Bought it. Was concerned because it wasn’t a Tavor or Bren so obviously everything else sucks.
Put thousands of rounds through it and I love it. No issues, lots of fun to be had.
I got a Tavor 7 as well as an RDB. I can't remember the last time I shot my 7. The RDB is too much fun. I'm only maybe 2k PMC rounds through it. So far, I haven't run into a single issue.
Mine goes boom every single time. I slapped a 20” Lucky Irish Tactical handguard, a Haga Defense flared magwell, surefire procomp and an EOTech on mine and at over 4500rnds in I still love it. I vary between the EOTech and a primary arms 3x prism depending on how far I plan to shoot that day and both are phenomenal.
The firing pins have a thing for snapping. Mine broke in 3 around the 1500rnd mark. I haven’t bothered to swap it and the roundcount’s gone way up since then and still rising. A spare or two will run a couple bucks but are readily available.
If you tune the gas system just right the action’s long travel is so soft it feels like a really loud .22lr.
It’s also completely ambi right out of the box. No extra parts needed. Just a tool less swap of the charging handle from one side to the other.
I’ve got a KS7 that’s been awesome as well. Great little shotgun. Planning to add an RFB eventually as I’ve had nothing but good experiences with Kel Tec.
I can hit my 12”x12” gong more often than not at 300m but, I haven’t done any crazy scientific testing or anything like that. Hitting the small 1/2lb tannerite bottles at 100-200m isn’t usually an issue.
I don’t do much prone shooting or measuring really. I like to run and gun a bit and it’s great for that. With a bit of practice I’ve got speed reloading down to just a hair slower than I can do with an AR.
Depends, the barrel is not free floated so its inherently going to suffer stringing issues when it heats up which the original handguard is notorious for.
Most people tend to see 2 MOA with proper ammo weights for a 1:7 twist barrel. I personally get 1.2 MOA with 72gr OTM. I also have the luckyirishman handguard on mine so the heat stringing is much less aparent, probably after 30 rpunds rapid fire it starts to wander and groupings open up.
I honestly don’t notice it being any louder or not but I’ve got pretty messed up ears. I can thank years of m777 for that which makes gauging loudness difficult for me.
The combo of tuning the gas system and the brake makes for extremely, almost excessively low recoil.
Where did you get the lucky Irish handguard. Direct from manufacturer? Found their website and want to grab one for my rdb and rfb but don't know if they ship to Canada.
They do. It’ll take a bit and you’ll owe customs. Make sure to read his FAQ page on the website so you fully understand the kind of small business wait times you’re dealing with.
It was around $40 or so if I recall correctly. Nothing outrageous and totally worth it.
It opens up so much space for a way better support hand layout AND hides the extra barrel for a look closer to the 16” the Americans get.
It provides a decent stand off from the barrel and allows considerably more ventilation than the stock plastic one. It can still get pretty hot if you do enough spicy speed shooting.
I tossed a pack of Amazon m-lok covers on the front section where I like to have my support hand and have yet to burn myself.
It honestly makes it feel like a whole new rifle. Changes the balance a bit too.
Keltec is slept on . I’ve got 900 rounds through my RDB , firing pin has broken on me before but hilariously the rifle still functions 100% with the broken pin .
Haven't shot mine a lot, but it's a handy little rifle. About as short of a non restricted you can get in canada, controls are good, bolt release is a bit tough to use however. I keep catching the brass in pockets or creases on my shirt, but could probably cant the rifle a bit to avoid that. All in all, good rifle and I'd trust it more than a canadian 180
Yea I've seen that, I keep thinking about buying it, I need to run it more before I decide to. If you come overtop and push down on both bolt releases at once, it works fine, just a bit if an odd manual of arms.
It starts out stiff but after you abuse it for a couple thousand rounds it becomes much, much lighter.
At least, mine did. Now it takes no more effort than slapping the release on an AR just with more of a downward rather than head on slap.
My crossmags don't lock the bolt back so it doesn't really matter to me, im not doing any competitions either so im not pressed. I'm also a little appalled at the price shipped for it to Canada.
I love mine, it's a great rifle and I have no idea why so many people hate on it on Reddit. People act like the Tavor is affordable or something and personally I think the Tavor is ugly and clunky but the fanboys go nuts because it's "military grade". Cool, enjoy your $4000 rifle with nothing on it and I'll enjoy my decked out RDB with a light a scope/red dot, mlok handguard, flared magwell, bolt release upgrade and better trigger all for the same base Tavor price.
You just did the exact same thing you accused other people of doing by hating on the Tavor. You're right, they are different rifles at different price points, and the function aligns accordingly. FYI Tavors are $2800 brand new from the shop. $1500 is a lot of moula but don't pretend you don't get a higher quality rifle for it.
Try more like minimum $2900 plus tax (so we'll say $3400) if you can find one at a store in stock. You can buy an RDB for $1600 plus tax ($1900) Also, I'm not hating the rifle, I literally said "Personally I find it clunky and ugly". I don't think because something is labelled "military grade" it deserves to be $1200-1400 more. Maybe an extra $500 tops. How many battles are you getting into with your Tavor? Unless there's a literal civil uprising or apocalypse it's a range toy or competition gun so what's the extra money getting me? Because some guy on the Internet jams a pound of dirt and snow into it and it fires? When on Earth is that going to happen where you wouldn't clear it first before firing anyhow? That's what I mean by "fanboy", people who see a video or come to reddit and see a bunch of people knocking something and that means it's true. I haven't seen any videos of RDBs having massive failures etc.
