KelTec CNC Industries, Inc., better known as just KelTec, is an American firearms manufacturer located in Cocoa, Florida. George Kellgren founded the company in 1991 as a machine shop to support his Grendel Firearms Company. KelTec began manufacturing firearms in 1995 after the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban forced Grendel’s closure.
Interdynamics sent Kjellgren to the United States in 1979 to work for Intratec, its American subsidiary. Kjellgren stayed in the US, changing his name to George Lars Kellgren and founding Grendel in 1987 after leaving Intratec. KelTec originally manufactured Kellgren-designed semi-automatic pistols, later expanding to shotguns, semi-automatic rifles, and carbines. Today, George still has a hand in every KelTec design, and his sons, Adrian, and Derek Kellgren, are company executives.
KelTec’s Philosophy
KelTec has a simple philosophy. The company says that George Kellgren’s guiding principle is to design innovative, exciting, affordable firearms. He accomplishes that goal while still sourcing components from American-produced materials. KelTec keeps everything in-house as much as possible. A KelTec owner’s purchase directly supports American businesses.
Kellgren and his company are known for innovative, affordable designs. KelTec is one of America’s top five handgun manufacturers, including being Gun Broker’s 2015 top brand seller. At the 2019 NRA Annual Meeting, the National Rifle Association awarded Kellgren the Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award for outstanding personal achievement.
KelTec Semiautomatic Pistols
P11
The P11 was KelTec’s first firearm, debuting in 1995. It featured a 10-round capacity in a small, compact package. The P11 was the very first polymer 9mm pistol designed specifically for concealed carry and was among the smallest pistols in its class. KelTec discontinued the P11 in 2019.
P40
The P40 was the .40 Smith & Wesson version of the P11. KelTec released the P40 in 1999 but discontinued the gun in 2001, mainly due to its very unpleasant recoil.
PF9
The PF9 was a leading micro-compact concealed carry 9mm before the subcompact genre took off over a decade later. KelTec discontinued the PF9 in 2022, but the gun remains popular for its reliability and concealability.
P32
The P32 is designed for deep concealment. The gun weighs only 6.6 ounces with an overall length of 5.1 inches and a height of 3.5 inches. The P32 is only 0.75 inches wide. The .32 ACP cartridge makes this small gun manageable and allows a 7+1 capacity.
P3AT
The P3AT is comparable to the P32 but with a little more punch, thanks to the .380 ACP chambering.
P15
The P15 is KelTec’s modern polymer-framed, striker-fired concealed carry pistol. KelTec bills the P15 as the “lightest, thinnest double stack 9mm handgun on the market.” The 15+1 capacity is comparable to other pistols in its class, but the 16.2-ounce weight and 0.875-inch width set the gun apart. The standard Hi-Viz front and rear sights are a nice feature.
P17
The KelTec P17 is a compact 17-round pistol chambered in .22 Long Rifle. The P17 is designed for concealment and features a threaded barrel, accessory rail, fiber optic sights, and ambidextrous controls.
PMR30
Based on an earlier George Kellgren design, the PMR30 is an innovative .22 WMR-chambered pistol featuring a 30-round flush-fitting magazine. The 4.4-inch barrel, 5 lb. trigger, and Hi-Viz fiber optic sights help make the PMR30 very accurate.
P50
The P50 is another innovative KelTec design that won the 2022 American Rifleman Golden Bullseye Tactical Gun of the Year Award. The gun is chambered for the 5.7x28mm cartridge and comes with two 50-round magazines that lay flat across the gun’s top. The P50 is meant to be fired with two hands and comes with sling attachment points and finger grooves. Top and bottom Picatinny rails make the P50 easy to accessorize.
PLR16
The PLR16 is KelTec’s rifle caliber pistol, chambered in 5.56 NATO. The gun accepts standard AR-15 magazines, and its modularity makes for easy customization. KelTec does not recommend suppressing the PLR16 but includes a threaded barrel for a compensator or flash hider.
PLR22
The PLR22 is a .22 Long Rifle version of the PLR16. It accepts standard AR-22 magazines. Like the PLR16, KelTec includes a threaded barrel but does not recommend suppressing the PLR22.
CP33
The Competition Pistol 33 holds 33 rounds of .22 Long Rifle ammunition, hence the name. The pistol employs a unique center-line charging handle coupled with a monolithic upper receiver for maximum stability. The full-length Picatinny rail offers generous optic compatibility, and the heel-release magazine catch provides a cleaner grip. The CP33 comes with standard 9-inch sight radius fiber optic sights and a threaded barrel.
KelTec Semi-automatic Rifles and Carbines
Sub2000
The Sub200 is among KelTec’s most cutting-edge firearms ever. This folding carbine is available in 9mm Luger and .40 Smith & Wesson. The 16-inch barrel provides accuracy and velocity combined with a pistol caliber’s low recoil. The Sub2k’s M-LOK system makes for easy customization and accessorizing. The gun is compatible with Glock or Sig Sauer P320 magazines, depending on the customer’s preference. The Sub2k is also available in the Gen 3 and CQB models (see below).
Sub9
The Sub9 was a forerunner to the Sub2000 but featured aircraft-grade aluminum parts rather than polymer. KelTec reportedly moved to the Sub2000 design to reduce the gun’s cost.
R50
The R50 is KelTec’s carbine version of the P50 pistol. The lightweight side-folding stock and 16.1-inch threaded barrel provide added stability and greater range for the 5.7x28mm cartridge. The R50 uses the same 50-round magazines as the P50.
