Kel-Tec KSG

[socalbeachbum]

is the KSG Kel-Tec ok? my dad-in-law wants one and I have no real opinion.

pump shotguns are pretty reliable but this to feed 13 rounds must have some mechanism.

anyone?

 

[redbullitt]

Double tubes side by side, flip a switch to feed from the other tube. Nice short OAL, handles well. Pretty cool gun, but i have not used it enough to rally say much more than that.

I have shot a dozen rounds through one. Very neat, but they were super expensive when i looked at them. If they have come down they may be worth a look.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Um... I would suggest you go read up on it
sorry but, Don't feel like recreating years and hundreds of thousands of words on this very well covered topic, going back to the ORIGIN of the design (south african BTW)

 

[RustyShackelford]

John Wick....

The slick KSG is used a lot in the crime drama: John Wick(2014).
It's now out on Blu Ray & DVD/VOD.

www.IMFdb.org
I saw a Cerakote Ti KSG with a Davidson's Lifetime Warranty for about $875.00 USD.

Rusty

 

[Razor]

Very neat, but they were super expensive when i looked at them. If they have come down they may be worth a look.

I've seen them as low as $650. It is at the point where I'm thinking of getting one.

 

[Girodin]

OK for what use?

 

[Mitlov]

I have no first-hand experience, but I've read numerous complaints of feeding issues, and at least one guy blowing his hand off thanks to the front grip breaking combined with the exceptionally short length (bullpup design plus pump-action is a questionable combination).

Here's Military Arms Channels' experience with the KSG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVVii2K1j5k

For defensive purposes, I think you'd be better off with a Mossberg 590 or a Remington 870 or a Benelli M4. If you just want it for recreational/novelty value, that's another issue entirely, and there's no wrong answers there.

 

[redbullitt]

Have you seen that double barrel, double magtube monster they had at Shot?

http://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/the-dp-12-double-barreled-pump-shot-show-2015/

Something different for sure lol.

 

[plumberroy]

I handled one at the local shop a couple weeks ago . it was around $800 I will stick with my 870.

 

[Stugotz]

I believe that hickok45 offers a well-balanced review . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxNrX-9P--0

 

[UltimateGuns]

I hate to bash an American company, but I've never seen anything from KelTec I'd trust my life with.

 

[USAF_Vet]

One of my carry guns is a Kel Tec P-11.

But... when it comes to the KT long guns, I'm taking a wait and see approach.

Longevity of design is something more KT designs lack. The P11 was introduced in 1995, so 20 years later, I trust the success of the design enough. I still had to prove it before I decided to carry it.

KT has one thing going for them, innovation; they aren't afraid to try something new. They are about the only company coming up with new designs. The Sub200, RFB, The KSG and the new RDB are all pretty innovative, even if they do borrow from other weapons.

But... a lot of their products have had design flaws. The early KSG had problems, the early RFB had problems (not sure if they've been addressed yet), and as much as I really like the look of the RDB, I'm skeptical.

Now, I've held a KSG at a gun show, racked and dry fired a couple times. That's the extent of my experience with it. If the Gen 2 has addressed and fixed the problems reported with the Gen 1, it might be worth it.

 

[oneounceload]

Have shot one - it had a horrible time with the Aguila mini shells, dumping live rounds on the ground instead of feeding. Found out it was due to inadvertently moving the mag selector switch to neutral (I guess that is to allow you to empty the ag.)

There is also the DP-12, from CSMC - same basic design, but allows you fire two rounds without pumping. Each pumps loads two rounds, one in each barrel

 

[USAF_Vet]

One thing I learned about the USAS-12 that the KSG does not offer...

If the selector switch on the USAS-12 is placed in the center/ neutral position, it will feed from both tubes, alternating left to right, until both mags are depleted. As RC mentioned above, a center/ neutral selector pistion on the KSG is for unloading the mag tubes.

 

[oneounceload]

As RC mentioned above, a center/ neutral selector pistion on the KSG is for unloading the mag tubes.

I'm not RC, but thanks for the compliment! (I hope he isn't insulted being compared to me! )

I attributed some of the KelTec's issues with using those very short mini shells; however the ease with which one can inadvertently move that lever to center and dump ammo is not one I would want on a gun designed for HD/SD/CQB scenarios.

 

[USAF_Vet]

I'm not RC, but thanks for the compliment! (I hope he isn't insulted being compared to me! )

Whoops! RC is smart, but I've learned a lot from you, too.

I attributed some of the KelTec's issues with using those very short mini shells; however the ease with which one can inadvertently move that lever to center and dump ammo is not one I would want on a gun designed for HD/SD/CQB scenarios.

Was the KSG you shot a Gen 1? I've seen a great many of the KSG naysayers complain about the ease of short stroking the KSG. On such a small gun, that doesn't seem unrealistic.

The USAS-12 selector is on top of the receiver, same as the mag tubes.

The KSG has some things I prefer over the USAS-12, like the bolt release accessible with the trigger finger, and the bottom eject. Makes it more left hand friendly.