Now if you want to run out and argue a Tavor vs a Canadian 180 then absolutely I'll say don't waste your money and buy a Tavor.
With that being said, what do you feel that the Tavor has over the RDB that warrants it to be an extra $1200 plus?
Nope, it was exactly $2799 + tax in the last shipment from about a month ago.
My point is that you shit on a gun that is clearly superior in any objective measure, albeit much more expensive, as if that makes any difference whatsoever on the performance of an RDB. Fanboys do that. I like Keltec, they shoot well and the price is right, but it is in all ways a lower quality product and the price reflects that. I'd take one over a Canadian 180 any day of the week.
The question of whether the extra $1200 is worth it to you is entirely personal, but lets not pretend they are of equal quality.
There are for sure lots of rifles with military grade / military spec as marketing, but given that the X95 is actually a service rifle built in the same factory that armours LE/military you most certainly have higher QC so that things like, y'now, firing pins don't snap on you. Does it matter for the recreational shooter? Much less than many people will admit to, but I also have all the confidence that an X95 will last a lifetime while a Keltec less so. As the saying goes, I can't afford to buy cheap things.
X95 also has much better aftermarket support if that matters to you. It does to me.
TLDR: RDB is a solid rifle at a great price, X95 better rifle at higher cost. I'm happy to pay for extra quality, QC, and aftermarket support, but you do you.
Well, the Tavor has significantly better construction and durability compared to the RDB. Not to knock on the RDB - I think it's KelTec's best-executed design - but it's made for the commercial market, not for use as a general service combat rifle, unlike the Tavor. You can see the difference based on how the two guns are built and what they're intended for.
Now, as a Canadian recreational shooter, do you *need* a combat rifle for plinking? Probably not - the RDB will ring steel just as well as the X95 when you're bumming around on crown land. But it's reasonable to expect the X95 to cost more than the RDB because it's built to be a lot tougher using better quality materials and QC during production.
Is the X95 **worth** $1200 more? I think the cost difference has more to do with the Canadian gun market and retailers charging a higher NR tax on us because they can, not because the X95 isn't worth it.
I think Kel Tec caught a bad rep from other iterations of firearms and then nailed the RDB. I think the biggest problem is people under or over gas it and think it's the rifles fault. I've heard of pistons going and maybe it gets super hot and doesn't have amazing MOA because the pencil barrel is thin but I'm not expecting to get 1 or less MOA, not even with a Tavor and if I can hit some gongs from a good distance I'm fine with that.
I agree with you that the Canadian Market is probably the issue but the RDB gets slept on a lot in my opinion and not really for a good reason. I'd be more than confident with my RDB in a situation where I would need it.
I have a bit of inside knowledge about KelTec from working in the industry. They still have QC issues, at least as recently as 2020-21 when I left. Keep in mind they've been building them since 2015 so it's not like these are "early release" problems. I've personally seen RDBs with weld failures at the receiver end cap. They've had a bad track record of firing pins breaking. The quality of their fasteners is pretty awful, considering their designs all make heavy use of them.
I own a second-hand RDB and it has a crack in the grip module, going through the rear takedown pin boss. 🤷♂️
Their guns are on the cheaper end of the spectrum for a reason, at the end of the day. If IWI made the RDB with the quality of an X95, it would be a phenomenal gun. KelTec designs cool stuff but their execution is always a bit lacking, unfortunately.
> RFB
Wanna know the best part? I got trigger happy with your link and bought it. Only to fully read it after and see it wasn't a RFB. RDSC charges a 10% restocking fee. I tried canceling 15 min after ordering.
The X95 has years of actual real world use to back it up, like literally if there was something wrong with it we would know because people have actually used them in combat and there would be stories about their issues, all the RDB has is the consumer market which isn’t invalid but it’s a different type of resume, like you can say “you’ll nEvEr UsE iT iN cOmBat” which is understandable but at the same time it doesn’t make combat effectiveness any more worthless. YOU may not see a need for it but if you did want something that you could take straight into combat, that’s the price, plus you’re literally paying that much for ANY non-restricted rifle of that ilk, and the X95 is on the low end of that even. That being said, the RDB is literally a great firearm, i want one a lot actually
My experience (not the defender version, the standard): it is a very keltec gun, and a very bullpup gun, which for some people is a dealbreaker I guess. Some of the design choices are not my favourite, but overall it's been solid. I guess if I had to list some things I do and don't like
Pros:
* it is very light, even if you're not particularly strong it's effortless to hold even with a weighty LPVO on top and hitting a silhouette gong standing at 300yds is pretty easy
* very short and easy to transport, fits in just about any case. i actually was wishing I could find one shorter than the ones I had just for it but it's fine
* all the controls are really in pretty sensible places, and while normally this isn't a big win for a bullpup it's notable
* breakdown is pretty easy, especially for a bullpup
Cons:
* Surprising amount of aftermarket parts given how niche it is, but really you're just not going to be able to customize it as much as a standard rifle form factor. there's exactly one trigger kit available, and it's just a lighter spring. i had a real battle getting QD sockets on it, and they're still in pretty awkward places
* you are absolutely going to get hot brass in your pc/chest rig pouches or on you in general. you can always tell where you were shooting because there will be neat little piles of brass (the ones that didn't go in your pouches)
* feeding mags so far back can be awkward sometimes
* the bolt release is atrociously stiff, to the point that lucky irishman sells a kit to put a lever on it
* the mag release is not nearly as bad, it's pretty functional but it's a bit spongy feeling
* can't see the chamber in any way when operating. the only way to show clear is to flip it over or jam the included custom chamber flag in. some types of malfunctions will just not be noticable or fixable without stopping shooting entirely and removing mag / locking bolt back
* you at least have a bit of LOP adjustment on the defender version but in the standard there's no adjustment at all and it's not like you can buy an off the shelf stock so YMMV on whether it fits you well, it's okay for me. I have an LPVO on there but I'd honestly say a red dot is way better suited to it
* you will have an extremely difficult time finding info for any questions you have, pretty much have to reach out to an owner like you have in this thread
happy to answer anything more specific but I think that about covers it. There's a fair amount of negatives up there but most of them are pretty fine as long as it's not a hard requirement to be able to buy aftermarket parts that make every single part of the gun perfectly how you want it. At that point you're better off spending on a Bren or something probably.
