Century Arms AP53
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- 211 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.27 kg
- Introduced
- 2023
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Century Arms AP53 is a roller-delayed blowback pistol chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, based on the HK53 carbine - a 5.56mm sibling of the MP5 built on the larger HK33 receiver group. Manufactured by MKE in Turkey, it features a cold-hammer-forged 8.3-inch barrel, Navy-style ambidextrous selector, MP5-compatible wide handguard, standard HK33 trigger group, and a 4-prong flash hider, feeding from 30-round HK33-pattern magazines.
MSRP approximately $1,799. SKU HG7888-N (also HG7888MB-N brace model). Based on the HK53. Tested to NATO environmental standards. Made by MKE, Turkey.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Century Arms
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- Türkiye
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2023
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 211 mm
- Overall length
- 566 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.27 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Roller delayed blowback
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Stamped steel
- Barrel
- Chrome moly steel
- Finish
- Lacquer
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 780 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1220 J
- Effective range
- 200 m
- Maximum range
- 500 m
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.
Roller delayed blowback action
Cold hammer forged barrel
Threaded muzzle
Mp5 pattern
Ambidextrous selector
No stock- Hk53 pattern
Mp5 compatible wide handguard
4 prong flash hider- Navy style assembly
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 1,909 pistols | 3.27 kg | 794 g | Heavier than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 1,911 pistols | 566 mm | 196 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 1,941 pistols | 211 mm | 102 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 1,962 pistols | 30 | 8 | Holds more rounds than about 90% |
Answers
Questions about the Century Arms AP53
How much does the Century Arms AP53 weigh?
The Century Arms AP53 weighs 3.27 kg (7.20 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Century Arms AP53?
The Century Arms AP53 is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.
How many rounds does the Century Arms AP53 hold?
The Century Arms AP53 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Century Arms AP53?
The Century Arms AP53 is 566 mm (22.3 in) long overall, with a 211 mm (8.31 in) barrel.
Who makes the Century Arms AP53?
The Century Arms AP53 is made by Century Arms (United States).
When was the Century Arms AP53 introduced?
The Century Arms AP53 was introduced in 2023.
How does the Century Arms AP53 operate?
The Century Arms AP53 uses a roller delayed blowback action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
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
- US civilian market
- 2023
Provenance
Confidence in this record
70%
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/century-ap53' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "century-ap53", "name": "Century Arms AP53", "manufacturer": { "id": "century-arms", "name": "Century Arms", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1961, "website": "https://www.centuryarms.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-05-26 23:17:02", "updatedAt": "2026-05-26 23:17:02", "version": "d154910cee52996c6c58a3547f2b9ddb0d09a05e3f5558d8d0e9eacd63185679" }, "category": { "id": "pistol", "name": "Pistol", "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands" }, "country_of_origin": "TR", "year_introduced": 2023, "barrel_length_mm": 211, "weight_empty_g": 3266, "action_type": "roller_delayed_blowback"}