Stop me from buying a kel-tec please

Why do you want an AR pistol? Think about THAT first.

If you have to ask you’ve likely answered your own question.

Any plans to carry it as a pistol? Ever? Or will its compact size be the novelty you seek?

If "compact" and "shoots 5.56" are the criteria, may I suggest that you have a look at their folding rifle SU-16 series.

The SU-16(a) is the longest, but will fold up into backpack size. The one you may find interesting is the SU-16(c), which is a shorter format but, more importantly, the fold design is such that it can be fired when folded.

See how that compares with the "pistol" for for your purposes.

I have a couple of the SU-16(a), and I've been happy with their crisp trigger and their ability to eat just about anything.

Go ahead and buy it and tell us how it is.

Ok I'll help you, they are junk and shoot like a shotgun and everybody will laugh at you. hope I helped.
Just kidding I've owned a couple and sold them both, one went to my father in law and he loves it.

I'm not going to try to talk you out of it. But I am curious what your attraction is to a huge pistol firing a somewhat heavy recoiling expensive rifle round and a bunch of still burning powder.

Is it for the fireball? It doesn't seem like it would be fun to shoot from an accuracy standpoint, and I would think it would not be very fast firing either.

Don't buy a Kel-Tec.

Think about the other things you need to do with that money.

Think about the fact that eternity is only a heartbeat away and how you're going to explain your "need" to buy a Kel-Tec pistol to the man on the great white throne as opposed to the many other things you could have done with that money. Remember the closing scenes in Schindler's List where he realizes what the proceeds from his car might have meant. The choice confronting you is no less stark.

And before someone accuses me of being a left-wing liberal, I am not saying that buying a gun is wrong. I have no problem ensuring that every member of my family has the means to defend themselves as a "need". What I am saying is that once you have the guns and appurtenances you "need", you must then think about the effect of satisifying your "wants".

I've had the PLR-16 for a while now...and it's been reliable and decent for what it is. Pretty much need to get the fore end for it unless you plan to never shoot more than a few rounds at a time...that barrel gets hot. And do yourself a favor and don't get the factory two port muzzle brake. It DID keep the muzzle rise from happening...in fact it actually depressed the muzzle with every shot, problem was the concussion was fierce and it blew a red-dot apart with just a few rounds. Went with a Levang Linear comp and this really made it tolerable to shoot with the concussion and blast mostly going downrange.

Not exactly sure what you expect from the PLR-16? One inch 100 yd accuracy? I've not been able to come anywhere near that but also don't expect such performance from it. Blasting away at pistol ranges it does just fine and everyone who has fired it has wanted to get one. Nothing negative to say about it so I guess this hasn't helped sway you from getting one. Just take care of it and don't overheat the living crap out of it and it'll live a long and happy life. Remember to wear plugs and muffs.

Oolong said:

However a $1000+ super gun doesn't give me the hands on knowledge about guns I want to know and I figure that at $500-$400 in a common round and with it technically being a pistol and being piston driven at that I figure it'll be a well rounded learning experience.

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I guess, but no one actually uses AR15 pistols for anything. They exist because of US barrel length laws, not because they are useful firearms that are good for some role.

Also, I don't think there is anything to "learn" from owning a piston driven firearm except how relatively simple they actually are.

Why don't you buy something that you can shoot IDPA or IPSC with?

You are talking about a rifle caliber pistol, worrying about quality seems a bit silly, at least you will not be spending a fortune on one. I've never seen the point of them, personally.

The guy wants a pistol in .223. I would have figured that here, of all places, people would respect the idea that that's his business. His only concern is the quality (or possible lack thereof) of the Kel-Tec offerings.

Personally, I really can't comment on them, as the only two KT products I own, though they perform well, are of such a different type that to compare them would be irrelevant.

Oolong

Don't have one but I do have a KelTec P3AT which has been great for it's intended purpose. Normally though most folks looking for a handgun might go with a revolver, like a S&W Model 10, or a semi-auto pistol, like a Glock 17, rather than something like a KelTec PLR16. It's just that it's very limited in it's application; pretty much a range toy for the most part. If that's what you want it for then I would say get one and find out for yourself if it's worth having.

Personally, if i decided I had a use for a 5.56 pistol i would buy the PLR, but there are other guns that seem to meet your criteria if you don't like KelTec.

Extar EXP-556, RRA LAR-PDS, build yourself a standard AR pistol with a piston upper and a tube plug, and there are probably other options (I think there is at least one 5.56 modern deringer for example).

If your after a range toy then I would stay away from that one. It's appealing because of the novelty and it will wear off. Once it wears off your left with something expensive to shoot that has moderate to poor accuracy. If you after a pistol size range toy I would consider the PMR30. That would be long lasting fun.

hdwhit said:

Don't buy a Kel-Tec.

Think about the other things you need to do with that money.

Think about the fact that eternity is only a heartbeat away and how you're going to explain your "need" to buy a Kel-Tec pistol to the man on the great white throne as opposed to the many other things you could have done with that money. Remember the closing scenes in Schindler's List where he realizes what the proceeds from his car might have meant. The choice confronting you is no less stark.

And before someone accuses me of being a left-wing liberal, I am not saying that buying a gun is wrong. I have no problem ensuring that every member of my family has the means to defend themselves as a "need". What I am saying is that once you have the guns and appurtenances you "need", you must then think about the effect of satisifying your "wants".

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Talk about being un American. Wanting things is what has made this country great. And a lot of folks rich

Save just a little more money and buy a real firearm something that will become worth more instead of depreciate. Just my 2 cents.

Oolong , aftermarket value is kinda hard to say since the gun is limited to a certain people's. I've owned and sold two, I broke even but that was because of the price that I was able to get from the sub 2000 . I believe if I were doing the kel-tec thing I would go with the pmr-30 pistol or kel-tec's 12 gauge. But more real life something like a Dragunov 7.62×54R would be nice and an investment. Just my 2 cents.

RX-79G said:

I'm not going to try to talk you out of it. But I am curious what your attraction is to a huge pistol firing a somewhat heavy recoiling expensive rifle round and a bunch of still burning powder.

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Huge "pistol" I understand. I don't get the attraction either.

But how did 223 become "a somewhat heavy recoiling expensive rifle round"?