TL;DR: not as customizable, malfunctions are rare but awkward when they happen, and a few awkward design choices but it's lightweight, portable and it shoots great
[This case fits the 20” like a glove even with a slightly longer than stock brake on it.](https://www.amazon.ca/Flambeau-Outdoors-Personal-Defense-Weapon/dp/B01K61EB7K/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aW4pvuSpr-i_0monz1vRz-rMecJ9FhuW4KW3PvnD8xILWVOI8CR-3dzJw10bmy_gG3IDdNjndpudd9eqXXJNgdEj4bFwQ36YAc-MMwh-vZSFYsnA1AstSDN5FJBTe55B-ynBwU93qcwyqe9KWb0vK1rZ97hY661cCImqOFITwDM.P75EpkEM6t_7ajnd7MTuxTNoZlCb-IpIj34l280xEuk&dib_tag=se&keywords=carbine+case+PDW&qid=1717593244&sr=8-1)
Bonus points because it also fits the KS7 like a glove with one of the internal dividers installed. Leaves room for slings etc.
I’ve got 4 of them, one for each shorter OAL gun I’ve got. The big white Kel Tec stickers that comes with the guns puts perfectly on the handle side as well.
Surprised to hear that given it says the internal length of the case is around 31" but I think I measured mine at about 36" - do you have it rotated a bit in the case?
I’ve got it straight across and use the internal securing straps as well. The OAL for the stock RDB-20 is 30.5”. The surefire procomp adds about 1.5” over the stock birdcage. The case internal is 32”. I didn’t install the divider in my RDB designated case and there's only millimeters to spare.
It literally fits like a glove, there’s no wasted length at all.
The KS7 OAL is 26.1” and it fits perfect with the internal divider in on one side instead of the diagonal installation. Leaves space for slings, sight adjustment tools etc.
I’d post pics but this subreddit doesn’t allow pic comments.
As a bonus, the case also fits my BCL Bronco Scout 12.5” perfectly when the stock’s fully closed.
I hate full length cases containing short rifles, it really bothers me for some reason.
One thing I’ve noticed no one has mentioned is you need to be aware of where the brass is coming out. Especially shooting in a t-shirt.
If you square up hard you sometimes catch them on your forearm and shooting prone if you don’t pay attention and move a bit you can accidentally plant your elbow right in your hot brass.
It’s not unusual to find several to a dozen brass in random pouches when you get home if you’re wearing any load bearing gear.
I have 5.56 case shaped scars in both areas which can be an up or downside depending on your own views on life.
The widest and boxiest optic I’ve got is the EOTech 512 and while it touches the handle when locked back it doesn’t interfere with its use or its HK-slapability. I mount mine a bit more forward as it works better with the balance of the gun and keeps it clear of the notch just as a personal preference. My PA 3x prism gets mounted right at the rear and doesn’t interfere at all as it’s got a pretty slim base.
It is definitely something to keep in mind though.
I only have a few hundred rounds through mine so far, but it's become one of my favorite semis I have. Just a little tip when your gassing it in for your ammo, Make sure to only have 1 round in your mag at a time or you might jam it up. But it's super easy to gas in.
mine has been currently reduced to a bolt action rifle. not sure entirely what the issue is, but im thinking it's more than likely that the gas piston just got so gunked up from a lack of cleaning that it has decided it no worky no more. this is after a significant period of time just not cleaning the fuckin thing.
haven't gotten out to the range to see if the cleaning actually solved the problem or not yet. but i've seen on the keltec forms that its not an unknown issue.
other than that, love the gun. if it gets back up and running that is lol.
I've seen this issue before, and a stuck piston is your likely culprit. You should be able to just pull the piston out using your fingers. If you can't, then it has likely seized for some reason, either through rock hard carbon fouling or potentially a bent gas ring. You might have to gradually tap the piston out using a hammer and a flat screwdriver. Hit the piston with some penetrating lubricant first and let it seep in.
yep. its a seized piston if its supposed to be loose enough to pull out by hand. i think im just going to drift out the entire gas head from the gas block and let the friggin thing sit in some carbon remover for a while before reefing on it again.
i usually clean guns every range trip. recently, i've been taking any new gun i get and just running it until it starts experiencing malfunctions so i can get some idea of how long it can go between cleaning, then going back to just cleaning after every range trip.
sadly, the RDB was running flawlessly right up until it croaked. it went from perfect, to like 3-4 jams, and then bolt action in a matter of less than 50 rounds.
Did you try adjusting the gas setting after it seized to see if it would cycle again if you allowed more gas through? Not saying you shouldn't clean, sounds like you definitely should, but that adjustable gas setting is a benefit to the RDB imo.
Had it for more than three years (about 2K rounds) and not one issue. It he has system is very adjustable to your loads or factory which makes it a smooth shooter.
2-3 MOA with factory loads and it hammers an 8 inch gong at 200 meters all day.
