I was pretty interested in this when I first got wind of it in '06 or '07 and followed it since. I for one, will NOT pay nowhere near that for an unproven rifle. I'd much rather have an FN SCAR for the price (that is what they were asking last I bothered to look, I understand the price has flopped all over the place). The SCAR isn't all that proven, but the only complaints I hear are the plastic pin in the stock (there is a fix) and the plastic safety (a fix for that too).
I've heard of all kinds of problems with the RFB and they aren't easy fixes. I waited until '10 or so to get one to see what kind of problems would arise, I definitely wasn't paying to be a beta tester and paying a premium on top of that. Now I'd only get one if it were under $800 or so and mostly to tinker with it to see if I could improve the design (I did successfully turn a DSA STG58 into a decent SDM rifle capable of 1-2MOA with the occasional flier, still trying to rationalize those fliers though!).
Too bad, because I kind of had high hopes for it, thought that maybe Keltec would get serious --which would have been nice, considering they are the only US company with any real innovation, I have to give them that credit.
Problem is that innovation in this country has been stifled to the degree we probably can't climb out without a complete overhaul, and this is evident in every product and every design in America today. Had the rifle been built like it should have, it would have been several thousand and would not have sold. Had it been built cheaper, it wouldn't have worked as well as it does. As it is, it is too cheap to be of use, but too expensive to be of value, just like 99% of American products made today.
I'm amazed companies even come out with new designs anymore. They aren't getting a government contract, that is for sure, the army has entertained bids for 50 years and turned every one down. Unless you can make a rifle better than the M4 for $600 or less and that is including your profit, it ain't happening (save a quantum leap). Unless you have a *hope* of getting a governemnt contract, it isn't worth it, because the civilian market will be driven by that very contract, which is the reason the AR is so popular today.
Yeah, too many problems for too many dollars.
