SU-16C Range Report

[denton]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kjK6Fs9AtE

With a little encouragement from my friends, I bought a Kel-Tec SU-16C carbine. Some of my friends have expressed interest in how well it performs so I took it to the range and made a short video about it. The bottom line is that it shoots about 1 1/2" five-shot groups at 100 yards, and is very light and compact. I have always regarded Kel-Tec stuff as inexpensive and reliable. With this product, they seem to be moving toward lots of performance for the money and still reliable. There is some nice engineering in it.

It's not an AR-15 wannabe. It's a genre of its own. To me, it's more like a 10/22 with a much more potent cartridge and a more functional but less pretty stock.

 

[BrocLuno]

Excellent and thanks. The SU is a very interesting niche rifle. Great "truck" rifle, light and easy to carry

You are absolutely right about it being the logical step up from the 22 Mag and being a good step up from a 10/22 or even a 597M or similar. I been Eying one for a while, but I have WAY to many other projects in the fire. It may happen one day just cause

 

[ns66]

very interesting, what's the drawback compared to ar-15?

the handguard can be lowered as bipod, what a good idea, any ar-15 handguard can do this?

 

[CoRoMo]

I find the forearm/bipod to be very cumbersome for both deploying it and re-securing it back as a forestock. It's not as simple as I figure it should be. The open sights are also disappointing.

Other than that, it is an great, lightweight semi-auto .223 rifle. My brother has one and that thing will not stop. Having that kind of accuracy (~1.5"@100yd) is simply awesome.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Thanks - it answered a couple of questions I've had regarding the rifle and noted issues of which I was unaware like scoping limitations. One thing though - although your reload info was more detailed than most - I would feel better informed had you used a factory load readily available to the viewer.

I feel even better now in one of these being my "behind the door" cabin gun.

 

[batmann]

I think Kel-Tec has an upgrade for the forearm. I don't know the cost, but it is more on the AR side.

PS---Love your Charlie, can't find one here (Indianapolis).

 

[denton]

factory load

You can buy ammo all put together now?? Are you messin' with me??

drawback compared to ar-15

For one thing, it is generally less expensive. And you cannot change uppers to shoot things like the 6.5 Grendel. It is a 5.56 forever. On the plus side, it is an operating rod type mechanism, not direct gas. That keeps combustion products out of the mechanism. It's also lighter, and it folds.

I find the forearm/bipod to be very cumbersome for both deploying it and re-securing it back as a forestock. It's not as simple as I figure it should be. The open sights are also disappointing.

I agree on both counts. The forearm is a dexterity test. The front sight is an M-16 type and although it is spring loaded, it is very loose in its mount and I doubt that it always returns to the same point.

When I did the video, I had a cheap scope on it. It worked well enough, but the elevation and windage controls responded sluggishly. If you turned the elevation knob, you'd shoot a pretty little vertical string as the scope settled in. That tries my patience. So that scope is off and is listed for sale on KSL.COM. Then on a whim, I picked up a TruGlo 2X red dot in the Bargain Cave at Cabela's. That seemed like a pretty good solution. The optics were fine, but the screws that tie it down to the rail were set the wrong distance apart, and it was impossible to mount.

Enough fiddling around with cheap optics! Leupold makes a VXII and a Mark AR scope that will just barely fit. They are short and have a small objective lens, and are 1 or 1.5 to 4 zoom. I can't remember the last time I was on a team that was clearing a house at night, and don't have plans to do that or to play like I do. This is for popping soda cans, breaking rocks, zapping prairie dogs, coyotes, skunks, raccoons and jackrabbits, and generally having a good time with my grandkids. I think a scope is a better choice for me than the more popular red dots. So today I ordered the VXII and some high rings. We'll see how that works out.

One last note: The C model is the one to get. The A and B models fold only by removing the pin. The C model you can fold just by releasing a catch in the stock.

 

[ns66]

so if i read it correctly compared to ar15 the only draw back is can't change barrel...
maybe it's just me i think it's not as pretty as ar15 lol

 

[denton]

AR-15... pretty???

 

[ROCK6]

Good review, I have been looking between the SU16c and the full stock model. Well done on the load and group…pretty good accuracy from such a small, compact carbine. I enjoyed it, thanks!

ROCK6

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

Hello,

I've been looking hard at these, but I've also been hearing that they have a tendency to crack in different places.

How true is this? Have any of you SU-16 folks experienced cracking or other durability problems?

Thanks,

Josh

 

[BrocLuno]

Big thread on Kel-Tec and a LOT of info from 1stMarine here: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=559476

They are what they are. That said, for a short carry rifle with three mags aboard (1 hot, and 2 in butt), they are a good modern composite design. Yeah, they use plastic, so does Glock. Just treat them like a plastic rifle. OBTW - wood cracks too

As far as scope mounting, It's real important to correctly torque the bases in place. To much pressure an you take the chance of distorting the rail (plastic). To little and things will not sit still. I suspect that good Permatex RTV Super Black under the bases and on the clamping screws would keep all in place and could be removed once things are loosened up. Just gotta think outside the box a bit

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

Broc,

Thank you.

I tighten rings to 30 to 35 in-lbs. Will the rail stand that much?

Thanks!

Josh

 

[BrocLuno]

I'm not sure, PM 1stMarine and ask? He has built a fair bunch of these and knows their quirks as well as anyone here

 

[kingvillien]

what kinda scope do you have on there?

 

[nipprdog]

**********

 

[dubya450]

Is the stock fixed or foldable?

 

[Panzercat]

Used to have one. I never had a problem with the forearm. Maybe with the first handful of deployments, but it ceases to become a dexterity test with practice. It's by no means quick, but hardly a skill challenge once you get used to it, IMO.