Why can't semi auto versions of the HK MP5 be had in the US??
They can, but options are expensive. HK did not import them for a long time and is now importing them as the SP89 (at an MSRP over $2,000 IIRC). HK94s were the original semi auto MP5s and they are now very expensive collector items. Companies like Zenith and a few others now produce them in the price range above $1,000 but below the $2,000 that a real HK would run.
I can't fault you for choosing to exercise your right to bear arms however you want if you're doing so safely. I had thought about it in the past, where here you can carry anything so long as it is no more than 12 inches along its greatest dimension (meaning an Mp5 probably wouldn't work). That said, most encounters where you're going to need a gun will be close, quick, and require a few rounds. Probably best not to abandon carrying a handgun on your waist for the big majority of defensive situations.
