses a blowback action, and its firing mechanism is open bolt.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- South African Police
- 1988
- South African National Defence Force
- South Africa
Provenance
Confidence in this record
72%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/bxp' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "bxp", "name": "BXP", "manufacturer": { "id": "mechem", "name": "Mechem", "countryCode": "ZA", "foundedYear": 1976, "website": null, "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-06-21 23:00:46", "updatedAt": "2026-06-21 23:00:46", "version": "beacd49b5b1f2f4e8b98671c81531369ed7a3d7ea1f7188d134e05ca50f6c7f6" }, "category": { "id": "submachine-gun", "name": "Submachine Gun", "description": "Automatic firearms chambered in pistol calibers" }, "country_of_origin": "ZA", "year_introduced": 1988, "barrel_length_mm": 208, "weight_empty_g": 2500, "action_type": "blowback"}