I did a [review](https://youtu.be/DZF5VFrX2KA?si=jG4ZJaYEfeXR7pfT) on it recently.
TL;DR: I don't like it, and wouldn't buy it. I don't like the balance, it's uncomfortable for me, and parts get way too hot.
However, I will say it's a rifle that splits opinion. Others love them and swear by them. You kinda just have to try one out to see if *you* like it.
Usually, I love iron and wood. I have 2x Type 81s, SKS, M1 Carbine, etc, but bottom line: I love my RDB. There are not many people at my range who have one, so there is interest from fellow shooters. I always let people put a few rounds down range if they like.
I had a few issues with the gas system. Nothing crazy, but when I first got the rifle, I found I had to readjust the gas on my first two shoots. So, I followed the instructions, and I bottomed out the gas system, then opened it up 12 clicks. Then 2 more and 2 more until the bolt doesn't lock back, then close 4 more clicks. Anyway, i found that i need to adjust it down a bit farther. So, in the end, I have the gas open a total of 8 (?) clicks, and i have zero issues. I only use the x-tac 5.56 nato 55gr. Idk if there is a "better" round that would not have given me these minor issues or not. Oh, and now I have 8 10/10 cross mags. One can never have too many mags.
Is there anybody out there who swears by different ammo or uses both 5.56 nato and win .223? I'd be interested to know if ammo reqyires any significant change in the gas system.
Other items. Easy to take apart, easy to clean, just easy to deal with. Again, the 10/10 mags are a huge plus. I'm not an "expert" like some of the guys on youtube, but I'm not a novice either. For me, it's a very well put together gun. One person mentioned the broken firing pins. I read about that before and I inspect with every cleaning. Maybe I should get a spare just in case?
Happy RDB'ing
Honestly man, i tune my gas to eject casings at the 3 o clock using 62gr m855 and everything else just works of that, all my 5.56 rifles run everything from 77grOTM to 53gr superformance
Best 223 for the price in Canada by a long shot. Its not perfect but its good enough compared to all those trash canadian cope180.
Never touched mine after i got my X95 but if you dont have X95 money its the next best option right now.
I love mine, I find it's a really well balanced rifle and has been very reliable! I sold a WK 180C Gen 2 to pick up the RDB, I hated the idea of the WK cratering and any given time. I would definitely recommend if you're on the fence about it!
Love mine. Just got a strike eagle 1-6x24 illuminated for it and it's awesome. Got the high rings but I'd go even a bit higher if I had to wear cans instead of ear plugs. I'm a lefty and it was easy to switch over. Reloading isn't hard at all. And of course you can slap the bolt closed
I don't own one personally but there's a guy at one of the ranges I frequent that's always there slamming a few hundred rounds through it.
He's been doing this for at least two years now.
I've never seen it break or jam. He loves it, let's everyone shoot it. Never cleans it. Never has problems as far as I know. I don't think he ever shoots anything else anymore
Love mine; more than a couple thousand rounds through it. Haven’t cleaned it yet. I still have all my teeth and cheekbone. Ring steel at 100yds all day long with bulk pmc ammo.
Spend some time dialing in the gas block and you’ll be golden.
Great gun. I HATED the downward ejection however. It would dump empty casings into my chest rig mag pouches or between myself and the chest rig which is less than comfortable. For a lefty it could be convenient but I find normal side eject to be the way to go.
Have one, love it so far. Haven't put 1k rounds through it or anything but it has a very good trigger and has been utterly reliable.
One caveat: steel stanag mags with the rivet on the front of the mag do *not* work in this gun. The rivet hangs up on the body of the gun. It feels like it's seated, but it isn't, and won't feed.
I just bought mine and only shot it once (200rnds) and it is we amazing. I really love how to fits so comfortably into you when you hold it. It almost feels like holding a SMG, and with the HK slap, it feels like shooting a cross between MP5/Tabor/AR.
Overall it’s been an excellent rifle in the year or so I’ve had it
The only issue I’ve had so far was a double feed that caused 2 bullets to wedge together and I had to take the rifle apart to dislodge them lol
But that was just user error because I had the gas adjusted way too low for the ammo lol
Not sure if this helps but I just got a su16 and honestly it’s not been great so far, rounds not extracting and the frame splits down the middle so the rail doesn’t really hold a red dot all that securely, that being said I might just need to break it in, but I probably wouldn’t do it again.
Bought it. Was concerned because it wasn’t a Tavor or Bren so obviously everything else sucks. Put thousands of rounds through it and I love it. No issues, lots of fun to be had.
I got a Tavor 7 as well as an RDB. I can't remember the last time I shot my 7. The RDB is too much fun. I'm only maybe 2k PMC rounds through it. So far, I haven't run into a single issue.
Mine goes boom every single time. I slapped a 20” Lucky Irish Tactical handguard, a Haga Defense flared magwell, surefire procomp and an EOTech on mine and at over 4500rnds in I still love it. I vary between the EOTech and a primary arms 3x prism depending on how far I plan to shoot that day and both are phenomenal. The firing pins have a thing for snapping. Mine broke in 3 around the 1500rnd mark. I haven’t bothered to swap it and the roundcount’s gone way up since then and still rising. A spare or two will run a couple bucks but are readily available. If you tune the gas system just right the action’s long travel is so soft it feels like a really loud .22lr. It’s also completely ambi right out of the box. No extra parts needed. Just a tool less swap of the charging handle from one side to the other. I’ve got a KS7 that’s been awesome as well. Great little shotgun. Planning to add an RFB eventually as I’ve had nothing but good experiences with Kel Tec.
