Author Topic: KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !  (Read 4936 times)

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Offline Explosive

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KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !
« on: January 10, 2024, 08:55:39 AM »
Does anyone here own one ? If so please tell me what you think about it.

I like the Youtube video reviews.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCu_Yc6yvSo

It's nice to see that there are still some great American innovators around. :)

For the first time ever in my life I have a sky rocket full of bees and honey to get rid of. I might just get one.

Offline Explosive

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Re: KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2024, 10:10:21 PM »
I'm sure there's a post missing from this thread.

Anyway I bought one. It looked great, but if fell apart in my hands when I took it apart, I dismantled it according to the instructions.    It was not a cheap rifle, but unfortunately it's made of cheap flimsy plastic

https://i.imgur.com/1xvpisfh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rd44GJih.jpg

I never fired a single shot :(
« Last Edit: January 13, 2024, 08:36:54 PM by Wobbly »

Offline odinforever2000

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Re: KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2024, 10:17:45 PM »
Looks like yours was damaged before you picked it up?
They dont do that on their own

Offline MeatAxe

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Re: KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2024, 10:28:40 PM »

I'm sure there's a post missing from this thread.

Anyway I bought one. It looked great, but if fell apart in my hands when I took it apart, I dismantled it according to the instructions.    It was not a cheap rifle, but unfortunately it's made of cheap flimsy plastic

I never fired a single shot :(

Wow. Didn’t even make it through the first pre-shoot disassembly and cleaning…

Well, there you go. Despite the ravings of their fanboys, Kel Tec is basically vaporware, or if they do manage to produce it, it’s just garbage anyway (as this thing is). They’re preying upon desperate commiefornians who are mistakenly trying to comply with idiotic state laws.

Hopefully, Saint Bennitez and the SCOUS will save you. Until then, just stick one of those idiotic “fins” on your AK or AR PG and leave it loose.
« Last Edit: February 14, 2024, 07:02:36 AM by Wobbly »

Offline odinforever2000

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Re: KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2024, 11:24:38 PM »
Does anyone here own one ? If so please tell me what you think about it.

I like the Youtube video reviews.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCu_Yc6yvSo

It's nice to see that there are still some great American innovators around. :)


Heres a pic of Mine


I own an RDB17. Bought mine right when they released. Back then the guns were a 1/9 twist. All RDBs shortly after the first 150 or so are 1/7 twist.

Some Highlights of the rifle
  • Best factory trigger of any bullpup.(To get better than this trigger from the factory, you'll need a Jard or Geissele drop in for those bullpups with that option)
    The lightest bullpup out there (Aluminum handguard RDB can weigh as little as 6.7lbs..and the RDB Survival weighs the less than a PS90 @ 5.9lbs)
    The most affordable. Especially for the Cost vs innovation it brings to the table vs the other bullpups..
    It also has a "tunable" (around 20 settings) gas system. Reducing felt recoil in addition to reduced wear and tear on the action.
    The only downward ejecting 556 Bullpup. 
    Very easy to suppress and no gas to the face.

The main reason for the great trigger, is due to the fact Keltec DITCHED the traditional "trigger bar to Triggerpack (where the hammer and sear are)..
Both Keltec bullpups have the trigger AND sear upfront.The only thing going to the rear is the hammer bar/connected to the hammer.

That tunable gas system does take a little getting used to when setting it..at first..Once set..90% you wont need to touch it again..Short of switching to steel case ammo.

In my experience, most stuff/ammo runs closer to 5 from gas knob closed/screwed all the way in.
There are options for aluminum handguards (Through Keltec or LuckyIrishman Industries) and Dan Haga makes a tougher buttstock for those guys who feel the need to mortar their rifles..
My copy of the rifle can do around 1moa averaging (2) 5 shot groups (with and without my suppressor attached).Using Fiocchi Field 50gr Vmax..it took time to find the round it liked and that I could afford to stock up on.

That's not to say I haven't tried other ammunition. Ive shot alot of different brands and bullet weights over the years through the RDB.I also got better at shooting for groups. This is the test where I first figured out which load I should be buying..
I tried Black Hills 223 50gr..Some PMC 62 XTAC LAP and what was then labeled Fiocchi Extrema..later renamed Fiocchi Field
2.28moa 50gr Black Hills 223
2.77moa 62gr PMC Xtac (which..is pretty typical. I have a 9 shot group that's barely bigger than this)..
0.99moa 50gr Fiocchi Extrema
And only with a 3.5x Prism (which makes them 223 sized holes near impossible to see at 100yards)

Some downsides..
  • With the RDB being so light is it does take a hit in the durability category..Not as in it breaks when taking it apart like the above post (that looks like someone got a little happy knocking out the rear pin, which is very stiff. Or was damaged/tossed around in transport).More like, you cant subject it to the kind of abuse you would to say, a military import firearm (like the Tavor or Hellion). Mortaring is another form of abuse and will instantly crack the buttstock all the way to where it connects to the rest of the rifle (there are fixes for that).

