Zenith ZF-5
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- 226 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.50 kg
- Introduced
- 2023
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Zenith ZF-5 is an American-made, semi-automatic MP5-style firearm chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum and built around the roller-delayed blowback operating system. Configured as a pistol with an 8.9-inch cold-hammer-forged chrome-moly barrel and a 3-lug, 1/2x28 threaded muzzle, the ZF-5 is Zenith's domestically manufactured successor to the Turkish MKE-imported Z-5 line. It feeds from 30-round steel MP5 magazines, uses the classic hooded front and 4-aperture rotary drum rear sights, and ships in Premium and Essentials packages with up to three magazines, a sling, a Picatinny optics rail, a flash hider, a hard case, and a cleaning kit.
Zenith spent years importing genuine MKE-built MP5 clones from Turkey before bringing production to American soil with the ZF-5, giving US shooters a domestically made roller-locked subgun in the spirit of the H&K MP5.
MSRP approximately $1,599-$1,999 depending on package (Essentials vs Premium). Available in Black, Gray, and Flat Dark Earth. Made in the USA in Afton, Virginia with a limited lifetime warranty. 922(r) compliant. The ZF-5 family replaced Zenith's earlier MKE-built Z-5 series.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Zenith Firearms
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- United States
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2023
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 226 mm
- Overall length
- 455 mm
- Sight radius
- 340 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.50 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
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 400 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 596 J
- Effective range
- 100 m
- Maximum range
- 200 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
3 lug threaded muzzle
Mp5 pattern
4 aperture rotary drum rear sight
Hooded front sight
Picatinny optics rail
Ambidextrous selector
Made in usa
Three magazines included
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 560 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 2.50 kg | 765 g | Among the heaviest tenth |
| Overall lengthAmong 559 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 455 mm | 191 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 569 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 226 mm | 105 mm | Among the longest tenth |
| Magazine capacityAmong 571 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 30 | 15 | Holds more rounds than about 90% |
Answers
Questions about the Zenith ZF-5
How much does the Zenith ZF-5 weigh?
The Zenith ZF-5 weighs 2.50 kg (5.50 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Zenith ZF-5?
The Zenith ZF-5 is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the Zenith ZF-5 hold?
The Zenith ZF-5 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Zenith ZF-5?
The Zenith ZF-5 is 455 mm (17.9 in) long overall, with a 226 mm (8.90 in) barrel.
Who makes the Zenith ZF-5?
The Zenith ZF-5 is made by Zenith Firearms (United States).
When was the Zenith ZF-5 introduced?
The Zenith ZF-5 was introduced in 2023.
How does the Zenith ZF-5 operate?
The Zenith ZF-5 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
84%
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/zenith-zf5' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "zenith-zf5", "name": "Zenith ZF-5", "manufacturer": { "id": "zenith-firearms", "name": "Zenith Firearms", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 2014, "website": "https://zenithfirearms.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": "18890d2f4b1c4ec55fd46852e63231167403d196af708bbb13abfb3d13ce1984" }, "category": { "id": "pistol", "name": "Pistol", "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 2023, "barrel_length_mm": 226, "weight_empty_g": 2495, "action_type": "roller_delayed_blowback"}