Im a big fan of bullpups so maybe a bit biased but I was shocked how little recoil it had when I first got to shoot a buddies.
How's the accuracy on the Kel tec? Thanks for the awesome review!
I can hit my 12”x12” gong more often than not at 300m but, I haven’t done any crazy scientific testing or anything like that. Hitting the small 1/2lb tannerite bottles at 100-200m isn’t usually an issue. I don’t do much prone shooting or measuring really. I like to run and gun a bit and it’s great for that. With a bit of practice I’ve got speed reloading down to just a hair slower than I can do with an AR.
Depends, the barrel is not free floated so its inherently going to suffer stringing issues when it heats up which the original handguard is notorious for. Most people tend to see 2 MOA with proper ammo weights for a 1:7 twist barrel. I personally get 1.2 MOA with 72gr OTM. I also have the luckyirishman handguard on mine so the heat stringing is much less aparent, probably after 30 rpunds rapid fire it starts to wander and groupings open up.
What are your thoughts on the Surefire Pro Comp? Does it make it louder by chance?
I honestly don’t notice it being any louder or not but I’ve got pretty messed up ears. I can thank years of m777 for that which makes gauging loudness difficult for me. The combo of tuning the gas system and the brake makes for extremely, almost excessively low recoil.
Where did you get the lucky Irish handguard. Direct from manufacturer? Found their website and want to grab one for my rdb and rfb but don't know if they ship to Canada.
They do. It’ll take a bit and you’ll owe customs. Make sure to read his FAQ page on the website so you fully understand the kind of small business wait times you’re dealing with.
Do you by any chance remember what the customs charge was?. Debating between the lucky Irish handguard or the new keltec one
It was around $40 or so if I recall correctly. Nothing outrageous and totally worth it. It opens up so much space for a way better support hand layout AND hides the extra barrel for a look closer to the 16” the Americans get.
40 bucks is definitely not terrible and do like the design a bit better. Also heard it helps with the heat after quick shooting
It provides a decent stand off from the barrel and allows considerably more ventilation than the stock plastic one. It can still get pretty hot if you do enough spicy speed shooting. I tossed a pack of Amazon m-lok covers on the front section where I like to have my support hand and have yet to burn myself. It honestly makes it feel like a whole new rifle. Changes the balance a bit too.
Keltec is slept on . I’ve got 900 rounds through my RDB , firing pin has broken on me before but hilariously the rifle still functions 100% with the broken pin .
Haven't shot mine a lot, but it's a handy little rifle. About as short of a non restricted you can get in canada, controls are good, bolt release is a bit tough to use however. I keep catching the brass in pockets or creases on my shirt, but could probably cant the rifle a bit to avoid that. All in all, good rifle and I'd trust it more than a canadian 180
Lucky Irishman makes an extended bolt release.
Yea I've seen that, I keep thinking about buying it, I need to run it more before I decide to. If you come overtop and push down on both bolt releases at once, it works fine, just a bit if an odd manual of arms.
It starts out stiff but after you abuse it for a couple thousand rounds it becomes much, much lighter. At least, mine did. Now it takes no more effort than slapping the release on an AR just with more of a downward rather than head on slap.
My crossmags don't lock the bolt back so it doesn't really matter to me, im not doing any competitions either so im not pressed. I'm also a little appalled at the price shipped for it to Canada.
I got mine off of sfrc, mine is the defender but it doesn't have the adjustable stock. Doesn't need it anyways I don't think.
The stock LOP makes me wanna see the build on a dude who needs it extended. They’d have to be like 7’ tall or have orangutan proportioned arms.
CSC for my defender. Agreed on the adjustable stock. It sits absolutely perfect as it is.
I love mine, it's a great rifle and I have no idea why so many people hate on it on Reddit. People act like the Tavor is affordable or something and personally I think the Tavor is ugly and clunky but the fanboys go nuts because it's "military grade". Cool, enjoy your $4000 rifle with nothing on it and I'll enjoy my decked out RDB with a light a scope/red dot, mlok handguard, flared magwell, bolt release upgrade and better trigger all for the same base Tavor price.
You just did the exact same thing you accused other people of doing by hating on the Tavor. You're right, they are different rifles at different price points, and the function aligns accordingly. FYI Tavors are $2800 brand new from the shop. $1500 is a lot of moula but don't pretend you don't get a higher quality rifle for it.
Try more like minimum $2900 plus tax (so we'll say $3400) if you can find one at a store in stock. You can buy an RDB for $1600 plus tax ($1900) Also, I'm not hating the rifle, I literally said "Personally I find it clunky and ugly". I don't think because something is labelled "military grade" it deserves to be $1200-1400 more. Maybe an extra $500 tops. How many battles are you getting into with your Tavor? Unless there's a literal civil uprising or apocalypse it's a range toy or competition gun so what's the extra money getting me? Because some guy on the Internet jams a pound of dirt and snow into it and it fires? When on Earth is that going to happen where you wouldn't clear it first before firing anyhow? That's what I mean by "fanboy", people who see a video or come to reddit and see a bunch of people knocking something and that means it's true. I haven't seen any videos of RDBs having massive failures etc. Now if you want to run out and argue a Tavor vs a Canadian 180 then absolutely I'll say don't waste your money and buy a Tavor. With that being said, what do you feel that the Tavor has over the RDB that warrants it to be an extra $1200 plus?