SU16 Series
The SU16 is a series of differently configured rifles chambered for the 5.56 NATO cartridge. The rifles accept standard AR-15 magazines and differ in barrel length and stock configurations. Available features include a fore-end that doubles as a bipod and a stock that stores two proprietary 10-round magazines. The SU16 is available in an 18.5 or 12-inch barrel. There are seven SU16 variants in all.
SU22
The SU22 is similar to the SU16 but is chambered in .22 Long Rifle. It accepts most standard AR-22 magazines and has a 16-inch barrel. KelTec markets the SU22 as a beginner’s rifle. The SU22 is a standalone design, and not an SU16 conversion.
CMR30
This .22 WMR-chambered carbine features a fully collapsible stock and a 30-round capacity. Magpul flip-up sights and ambidextrous, non-reciprocating dual operating handles are standard. The 16-inch barrel is threaded for a suppressor.
RFB Series
The Rifle, Forward-Ejecting Bullpup (RFB) is a truly ambidextrous bullpup rifle chambered for the 7.62 NATO cartridge. The RFB’s proprietary bolt ejects the spent brass forward, away from the shooter (see below). The RFB features an adjustable gas system and an 18.5-inch threaded barrel. The rifle is fed from FN FAL-compatible magazines. The RFB is also available in the 24-inch barrel RFB Hunter.
RDB Series
RDB stands for Rifle, Downward-Ejecting Bullpup. The proprietary ejection system sends the spent 5.56 NATO brass through the stock behind the mag well, which, coupled with the RDB’s controls, make this rifle truly ambidextrous. The 17.3-inch barrel is threaded. The RDB is also available in the RDB Defender, RDB Hunter, and RDB Survival variants.
KelTec Shotguns
KSG
The KSG was KelTec’s first shotgun, a pump-action, dual tube 12-gauge with a 3-inch chamber. The short bullpup styling nevertheless includes an 18.5-inch barrel with either a 6+6+1 or a 7+7+1 capacity, depending on shell length. The KSG loads and ejects from the bottom, making it fully ambidextrous. Also available in the KSG Tactical, KSG Compact, and extended magazine KSG25 variants.
KSG410
The only dual tube .410 shotgun in the world, the KSG410 is a pump-action small bore bullpup that KelTec calls “recoilless.” The KSG410 is very light and slim, coming in at 5.4 lbs. and 1.7 inches, respectively.
KS7
The KS7 is KelTec’s single-tube, pump-action 12-gauge bullpup shotgun, which won the 2020 American Rifleman Golden Bullseye Award as Shotgun of the Year. As with the other KelTec bullpup shotguns, the short package contains an 18.5-inch barrel, and the single tube provides a 6+1 or 7+1 capacity, depending on shell length.
The KelTec Sub2000 Series
The Sub2000 Series is perhaps KelTec’s best-known and most popular design. The Sub2k carbine is lightweight, comfortable, and accurate. The folding design takes up little space and may be transported unobtrusively. The 9mm chambering keeps ammunition costs down, while the .40 Smith & Wesson provides a little more power if desired. The compatibility of Glock and Sig magazines makes finding reliable mags easy.
The Sub2000 Gen3 is only available in 9mm Luger and is compatible with Glock 17 and Glock 19 handgun magazines. The primary difference between the Gen3 and the original Sub2k is the rotating fore-end. The original could not fold with an attached optic. However, the Gen3 rotates the fore-end while folding, allowing the attached optic to stay in place.
The Sub CQB takes all the Gen3’s features, including the rotating fore end, and adds an integral, in-house produced suppressor that KelTec says is “Hollywood” quiet when paired with subsonic ammunition. The suppressor has a removable end cap for easy and thorough cleaning. KelTec points out that the Sub CQB is not a short-barreled rifle, therefore, the suppressor is the only item requiring an NFA tax stamp.
The KelTec RFB Series
The RFB Series is an innovative bullpup rifle design specifically made to be ambidextrous. KelTec accomplishes this goal with ambidextrous controls and the unique forward ejection system. The proprietary bolt design holds dual extractors that simultaneously extract empty brass and send it down the ejection chute as the bolt cycles. The 8.8 lb. rifle’s weight is offset by its extraordinary balance, and the user can curb recoil through the adjustable gas system while still maintaining reliability. The 18.5-inch barrel ensures the 7.62 NATO cartridge’s accuracy despite the rifle’s short overall length. The smooth 5 lb. trigger pull redefines the traditional heavy bullpup trigger.
The RFB Hunter adds a 24-inch barrel for greater velocity and accuracy. The bullpup design’s 32.4-inch overall length is still shorter than a standard AR-10 with a 16-inch barrel. The shorter package combined with the 24-inch barrel’s ballistic advantage makes the RFB Hunter a formidable rifle.
An All-American Company
George Kellgren was born and raised in Sweden, but KelTec is an all-American company. Kellgren fully embraces American firearms culture and traditions, while continuously pushing the design envelope. That KelTec’s company logo includes the American flag is no accident. George’s sons, Adrian and Derek, are continuing their father’s legacy of innovation, accessibility, and affordability.
KelTec sometimes flies under the radar because of its affordable products and Kellgren’s decision not to build firearms not of his own design, such as the AR-15. But his vision has paid off by providing unique firearms enjoyed by millions of people. Kellgren notes with pride that there have only been 115 successful gun designers in mankind’s history. Those names include Browning, Stoner, Mauser, and Kalashnikov. They also include George Kellgren.
We work pretty hard on this stuff. Do us a solid if you’re getting anything out of our writing!
0 Comments