SU-16 | |
---|---|
SU-16A in stock configuration | |
Type | Semi-automatic rifle |
Place of origin | United States |
Production history | |
Designer | George Kellgren |
Manufacturer | Kel-Tec CNC Industries Inc. |
Produced | 2000s–present |
Variants | See Variants |
Specifications | |
Mass | |
Length | Stock Open
|
Barrel length | |
Cartridge | 5.56×45mm NATO/.223 Remington [1] |
Action | Gas-operated [1] |
Feed system | STANAG magazines [1] |
Sights | Iron sights [1] |
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.
A semi-automatic rifle is a type of self-loading rifle whose action will automatically cycle a new round after each shot, but needs the shooter to manually release the trigger and reset/recock the sear and hammer/striker before pulling again to fire another shot; thus, only one round is discharged with each pull of the trigger.
Kel-Tec CNC Industries Inc., commonly referred to as Kel-Tec, 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 and expanding to rifles and then shotguns. Kel-Tec is a privately owned Florida corporation. George Kellgren is the owner and chief engineer. He is a Swedish designer who also designed many earlier Husqvarna, Swedish Interdynamics AB, 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.
Cocoa is a city in Brevard County, Florida. The population was 17,140 at the 2010 United States Census. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.
There are seven variants of the SU-16.
The SU-16A has an 18.5 in (470 mm) barrel and comes with a windage-adjustable hooded light-gathering blade front sight mounted near the muzzle. [1] A Picatinny rail is equipped on the top of the receiver. The stock and trigger mechanism fold down below the upper receiver and clamp to the barrel when the weapon is broken down (the weapon is non-operative when in this configuration). The fore-arm of the rifle opens out into an integrated collapsible bipod. The stock has a hollow recess with spring detents capable of holding two 10-round magazines or one 20- or 30-round magazine.
The SU-16B has the same features of the A model, but has a lighter barrel, an M-16-type adjustable-post front sight, and a windage adjustable rear sight. [2] The B model has been criticized by some users for the light construction of its barrel, which is said to be too light for sustained firing. [2]
The M16 rifle, officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16, is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56mm automatic rifle with a 20-round magazine.
The SU-16C has a true folding stock as it can be fired with the stock folded, rather than the folding stock and trigger group design of the other weapons. [3] The C has a medium-weight barrel, presumably in response to the criticism against the lighter barrel of the B model. [3] The barrel is threaded at the muzzle, and can be mounted with accessories, such as a flash-hider. The front sight, which is an M-16 adjustable-post type, is incorporated over the gas block and is not removable. [3] The C also includes a reciprocating dust cover over the ejection port and a case-deflecting charging handle. [3]
The SU-16CA model incorporates most of the features of the C model, except for the true folding stock design, instead using the collapsible stock and trigger group design of the A model, which prevents the weapon from being fired when broken-down. [4] This change makes it legal for sale in jurisdictions with an assault weapon ban, such as California. [4]
Assault weapon is a term used in the United States to define some types of firearms. The definition varies among regulating jurisdictions but usually includes semi-automatic rifles with a detachable magazine, a pistol grip and sometimes other features such as a vertical forward grip, flash suppressor or barrel shroud. Some firearms are specified by name. At the time that the now-defunct Federal Assault Weapons Ban passed in 1994, the U.S. Department of Justice said, "In general, assault weapons are semiautomatic firearms with a large magazine of ammunition that were designed and configured for rapid fire and combat use." The origin of the term has been attributed to legislators, gun control groups, the media and the firearms industry. It is sometimes conflated with the term "assault rifle", which refers to selective-fire military rifles that can fire in automatic or burst mode.
The SU-16D model is a short-barreled version which makes the weapon NFA-regulated as short barreled rifles, subject to ownership restrictions and transfer taxes. [5] Owing to the short barrel, the D does not include the folding bipod, but otherwise contains the same features as the C model, including the folding buttstock. [5] The D models also include a second bottom-mounted Picatinny rail. [5]
The National Firearms Act (NFA), 73rd Congress, Sess. 2, ch. 757, 48 Stat. 1236, enacted on June 26, 1934, currently codified as amended as I.R.C. ch. 53, is an Act of Congress in the United States that, in general, imposes a statutory excise tax on the manufacture and transfer of certain firearms and mandates the registration of those firearms. The Act was passed shortly after the repeal of Prohibition. The NFA is also referred to as Title II of the Federal firearms laws. The Gun Control Act of 1968 ("GCA") is Title I.
The SU-16E model is a pistol grip version of the rifle, It has a 16-inch barrel, that is also threaded at the muzzle, and can be mounted with accessories. [6]
The SU-16f model is a longer barreled version which cannot be fired when broken down. It has an 18.5 inch barrel, making it compliant with the Canadian Firearms Act, making it legal for sale in Canada as a non-restricted rifle. It includes the folding bipod/forend. [7]
The Mini-14 is a lightweight semi-automatic rifle manufactured by Sturm, Ruger & Co. used by military personnel, law enforcement personnel, and civilians. A .223 caliber firearm, it is made in a number of variants, including the Ranch Rifle, the Mini-14 GB, and the Mini Thirty, which is chambered for 7.62×39mm.
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