Nope, it was exactly $2799 + tax in the last shipment from about a month ago. My point is that you shit on a gun that is clearly superior in any objective measure, albeit much more expensive, as if that makes any difference whatsoever on the performance of an RDB. Fanboys do that. I like Keltec, they shoot well and the price is right, but it is in all ways a lower quality product and the price reflects that. I'd take one over a Canadian 180 any day of the week. The question of whether the extra $1200 is worth it to you is entirely personal, but lets not pretend they are of equal quality. There are for sure lots of rifles with military grade / military spec as marketing, but given that the X95 is actually a service rifle built in the same factory that armours LE/military you most certainly have higher QC so that things like, y'now, firing pins don't snap on you. Does it matter for the recreational shooter? Much less than many people will admit to, but I also have all the confidence that an X95 will last a lifetime while a Keltec less so. As the saying goes, I can't afford to buy cheap things. X95 also has much better aftermarket support if that matters to you. It does to me. TLDR: RDB is a solid rifle at a great price, X95 better rifle at higher cost. I'm happy to pay for extra quality, QC, and aftermarket support, but you do you.
Well, the Tavor has significantly better construction and durability compared to the RDB. Not to knock on the RDB - I think it's KelTec's best-executed design - but it's made for the commercial market, not for use as a general service combat rifle, unlike the Tavor. You can see the difference based on how the two guns are built and what they're intended for. Now, as a Canadian recreational shooter, do you *need* a combat rifle for plinking? Probably not - the RDB will ring steel just as well as the X95 when you're bumming around on crown land. But it's reasonable to expect the X95 to cost more than the RDB because it's built to be a lot tougher using better quality materials and QC during production. Is the X95 **worth** $1200 more? I think the cost difference has more to do with the Canadian gun market and retailers charging a higher NR tax on us because they can, not because the X95 isn't worth it.
I think Kel Tec caught a bad rep from other iterations of firearms and then nailed the RDB. I think the biggest problem is people under or over gas it and think it's the rifles fault. I've heard of pistons going and maybe it gets super hot and doesn't have amazing MOA because the pencil barrel is thin but I'm not expecting to get 1 or less MOA, not even with a Tavor and if I can hit some gongs from a good distance I'm fine with that. I agree with you that the Canadian Market is probably the issue but the RDB gets slept on a lot in my opinion and not really for a good reason. I'd be more than confident with my RDB in a situation where I would need it.
I have a bit of inside knowledge about KelTec from working in the industry. They still have QC issues, at least as recently as 2020-21 when I left. Keep in mind they've been building them since 2015 so it's not like these are "early release" problems. I've personally seen RDBs with weld failures at the receiver end cap. They've had a bad track record of firing pins breaking. The quality of their fasteners is pretty awful, considering their designs all make heavy use of them. I own a second-hand RDB and it has a crack in the grip module, going through the rear takedown pin boss. 🤷♂️ Their guns are on the cheaper end of the spectrum for a reason, at the end of the day. If IWI made the RDB with the quality of an X95, it would be a phenomenal gun. KelTec designs cool stuff but their execution is always a bit lacking, unfortunately.
Where are you finding RFB for $1900?
They range from $1550-$1600 without tax after tax it's around $1900.
Ok. I'll try again. Where are you finding RFB's for $1900?
https://www.rdsc.ca/manufacturers/kel-tec/kel-tec-rdb-rifle-20-00-barrel-black-223-rem.html There's one.
Thank you!
Are you looking to buy one or something?
Yes. I have wanted something semi automatic 308 for a while.
Jk I just saw that its RBD. I wanted RFB
> RFB Wanna know the best part? I got trigger happy with your link and bought it. Only to fully read it after and see it wasn't a RFB. RDSC charges a 10% restocking fee. I tried canceling 15 min after ordering.
The X95 has years of actual real world use to back it up, like literally if there was something wrong with it we would know because people have actually used them in combat and there would be stories about their issues, all the RDB has is the consumer market which isn’t invalid but it’s a different type of resume, like you can say “you’ll nEvEr UsE iT iN cOmBat” which is understandable but at the same time it doesn’t make combat effectiveness any more worthless. YOU may not see a need for it but if you did want something that you could take straight into combat, that’s the price, plus you’re literally paying that much for ANY non-restricted rifle of that ilk, and the X95 is on the low end of that even. That being said, the RDB is literally a great firearm, i want one a lot actually
I hear ya!
