Kel Tech RFB

Kel Tech 'introduced' this rifle at the 2007 Shot Show. It is still impossible to get one and the latest Email from Kel Tech said 12 months backlog. This kind of crap really p***** me off.

Arne, I understand your situation with a 'start up' company and will wait as I am informed as to what is going on. Kel Tech, on the other hand is an established manufacturing operation and their excuses about this rifle are not professional or ethecal(IMO) and are inexcusable..

Anyone out there familair with this rifle? Anyone actually HAVE one yet?

Mike

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Arne Boberg on January 13, 2010 at 9:53pm

Wow - maybe we can start a "competitor backlog" thread - I would find the information at the very minimum entertaining, and at the very maximum useful!

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Permalink Reply by Blueorison on January 16, 2010 at 5:04am

They really don't rush at producing it, riffraff. They ARE backlogged a bunch. If you're interested in the rifle, I did get range time with it and it shoots wonderfully. There is a gas switch for differently-powered .308 ammunition to aid cycling. The recoil is manageable and the trigger is very good for a bullpup. It's smooth and does not have a long pull. Hope that helps.

They are overpriced on gunbroker, so I'd just wait till you can get one for under 1500 (a more reasonable price). Eventually the craze will die down like it has with the ammo situation (9mm is now $8 min a box from $15 a few months ago) and you will be able to get one :)

Jon

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Permalink Reply by riffraff on January 16, 2010 at 11:58am

Thanks for the response,

I am VERY interested in this rifle. I have seen the ones on gunbroker, yes, very overpriced. I would happily go ahead and pay MSRP($1860) IF I could even get one. The 12 month backog Email i received recently was the SAME thing they said when I sent them an Email about it 8 MONTHS ago. 8 months ago they said 12 month backlog and 2 weeks ago they say 12 months backlog. The older I get the less tolerance I have for being lied to. My concern is that another BAN will be enacted before I can get one of these rifles.

Hey, anyone out there know of ANOTHER 308 Bullpup ANYWHERE?? I want action not the run around. If a similar product is available I will gladly give my money to folks who can deliver product, not excuses.

Blueorison said:

They really don't rush at producing it, riffraff. They ARE backlogged a bunch. If you're interested in the rifle, I did get range time with it and it shoots wonderfully. There is a gas switch for differently-powered .308 ammunition to aid cycling. The recoil is manageable and the trigger is very good for a bullpup. It's smooth and does not have a long pull. Hope that helps.

They are overpriced on gunbroker, so I'd just wait till you can get one for under 1500 (a more reasonable price). Eventually the craze will die down like it has with the ammo situation (9mm is now $8 min a box from $15 a few months ago) and you will be able to get one :)

Jon

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Permalink Reply by Blueorison on January 16, 2010 at 4:28pm

Wow that's the MSRP? The rifle was $1400, my friend picked it up. It was the only one in the shop. I wouldn't worry, ban scares are always exaggerated, and even so, the RFB isn't one of the "hicap" weapons they'd attempt to ban. I'd keep waiting, unless you were really inclined; then I would look into a g3/HK 91 or a FAL. However, neither are as compact as the RFB.

When they finally become available, it's definitely a rifle to get. Small, compact, versatile, and packs a punch.

Jon

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Permalink Reply by riffraff on February 28, 2010 at 10:31am

There have been some failures with the extractor with these rifles. If anyone has one that was not mfgrd very recently I would get another extractor from Kel Tech. Kel Tech says it was a problem with their heat treaters and has been fixed. Whatever the reason I would get a spare.

Mikey

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Permalink Reply by chaggy on March 7, 2010 at 4:49pm

I like the RFB a lot. Handles great and is a very robust design. I have put less than 100 rds through mine and had to send it in for a headspace issue (as have a few others that I know of). The issue was resolved quickly but I have not had a chance to shoot again since I received it back from them. I have not heard of any extraction issues but they did have issues with the heat treatment of the ejection chute which rides along the top of the barrel. Some chutes were warping so Kel-Tec has now gone to a stainless chute which is very nice from what I've heard. I paid $1900 for mine and even at that price it is worth it considering the well thought out design much like the XR9-S.

riffraff said:

There have been some failures with the extractor with these rifles. If anyone has one that was not mfgrd very recently I would get another extractor from Kel Tech. Kel Tech says it was a problem with their heat treaters and has been fixed. Whatever the reason I would get a spare.

Mikey

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Permalink Reply by riffraff on March 13, 2010 at 7:47pm

So how did you get yours? My gunshop is the highest volume dealer in my state and they don't think they will probably be able to get one of these untill this time next year. All the distributors show 000 balance.

riffraff

chaggy said:

I like the RFB a lot. Handles great and is a very robust design. I have put less than 100 rds through mine and had to send it in for a headspace issue (as have a few others that I know of). The issue was resolved quickly but I have not had a chance to shoot again since I received it back from them. I have not heard of any extraction issues but they did have issues with the heat treatment of the ejection chute which rides along the top of the barrel. Some chutes were warping so Kel-Tec has now gone to a stainless chute which is very nice from what I've heard. I paid $1900 for mine and even at that price it is worth it considering the well thought out design much like the XR9-S.

riffraff said:
There have been some failures with the extractor with these rifles. If anyone has one that was not mfgrd very recently I would get another extractor from Kel Tech. Kel Tech says it was a problem with their heat treaters and has been fixed. Whatever the reason I would get a spare.

Mikey

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Permalink Reply by chaggy on March 14, 2010 at 8:19am

I bought mine off from Auction Arms a few months ago. There were two on Gunbroker the other day, $1900 range I think. I've had three on order at different dealerships around the US but none had been able to get one as of yet. Production is starting to ramp up I believe so I think you'll see them more readily available in the near future.

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Permalink Reply by Talibani on October 31, 2010 at 11:01am

IMO, there’re hardly any competitors. None of the “traditional” designs can compete with Arne’s brilliant idea for this tiny self-defense tool

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Permalink Reply by PATRAT on October 12, 2011 at 1:46pm

I realize this is an old thread, but it seemed the logical place.

I was looking at the design of the RFB extractors, and noticed it is strikingly similar to the Boberg feed mechanism, at least at first glance. It would be interesting to see the two mechanisms side by side. From what I can tell, both use twin pivoting tongs that engage the extraction rim.

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Permalink Reply by BretShooter on October 12, 2011 at 3:26pm

Extractor vs inserter. RFB is still a push feed.

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Permalink Reply by Arne Boberg on October 12, 2011 at 4:52pm

I think I stated it in an earlier thread, but a bullpup rifle with the XR feeding mechanism would about 4 inches shorter than the RFB with the same length barrel. This, of course is vaporware. I would also have to work out the ejection, which would now be really close to a person's face, unless there is a way for cases to move forward like the RFB without violating the KT patent.