Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Firearms |
Founded | 1991 |
Founder | George Kellgren |
Headquarters | , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | George Kellgren (President) |
Products | Pistols, Rifles, Shotguns |
Website | www.keltecweapons.com |
Kel-Tec CNC Industries Inc., commonly referred to as KelTec, [1] is an American developer and manufacturer of firearms. Founded by George Kellgren in 1991 and based in Cocoa, Florida, the company has manufactured firearms since 1995, starting with semi-automatic pistols [2] and expanding to rifles and then shotguns. Kel-Tec is a privately owned Florida corporation. George Kellgren, Kel-Tec owner and chief engineer, is a Swedish designer who also designed many earlier Husqvarna, Swedish Interdynamics AB (in Sweden), Intratec and Grendel brand firearms. The company has been developing and manufacturing a wide variety of firearms, ranging from semi-automatic handguns, i.e. pistols, to semi-automatic rifles and shotguns.
Weapons manufactured by Kel-Tec include the P-11 pistol (9 mm); the P-32 pistol (32 ACP); the P-3AT pistol (.380 ACP); the P-40 (.40 S&W)(discontinued); the SUB-9 and the later SUB-2000, both semi-automatic pistol caliber carbines that fold for storage. In addition, the company offers a family of 5.56×45mm rifles known as the SU-16 series.
November 2005 saw the introduction of the PLR-16, a long-range pistol design based on key design elements copied from the earlier SU-16 rifle design.
A new pistol design from Kel Tec in 2010, is a light weight, full-size, .22 Magnum 30 shot semiautomatic pistol, the PMR30. [3] In 2016, Kel-Tec introduced the CMR-30 carbine, based on the PMR30. [4]
The PF-9, a flat 9×19mm single-column magazine semi-automatic pistol based on the earlier P-11 and P-3AT designs, was upon its release touted as the thinnest and lightest 9 mm pistol ever mass-produced. [5] It was launched in 2006. The PF-9 was retired in 2022 and replaced with the P15. [6]
At the 2007 SHOT Show held in Orlando, Florida, Kel-Tec introduced a series of new "High-Efficiency Rifles" called the RFB, standing for "Rifle, Forward-ejection, Bull-pup." [7] The RFB is a gas-operated semi-automatic rifle with tilting breech block locking mechanism, loads the 7.62×51 NATO cartridge and uses metric FAL magazines; the RFB "family" consists in a series of bullpup rifles with three barrel lengths (18" barrel carbine, 24" sporter and 32" target versions), and a patented forward-ejection system via a tube placed over the barrel that ejects the spent case forwards, over the handguard of the rifle. This eliminates a major drawback of bullpup rifles, which is that they may not be readily usable by left-handed shooters. [8] Distribution of the RFB rifles in the USA was scheduled for February 2009; as of 2013, it has been publicly released for sale. As a further Revolution of the Bullpup, the RDB (Rifle Downward-ejecting Bullpup) was released in late 2015. [9]
Kel-Tec breaks down their product line into three main categories: pistols, shotguns and rifles. [10]
A bullpup firearm is one with its firing grip located in front of the breech of the weapon, instead of behind it. This creates a weapon with a shorter overall length for a given barrel length, and one that is often lighter, more compact, concealable, and more maneuverable than a conventionally configured firearm. Where it is desirable for troops to be issued a more compact weapon, the use of a bullpup configuration allows for barrel length to be retained, thus preserving muzzle velocity, range, and ballistic effectiveness.
The SUB-2000 is a pistol-caliber carbine manufactured by Kel-Tec CNC Industries of Cocoa, Florida, United States. The rifle is a blowback operated, semi-automatic firearm with its operating spring located in the tubular stock.
SU-16 refers to a series of semi-automatic rifles and carbines manufactured by Kel-Tec CNC Industries, Inc. of Cocoa, Florida, referred to in Kel-Tec's marketing as "Sport Utility rifles". The SU-16 series is notable for its compact, lightweight and simple design; and for being able to be broken down and folded into a compact configuration for transportation and storage. While the barrel, bolt-carrier and mechanism are steel, the SU-16's stock, receiver, and forend are manufactured of high-strength polymer plastic.
The Kel-Tec PLR-16 is a gas-operated, semi-automatic pistol version of the SU-16, chambered in 5.56 NATO, manufactured by Kel-Tec Industries of Florida.
The P-3AT is a locked breech, double action only, .380 ACP pistol introduced by Kel-Tec in 2003 and based on the P-32. The frame is made of polymer with an aluminum insert, and the slide and barrel are steel. It is the lightest production .380 ACP pistol in the world, weighing only 8.3 oz (240 g) empty, and is roughly the same size as many .22 and .25-caliber pistols.
A STANAG magazine or NATO magazine is a type of detachable firearm magazine proposed by NATO in October 1980. Shortly after NATO's acceptance of the 5.56×45mm NATO rifle cartridge, Draft Standardization Agreement (STANAG) 4179 was proposed in order to allow NATO members to easily share rifle ammunition and magazines down to the individual soldier level. The U.S. M16 rifle's magazine proportions were proposed for standardization. Many NATO members, but not all, subsequently developed or purchased rifles with the ability to accept this type of magazine. However, the standard was never ratified and remains a "Draft STANAG".
The Kel-Tec RFB is a gas-operated bullpup type semi-automatic rifle, manufactured by Kel-Tec Industries of Florida. At the 2008 SHOT Show held from February 2 to 5 in Las Vegas, Nevada it was declared by Kel-Tec representatives that the RFB rifle would be made available to the public by the 4th quarter of 2008. Later, the Kel-Tec website stated that the 18 in (460 mm) barrel carbine variant would not be shipping until February 2009 due to a change in the production process intended as preventive measures against potential gun control legislation. The rifle first shipped to distributors in the first week of March 2009 and was first seen at the 2007 SHOT Show.
The Kel-Tec PF-9 is a 9 mm caliber, recoil operated, locked breech, double action only, semi-automatic pistol based on Kel-Tec's earlier P-11 and P-3AT models. Kel-Tec claims the PF-9 is the flattest and lightest 9 mm pistol ever mass-produced. It was designed as a concealment and backup weapon for law enforcement and for civilian concealed carry. Kel-Tec first announced the PF-9 on February 9, 2006, and the new pistol was released into the market in the fall of 2006. The PF9 was discontinued following the introduction of the P15.
The Bushmaster M17S is a semi-automatic bullpup rifle that was manufactured by Bushmaster Firearms International from 1992 until 2005.
SNT Motiv Co., Ltd. is a South Korean firearms and auto parts manufacturer founded in 1981. Its firearms equip most frontline units of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.
The IWI X95 is an Israeli bullpup assault rifle designed and produced by Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) as part of the Tavor rifle family, along with the Tavor TAR and the Tavor 7. IWI US offers the rifle in semi-automatic only configuration as the 'Tavor X95'.
The Kel-Tec RDB is a bullpup carbine offered in 5.56×45mm NATO semi-automatic rifle, manufactured by Kel-Tec Industries of Florida. It uses a rotary bolt with a spring loaded ejector and an extractor facing down, ejecting spent shell casings downward, allowing easy ambidextrous use.