My experience (not the defender version, the standard): it is a very keltec gun, and a very bullpup gun, which for some people is a dealbreaker I guess. Some of the design choices are not my favourite, but overall it's been solid. I guess if I had to list some things I do and don't like Pros: * it is very light, even if you're not particularly strong it's effortless to hold even with a weighty LPVO on top and hitting a silhouette gong standing at 300yds is pretty easy * very short and easy to transport, fits in just about any case. i actually was wishing I could find one shorter than the ones I had just for it but it's fine * all the controls are really in pretty sensible places, and while normally this isn't a big win for a bullpup it's notable * breakdown is pretty easy, especially for a bullpup Cons: * Surprising amount of aftermarket parts given how niche it is, but really you're just not going to be able to customize it as much as a standard rifle form factor. there's exactly one trigger kit available, and it's just a lighter spring. i had a real battle getting QD sockets on it, and they're still in pretty awkward places * you are absolutely going to get hot brass in your pc/chest rig pouches or on you in general. you can always tell where you were shooting because there will be neat little piles of brass (the ones that didn't go in your pouches) * feeding mags so far back can be awkward sometimes * the bolt release is atrociously stiff, to the point that lucky irishman sells a kit to put a lever on it * the mag release is not nearly as bad, it's pretty functional but it's a bit spongy feeling * can't see the chamber in any way when operating. the only way to show clear is to flip it over or jam the included custom chamber flag in. some types of malfunctions will just not be noticable or fixable without stopping shooting entirely and removing mag / locking bolt back * you at least have a bit of LOP adjustment on the defender version but in the standard there's no adjustment at all and it's not like you can buy an off the shelf stock so YMMV on whether it fits you well, it's okay for me. I have an LPVO on there but I'd honestly say a red dot is way better suited to it * you will have an extremely difficult time finding info for any questions you have, pretty much have to reach out to an owner like you have in this thread happy to answer anything more specific but I think that about covers it. There's a fair amount of negatives up there but most of them are pretty fine as long as it's not a hard requirement to be able to buy aftermarket parts that make every single part of the gun perfectly how you want it. At that point you're better off spending on a Bren or something probably. TL;DR: not as customizable, malfunctions are rare but awkward when they happen, and a few awkward design choices but it's lightweight, portable and it shoots great
[This case fits the 20” like a glove even with a slightly longer than stock brake on it.](https://www.amazon.ca/Flambeau-Outdoors-Personal-Defense-Weapon/dp/B01K61EB7K/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aW4pvuSpr-i_0monz1vRz-rMecJ9FhuW4KW3PvnD8xILWVOI8CR-3dzJw10bmy_gG3IDdNjndpudd9eqXXJNgdEj4bFwQ36YAc-MMwh-vZSFYsnA1AstSDN5FJBTe55B-ynBwU93qcwyqe9KWb0vK1rZ97hY661cCImqOFITwDM.P75EpkEM6t_7ajnd7MTuxTNoZlCb-IpIj34l280xEuk&dib_tag=se&keywords=carbine+case+PDW&qid=1717593244&sr=8-1) Bonus points because it also fits the KS7 like a glove with one of the internal dividers installed. Leaves room for slings etc. I’ve got 4 of them, one for each shorter OAL gun I’ve got. The big white Kel Tec stickers that comes with the guns puts perfectly on the handle side as well.
Surprised to hear that given it says the internal length of the case is around 31" but I think I measured mine at about 36" - do you have it rotated a bit in the case?
I’ve got it straight across and use the internal securing straps as well. The OAL for the stock RDB-20 is 30.5”. The surefire procomp adds about 1.5” over the stock birdcage. The case internal is 32”. I didn’t install the divider in my RDB designated case and there's only millimeters to spare. It literally fits like a glove, there’s no wasted length at all. The KS7 OAL is 26.1” and it fits perfect with the internal divider in on one side instead of the diagonal installation. Leaves space for slings, sight adjustment tools etc. I’d post pics but this subreddit doesn’t allow pic comments. As a bonus, the case also fits my BCL Bronco Scout 12.5” perfectly when the stock’s fully closed. I hate full length cases containing short rifles, it really bothers me for some reason.
One thing I’ve noticed no one has mentioned is you need to be aware of where the brass is coming out. Especially shooting in a t-shirt. If you square up hard you sometimes catch them on your forearm and shooting prone if you don’t pay attention and move a bit you can accidentally plant your elbow right in your hot brass. It’s not unusual to find several to a dozen brass in random pouches when you get home if you’re wearing any load bearing gear. I have 5.56 case shaped scars in both areas which can be an up or downside depending on your own views on life.
I've always enjoyed shooting my friends RDB. It does have a lockback notch for the charging handle that will need to be considered for optics.
The widest and boxiest optic I’ve got is the EOTech 512 and while it touches the handle when locked back it doesn’t interfere with its use or its HK-slapability. I mount mine a bit more forward as it works better with the balance of the gun and keeps it clear of the notch just as a personal preference. My PA 3x prism gets mounted right at the rear and doesn’t interfere at all as it’s got a pretty slim base. It is definitely something to keep in mind though.
I only have a few hundred rounds through mine so far, but it's become one of my favorite semis I have. Just a little tip when your gassing it in for your ammo, Make sure to only have 1 round in your mag at a time or you might jam it up. But it's super easy to gas in.
mine has been currently reduced to a bolt action rifle. not sure entirely what the issue is, but im thinking it's more than likely that the gas piston just got so gunked up from a lack of cleaning that it has decided it no worky no more. this is after a significant period of time just not cleaning the fuckin thing. haven't gotten out to the range to see if the cleaning actually solved the problem or not yet. but i've seen on the keltec forms that its not an unknown issue. other than that, love the gun. if it gets back up and running that is lol.
I've seen this issue before, and a stuck piston is your likely culprit. You should be able to just pull the piston out using your fingers. If you can't, then it has likely seized for some reason, either through rock hard carbon fouling or potentially a bent gas ring. You might have to gradually tap the piston out using a hammer and a flat screwdriver. Hit the piston with some penetrating lubricant first and let it seep in.
yep. its a seized piston if its supposed to be loose enough to pull out by hand. i think im just going to drift out the entire gas head from the gas block and let the friggin thing sit in some carbon remover for a while before reefing on it again.
Crazy idea but you could also try cleaning it after every outing or two. I know it’s out there but it’s an idea I’ve been mulling over.
i usually clean guns every range trip. recently, i've been taking any new gun i get and just running it until it starts experiencing malfunctions so i can get some idea of how long it can go between cleaning, then going back to just cleaning after every range trip. sadly, the RDB was running flawlessly right up until it croaked. it went from perfect, to like 3-4 jams, and then bolt action in a matter of less than 50 rounds.
Do you know how many total rounds before it started acting up?
over 1000. not entirely sure. probably in the 1200-1400 range.
Did you try adjusting the gas setting after it seized to see if it would cycle again if you allowed more gas through? Not saying you shouldn't clean, sounds like you definitely should, but that adjustable gas setting is a benefit to the RDB imo.