    The Default Polymer Keltec handguard doesn't allow you to mount a light or only allows for mounting at the bottom of the handguard..

    The Tunable Gas system trips up folks..This is where most of the guns early stoppages are caused (by operator error.)

    Some folks hate the keltec pattern grips..(I preferd more ...girth on my grip..so I stuck a Glock Ergo sleeve on mine..)
Theres a guy on AR15.com thats currently putting one through its paces if you want to read his look at the rifle..https://www.ar15.com/forums/Armory/Lazy-s-RDB-rifle-log-So-now-I-got-an-RDB-Bullpup-rifle-/43-549047


The version in the OG Dangers vid is the hunter variant. Something of note..If you had a hunter and a standard RDB, everything would interchange.

The RDB has been featured recently in at least 3 youtube vids:
Hop,

TheNovaGroup,

ClassicFirearms

and it does really well.




 
« Last Edit: January 12, 2024, 11:45:23 PM by odinforever2000 »

Offline Explosive

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Re: KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2024, 04:59:05 PM »
Exactly the same thing has happened to at least one other person. I think it's a design flaw.

Watch from 2:15....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piNdh0URc-0

I have asked for my money back.

I'm happy to try anything once, sometimes it does not work out as with the KelTec, and sometimes it works out fine as with the Spina scopes.       Give them all a chance.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2024, 09:52:31 AM by Wobbly »

Offline Drewzer17

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Re: KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2024, 12:02:24 AM »
I stay away from kel tec , I’ll take a cheap ar-15 over it any day

Offline Gunnerdad80

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Re: KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !
« Reply #7 on: January 15, 2024, 12:18:01 AM »
I’d rather eat a box of chalk, in the desert, on a horse with no name.

Offline odinforever2000

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Re: KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2024, 08:07:53 PM »

Exactly the same thing has happened to at least one other person. I think it's a design flaw.

Watch from 2:15

I have asked for my money back.

I'm happy to try anything once, sometimes it does not work out as with the KelTec, and sometimes it works out fine as with the Spina scopes.       Give them all a chance.
Sometimes you get a gun built on a Friday a closing..Basically  It doesn't matter if its Keltec or Sig..or Areo, sometimes you get a lemon.

But he sent it back to the mothership (back to him in about a month) and its fine now and he's not reporting any of the same breakages AND running like its supposed to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kR80b9LA4Y
« Last Edit: January 20, 2024, 09:53:01 AM by Wobbly »

Offline Explosive

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Re: KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !
« Reply #9 on: January 18, 2024, 10:32:32 AM »
I stay away from kel tec , I’ll take a cheap ar-15 over it any day

You and me both.   

Cold temperatures destroy  cheap plastic, it makes plastic brittle . The KelTec fell apart inside the house at 70 C, it would not have stood a chance outside. It's -25 C right now, it was - 40 C here a couple of days ago.   

Offline MeatAxe

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Re: KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2024, 09:21:27 PM »
Yeah, I’ve never been impressed with Kel Tec, especially the models that actually went into production. Kel Tec is the AMC Gremlin or Pacer of the firearms world. This thing is actually a Fudd version of a bullpup — that breaks easily.

Kel Tec is what K Mart would have come up with if they’d had their own firearms line: eccentric, cheapo and blue plastic…
« Last Edit: January 19, 2024, 09:28:54 PM by MeatAxe »

Offline Snyper762

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Re: KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2024, 11:46:05 PM »
I love their innovation I just wish they would execute the production and construction better. On paper they read perfect.  In the hands they feel great.  In real life, they fail sadly.

Offline paulky_2000

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Re: KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !
« Reply #12 on: February 29, 2024, 12:53:50 AM »
Mine runs quite nicely!



Not an AR15.....but, certainly fun to shoot!
« Last Edit: February 29, 2024, 05:47:25 AM by Wobbly »

Offline AZ CZ

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Re: KEL TEC RDB......... the ugliest and coolest rifle ever !
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2024, 07:53:45 PM »
Very cool looking rifle, but the mixed reviews are off putting to say the least  :o