Still, as I've said since the KSG was first introduced, a bull pup shotgun so compact would be better served if designed as a semi-auto, not a pump.

 

[4thPointOfContact]

... Don't feel like recreating years and hundreds of thousands of words on this very well covered topic, going back to the ORIGIN of the design (south african BTW)

Forgive me for asking but aside from not having a push forward design, or not having the feed tubes on the top, and not breaking open to load, how are they alike?

The USAS-12 selector is on top of the receiver, same as the mag tubes.
The KSG has some things I prefer over the USAS-12,...

I know you said USAS-12 but you didn't really mean the Korean produced shotgun that looks like a M16 and has a box/drum magazine, did you?

At 13 to 15lbs they are Not at all handy indoors nor easy to pack around. That magazine sticks out like a foot long 2x4 and the drum is worse.

[ETA: After wondering and thinking it's obvious you meant the UTAS, which is an easy mistake to make. No worries.]

 

[4thPointOfContact]

Just because I can, I'll post a favorite of mine, my High Standard Model 10B. I wish some mfg would come out with something like this. All you really need is a semi that doesn't have a spring in the buttstock.

 

[USAF_Vet]

Forgive me for asking but aside from not having a push forward design, or not having the feed tubes on the top, and not breaking open to load, how are they alike?


I know you said USAS-12 but you didn't really mean the Korean produced shotgun that looks like a M16 and has a box/drum magazine, did you?

At 13 to 15lbs they are Not at all handy indoors nor easy to pack around. That magazine sticks out like a foot long 2x4 and the drum is worse.

[ETA: After wondering and thinking it's obvious you meant the UTAS, which is an easy mistake to make. No worries.]

I've been spending too much time in the woods and not enough time in bed.

I've been saying USAS-12, but meaning the UTAS-12 or UTS-15.

 

[Quiet]

I have a Kel-Tec KSG Gen 2.
Current round count is at 2600. (1000 rounds of Estate 00 buckshot, 1500 rounds of Estate #8 shot, 100 rounds of Aguila mini-slugs)
Have experienced 3 stoppages due to shooter induced short stroking.

 

[justice06rr]

The KSG is a cool shotgun, do doubt. They have come down in price to around $800 last I checked. Still overpriced IMO. I've shot one without issues; most of the problems you hear are from short-stroking as it does need the full action to chamber the shells. I'm sure there are other minor downsides, so decide for yourself if it is good value to you.

Personally I'd get a Saiga12, VEPR12, or Mossberg930 for that kind of money...

 

[TruthTellers]

As long as KT can produce it in enough numbers, the KSG will become one of the most popular shoguns in the world. In time, after enough are built, the used market for them should be quite affordable and with the number of them around, it will eventually have a huge selection of aftermarket parts.

The only thing about the KSG I personally don't care for is the tube selector. Kel Tec should be able to figure out a way to make the tubes alternate, but because they're Kel Tec I don't want them to change the internals of what seems like a reliable design as a manual switch is better than some mechanical system that alternates tubes and will wear and break sooner than a simple switch.

I also don't care for the loading gate being in the stock, but that's just part of the bullpup design and has to be sacrificed if you want the shortest shogun possible with a full capacity option.

I'd say it's an alright buy because if neither of you like the KSG it can be resold for close to it's buying price.

 

[ROAshooter]

"the KSG will become one of the most popular shotguns in the world."


that will come as news to the 10 MILLION + of Rem 870s.....in circulation

 

[4thPointOfContact]

"... Kel Tec should be able to figure out a way to make the tubes alternate, ...

It was considered during the design phase as I recall, but it would risk turning the KSG from a 7-shot into a 14-shot shotgun and trigger bans in certain states. As it is, the KSG is 50-state legal (again, as far as I know.)

 

[Sheepdog1968]

One of my carry guns is a Kel Tec P-11.

But... when it comes to the KT long guns, I'm taking a wait and see approach.

Longevity of design is something more KT designs lack. The P11 was introduced in 1995, so 20 years later, I trust the success of the design enough. I still had to prove it before I decided to carry it.

KT has one thing going for them, innovation; they aren't afraid to try something new. They are about the only company coming up with new designs. The Sub200, RFB, The KSG and the new RDB are all pretty innovative, even if they do borrow from other weapons.

But... a lot of their products have had design flaws. The early KSG had problems, the early RFB had problems (not sure if they've been addressed yet), and as much as I really like the look of the RDB, I'm skeptical.

Now, I've held a KSG at a gun show, racked and dry fired a couple times. That's the extent of my experience with it. If the Gen 2 has addressed and fixed the problems reported with the Gen 1, it might be worth it.

You sound like me. A new firearm, fantastic! I will check it out in 20 years. It makes a lot of sense to me in general.

If I was going to go with one of the modern dual tube bull pup shotguns and not wait for a decade for the market to shake them out, the DP-12 would be my personal inclination. The selector switch (and finding it under stress would concern me) on the Kel-Tec concerns me a bit.