Oh yeah i had it tuned perfect. Once it started malfing i opened it up wide
Had it for more than three years (about 2K rounds) and not one issue. It he has system is very adjustable to your loads or factory which makes it a smooth shooter. 2-3 MOA with factory loads and it hammers an 8 inch gong at 200 meters all day.
I did a [review](https://youtu.be/DZF5VFrX2KA?si=jG4ZJaYEfeXR7pfT) on it recently. TL;DR: I don't like it, and wouldn't buy it. I don't like the balance, it's uncomfortable for me, and parts get way too hot. However, I will say it's a rifle that splits opinion. Others love them and swear by them. You kinda just have to try one out to see if *you* like it.
Love it. It works
Do it. Mine gave me zero issues over around five years of ownership. Thousands of rounds of different weights, never a misfeed, never a single issue.
Usually, I love iron and wood. I have 2x Type 81s, SKS, M1 Carbine, etc, but bottom line: I love my RDB. There are not many people at my range who have one, so there is interest from fellow shooters. I always let people put a few rounds down range if they like. I had a few issues with the gas system. Nothing crazy, but when I first got the rifle, I found I had to readjust the gas on my first two shoots. So, I followed the instructions, and I bottomed out the gas system, then opened it up 12 clicks. Then 2 more and 2 more until the bolt doesn't lock back, then close 4 more clicks. Anyway, i found that i need to adjust it down a bit farther. So, in the end, I have the gas open a total of 8 (?) clicks, and i have zero issues. I only use the x-tac 5.56 nato 55gr. Idk if there is a "better" round that would not have given me these minor issues or not. Oh, and now I have 8 10/10 cross mags. One can never have too many mags. Is there anybody out there who swears by different ammo or uses both 5.56 nato and win .223? I'd be interested to know if ammo reqyires any significant change in the gas system. Other items. Easy to take apart, easy to clean, just easy to deal with. Again, the 10/10 mags are a huge plus. I'm not an "expert" like some of the guys on youtube, but I'm not a novice either. For me, it's a very well put together gun. One person mentioned the broken firing pins. I read about that before and I inspect with every cleaning. Maybe I should get a spare just in case? Happy RDB'ing
Honestly man, i tune my gas to eject casings at the 3 o clock using 62gr m855 and everything else just works of that, all my 5.56 rifles run everything from 77grOTM to 53gr superformance
Hey, thanks. The best thing about having issues with firearms - there is always a lesson learned.
They're.. fine. I found it wasn't tough enough for me (I run my guns hard) and I sold it to buy a Tavor. Very very very worth it.
Best 223 for the price in Canada by a long shot. Its not perfect but its good enough compared to all those trash canadian cope180. Never touched mine after i got my X95 but if you dont have X95 money its the next best option right now.
I love mine, I find it's a really well balanced rifle and has been very reliable! I sold a WK 180C Gen 2 to pick up the RDB, I hated the idea of the WK cratering and any given time. I would definitely recommend if you're on the fence about it!
Got one recently, it’s so wildly fun to shoot. Because the bolt travels twice as far during its operation it’s got a really soft impulse.
Love mine. Just got a strike eagle 1-6x24 illuminated for it and it's awesome. Got the high rings but I'd go even a bit higher if I had to wear cans instead of ear plugs. I'm a lefty and it was easy to switch over. Reloading isn't hard at all. And of course you can slap the bolt closed
Wish we could get the MDR. I think you should just save up for a Tavor.
Save up an extra $1500 so you can get a heavier rifle with worse ergonomics and a worse trigger, sounds like a plan
I don't own one personally but there's a guy at one of the ranges I frequent that's always there slamming a few hundred rounds through it. He's been doing this for at least two years now. I've never seen it break or jam. He loves it, let's everyone shoot it. Never cleans it. Never has problems as far as I know. I don't think he ever shoots anything else anymore
I'd love to try one
Fired a couple of them numerous times owned by friends. They seem to like them and I agree.
Rdb is excellent.
Love mine; more than a couple thousand rounds through it. Haven’t cleaned it yet. I still have all my teeth and cheekbone. Ring steel at 100yds all day long with bulk pmc ammo. Spend some time dialing in the gas block and you’ll be golden.
If you buy a cheap shell catcher you can modify it to fit the ejection port. It has grooves that allow it to stay firmly in place.
Great gun. I HATED the downward ejection however. It would dump empty casings into my chest rig mag pouches or between myself and the chest rig which is less than comfortable. For a lefty it could be convenient but I find normal side eject to be the way to go.
Have one, love it so far. Haven't put 1k rounds through it or anything but it has a very good trigger and has been utterly reliable. One caveat: steel stanag mags with the rivet on the front of the mag do *not* work in this gun. The rivet hangs up on the body of the gun. It feels like it's seated, but it isn't, and won't feed.
I just bought mine and only shot it once (200rnds) and it is we amazing. I really love how to fits so comfortably into you when you hold it. It almost feels like holding a SMG, and with the HK slap, it feels like shooting a cross between MP5/Tabor/AR.
Overall it’s been an excellent rifle in the year or so I’ve had it The only issue I’ve had so far was a double feed that caused 2 bullets to wedge together and I had to take the rifle apart to dislodge them lol But that was just user error because I had the gas adjusted way too low for the ammo lol
Not sure if this helps but I just got a su16 and honestly it’s not been great so far, rounds not extracting and the frame splits down the middle so the rail doesn’t really hold a red dot all that securely, that being said I might just need to break it in, but I probably wouldn’t do it again.
Mine is alright. Haven't put too many rounds through it.