Back in the 1970s and 1980s, HK roller-locked rifles, such as the HK33, HK91 and 93, had a certain jaunty flair to them. Their distinctive looks and unusual method of operation made them stand out from the rest of the “survivalist’s rifle” crowd. However, it was HK’s aggressive advertising which gave them a certain allure. Their ads were typically filled with manly men dressed as “commandos” partaking in all manner of adventure.
They were, of course, intended to make the potential customer stop and think, “Wow, I’d like to leave my boring life behind and experience an adventure like that…I should buy one of those rifles.” Many not only bought them, but loved them, and the HK91 and 93 both have cult followings while many considered the HK33 a “Grail Gun”.
Quick Look
- Roller-delayed blowback operating system derived from the HK53.
- Manufactured by MKE of Turkey and imported by Century Arms.
- Chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO with an 8.3-inch cold hammer-forged barrel.
- Features ambidextrous controls, paddle magazine release, and diopter sights.
- Ships with two 30-round translucent magazines and optics mount.
- Combines classic HK styling with modern pistol-format practicality.
Time marches on and eventually, like other old warhorses, HK’s roller-delayed guns and their “Commando” ads faded from the U.S. commercial market. As the sun set on this vintage German method of operation, I never expected it to experience a resurrection. Well, like many other things in life, I was wrong about this too. Just like vinyl records, film photography, and traditional print magazines, roller-delayed rifles and pistols are experiencing a huge resurgence in popularity.
In 2024, vinyl record sales smashed the old high-water sales mark set way back in 1984. Film photography has exploded again into a multibillion-dollar-a-year industry to the point Kodak is unable to keep up with demand. Print magazines? The fastest-growing demographic of readers are young 18-to-35-year-old males who are tired of seeing information shadow-banned, deleted, or edited. Younger people who grew up in a digital world are fascinated by the old analog ways they never knew, so it’s no wonder roller-delayed designs are also exploding in popularity.
Century Arms and the AP53
Today, Century Arms is a major player when it comes to providing roller-delayed firearms to the U.S. commercial market. They offer a variety of models manufactured by Makina ve Kimya Endüstrisi (Mechanical and Chemical Industry, or simply MKE) of Turkey. In 9mm they offer their AP5, AP5-P, AP5-M, Grey Team AP5 package, and their AP5-SD. Recently they expanded their pistol line to include their new 7.62x51mm NATO AP51 PDW and their HK33-like 5.56x45mm AP53 seen here.
Michelle Hamilton previously reviewed Century Arms’ 9mm AP5-M pistol, and so I decided to examine their new 5.56x45mm AP53 pistol. This new model has been creating quite a stir among shooters, so the entire Be Ready! team was interested to see how it would perform. The AP53 is a 5.56x45mm pistol with a short 8.3-inch barrel and is available with and without a collapsible stabilizing arm brace. An interesting alternative to an AR or AK pistol, the AP53 is imported by Century Arms from MKE.
Century Arms has a very close relationship with MKE, which is a licensed manufacturer of roller-delayed rifles and machine guns for the Turkish military. This relationship allows Century Arms to offer an ever-growing line of traditional roller-delayed semi-automatic designs for the U.S. commercial market.