Thread: New from Kel-Tec - SHOT Show 2014

"Some details for ya:



Kel Tec is revealing two new bullpups at Shot Show this year with their RDB and M43.

Scaling down from their successful RFB .308 rifle, the RDB and M43 are both .223 bullpup rifles using downward brass ejection system rather than the forward system of the RFB.

The RDB is the modern variant, while the M43 is described as a “cold-war inspired design.” The internals on both rifles are the same, but while the RDB features polymer and picatinny, the M43 is all wood and steel. New rifles in old styles are something I’d like to see more of.



Both rifles feature a 17.4″ barrel and use a short stroke piston system. The bolt travel is quite a bit longer than conventional rifles in order to eject brass out the downward chute behind the magazine well.

The magazine release on these is a metal slider in a similar position to the Tavor’s magazine release, right behind the knuckle of the shooting hand’s thumb.

The bolt release is an ambidextrous setup, but the charging handle can be manually locked back as well.

The RDB’s optics rail mounts directly to the barrel, while the M43 has a heat shield over its piston. Rather than optics, the M43 has integral folding sights, with the large front sight base being threaded onto the end of the barrel.

The barrel on both rifles has a substantial length of 1/2 x 28 thread. On the RDB a spacer is followed by a standard A2 flash-hider, but on the M43 the front sight base threads onto the barrel with space for a flash-hider.



The charging handle we saw was reciprocating, although numerous Kel-Tec representatives said they are working on a non-reciprocating version. We did see a folding charging handle on one of the M43s that made for a much lower profile on the rifle.

Kel-Tec’s new rifles are certainly unique bullpups, and the wood and steel concept behind the M43 is something I think deserves some praise. We’ll have to see when these guns actually appear on the market whether they find acceptance in the growing bullpup community."

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Lol keltec

Pardon my ignorance but are Keltec the ones who display bullpup designs and never seem to actually manufacture said units?

Originally Posted by 308

Pardon my ignorance but are Keltec the ones who display bullpup designs and never seem to actually manufacture said units?

They've manufactured and distributed both the RFB (.308 bullpup) and KSG (12g bullpup) throughout North America. The laws relating to bullpup-style rifles and shotguns are pretty rigid in Canada so the manufacturer you're talking about may have never advertised to the Canadian market.

The Desert Tech (formerly Desert Tactical) also revealed their MDR at SHOT this year which looks pretty mean. I've heard their bolt-action platforms are impressive so I'm eager to hear more about the MDR. Accidentally posted a blurb on this one in the Shooting subforum that's worth a read if you're into multi-cal rifles.

They do manufacture them, just not enough for everyone who wants to buy one.
Then the ones who do buy them wish they hadn't, coz Keltec guns are shit.

Originally Posted by Beetroot

They do manufacture them, just not enough for everyone who wants to buy one.
Then the ones who do buy them wish they hadn't, coz Keltec guns are shit.

Wouldn't be totally wrong there ha ha! The KSG was a piece of shyte when it first came out. I have high hopes with the Desert Tech MDR though. Here's some more on it:

"Quick points about the MDR:

1) The rifle is not expected to be available until mid 2015.

2) Price estimation: 5.56 version ~ $2200 USD, 308 version ~ 2500 USD

3) The model display are prototypes, the lower is 3D printed and not the final production model at all

4) 5 Calibers envisioned to be offered: 7.62X39, 5.56 NATO, 7.62 NATO, 300 BLK, 6.8 SPC

6) Gas System: Short Stroke, with single recoil spring wrapped around recoil rod, stoner style multi-lug bolt lock up

7) Barrel attached to the upper receiver by 4 bolts

8) Used standard AR15 and SR25 patterned magazines. IWI X95 like magazine release in front of trigger.

9) Fire control parts are NOT AR15, they are Desert Tech proprietary

10) Forward extraction is achieved by a leveler in the receiver that pushes the spent casing into a channel on the ejection port cover. The channel directs the casing to a forward ejection path.

11) Polymer lower, aluminum extrusion tube upper.


My quick impression: The basic ergonomic is sound. However, the raised boundary above the pistol grip does not allow a high tang grip that can go as high as that with an AR. I also wonder if the juice is worth the squeeze for adding the forward pushing complexity to the system, but at least the feature can be disabled by simply opening the ejection port cover during IA. It is a bit too early to say how the final production will turn out . I do not see any major deficiencies with the way it is going. Based on the prototype on display, the project is about at the same stage where Magpul had achieved with the Masada some years ago. There will be some redesigns to make it manufacture-able. I think realistically, this will be available on the shelf in 2016 if it is actually put into production. I expect to see another design iteration in 2015 SHOT."

- Greentips

They look gay

I fudd out over bullpups. Can't warm to them.

I think it looks awesome, well practical. Would be better for room clearing than an M4.

They're all too short for NZ unless a ~20" barrelled version is introduced.

I like that M43, would wander a post-apocalyptic Eastern-European wasteland with that no problems.

Originally Posted by AzumitH

no problems.

it's a kel-tec, man, be realistic

Originally Posted by gimp

it's a kel-tec, man, be realistic

He never said how long for

That's all kinds of fugly, the top photo it even looks like its bent.

Hey look. More bullpup! Silly 'mericuns.

VC, the photographer mentioned that the reason the rifles look bent is due to some sort of lens distortion.