Just had an opportunity to buy a new in box Kel Tec RFB from a major dealer for $1500 and decided to pass. Mostly just didn't need to buy another rifle right now but have kind of been spooked by the various reports of problems. Am I crazy?
Just passed on an RFB, am I crazy?
- Thread starter marktx
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General Geoff
Member
Not crazy for deciding not to be an early adopter. Once the kinks are worked out of the design, though, I think it'll be a fantastic rifle.
Extractor heat treat problems early on. Just saw some pics of a dramatic piston failure, nothing that hurt anybody but looked ugly. Those are the confirmed problems. Some reports of weld failures on higher round count rifles and out of spec ejection tube causing jamming issues but I haven't seen any hard evidence/pictures yet. Serial numbers are in the 600s which has me worried because it's a really wide spread of problems in my mind.
stubbicatt
Member
Nuts. I have been intrigued by this rifle. I must say I'm not all that enthusiastic about the nuts and bolts holding the two halves of the rifle together, but based on the design I'm not sure there is another way to construct it.
To hear that it has functioning issues just makes me sad. Don't want to get on another rant about American made firearms of the last 25 years, but it seems to me that every single American made arm I have bought in this period has had to go back to the factory for warranty work which would have been revealed each and every time had sincere quality control measures been adopted. Sigh.
Sometimes I really ponder simply taking a new firearm on down to the UPS without even shooting it and returning it to the factory to have them give it a once over, so sure am I most times that the thing will have "issues." And while I don't like to think about it, there is 50,000 psi going off next to my face when I pull the trigger on a rifle. If that rifle has "issues" why should I be the test dummy?
I dunno.
I guess there is a valid reason for the European "proof houses."
The videos of this rifle are quite encouraging. I would like to try one out, and perhaps even put one on my list of "must haves." the RFB is cool in the sense of a short package with 308 authority.
To hear that it has functioning issues just makes me sad. Don't want to get on another rant about American made firearms of the last 25 years, but it seems to me that every single American made arm I have bought in this period has had to go back to the factory for warranty work which would have been revealed each and every time had sincere quality control measures been adopted. Sigh.
Sometimes I really ponder simply taking a new firearm on down to the UPS without even shooting it and returning it to the factory to have them give it a once over, so sure am I most times that the thing will have "issues." And while I don't like to think about it, there is 50,000 psi going off next to my face when I pull the trigger on a rifle. If that rifle has "issues" why should I be the test dummy?
I dunno.
I guess there is a valid reason for the European "proof houses."
The videos of this rifle are quite encouraging. I would like to try one out, and perhaps even put one on my list of "must haves." the RFB is cool in the sense of a short package with 308 authority.
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12131
Member
You should have been a beta tester.
Particularly after the amount of time they took to bring it to the market and the price point it is selling at. I feel a little different about having to use Kel tecs customer service and warranty on a sub $300 gun than one that is selling for $1800 or so. Yes all guns have lemons but when you have multiple with only a few hundred produced that percentage wise is a different story.
I'm interested in the RFB but I'd like to see them get some relatively problem free miles behind them before I shell out $1500 for a kel tec.
Yeah, it is disappointing.
For anyone who is interested here is the story/pics of the piston problem
http://georgiapacking.org/forum/vie...sid=00226c37e26f2f509387d73daf5e1de2&start=20
Maverick223
Member
I still want one, but I really want to see one in a .260Rem. or 7mm-08Rem....doubtful, but they do say that other chamberings are coming and .308Win. isn't my favorite.
BushyGuy
Member
thats alot for a kel-tec- i would throw in a few more bucks and get a LWRC rifle!
Maverick223
Member
I'll do just that when they come out with that new SA bullpup chambered in a big boy cartridge.
Note that there isn't much competition, and therefore options, in that particular market segment.I would think you could have one re-barreled if you really wanted one in .260 and get it to work. I'm not sure if they have the accuracy to make it worth having one in .260 to me.
I wouldn't hold my breath for them. The .308 isn't even up to full production and I'd imagine they would release some of the other models first.
LWRC? for a few more bucks I'd get an AI Arctic Warfare. Oh wait that doesn't fill the role a LWRC fills and a LWRC doesn't fill the role a RFB does.
Maverick223
Member
I imagine that would take quite a bit of work, but who knows...the RFB is largely and unknown at this point. At this point I wouldn't turn down an RFB at a decent price (found one for $1250.00 but didn't jump on it fast enough :banghead
.Accuracy is touted to be very good (at least for the 32in. bbl version that hasn't yet seen the light of day), but like I mentioned earlier little is known about it at this time. Either way I really like the cartridge, it seems to suit the .308 case capacity very well (though the 7mm-08Rem. gets close enough) and affords the use of a vast variety of bullets (as does the 7mm).
My thoughts as well, which is why I will settle for a .308Win., if found at a decent price.
I'm yet to see an accuracy report (even on KTOG which rides KT's jock pretty hard) from one of the current models that matches what KT is reporting on the vaporware target model.
I too like the .260 I'm just not sure that it would be worth the expense and effort to convert a RFB but maybe it would, particularly depending on how much discretionary income one has. I wont lie I've had more than one day dream about converting a Saiga 308 to .260 just for giggles, to have something unique and to see what a saiga with a high end barrel could do.
For the uses I'd use a .260 for I think a bolt gun is still the way to go, but that's just me.
Maverick223
Member
I haven't seen an in-depth accuracy report at all, only brief range reports and those are sparse.
That is why I would really like to see it come in that chambering (or the 7mm-08Rem.) from the factory. I doubt that I would go through the trouble and expense of a conversion, especially if a factory conversion kit isn't released.
Agreed, but i'm okay with having one of each (bolt gun & SA that is).
stubbicatt
Member
The prices at which these rifles are all being offered these days is far away from realistic pricing. The RFB might be a lot of fun, but at that price they are an expensive toy.
Might be somewhat more brass friendly however.
Might be somewhat more brass friendly however.
The RFB seems to be selling well, that is to say as they seem to be selling all of them that they've made.
$1,500 for a quality semi auto 308 is not that crazy. Go price a M1A, PTR-91, DSA FAL, and some of the various AR-10 rifles. Then consider that the RFB is truly unique in a way the other .308s aren't. Price some of the 5.56 bullpups, AUGs and clones, PS90, and the FS2000. The questions is whether the quality is there to justify that price. If it is built on par with the above then $1500 isn't that surprising or out of line. Most importantly if people are buying them that is what counts and will dictate price.
Maverick223
Member
I paid $500.00 for mine...now whether or not I put an additional $500.00+ in modifications and accessories is beside the point.
Maverick223
Member
Yep, funny thing is I like it better, much better.
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