KelTec RDB — A Worthy 5.56 Bullpup Rifle

I could say that KelTec makes polymer-frame firearms — a lot of them — and be correct. There is much more to the story. These innovative, and always interesting, firearms are the product of the fertile mind of founder George Kellgren. The firearms are unique, useful, affordable, and often fill a niche nothing else quite fits. They are nothing if not unique.

KelTec has quite a following and the firearms are often regarded as best buys in a certain range of ability. I agree with that assessment. The KelTec RDB is an interesting firearm worth a hard look.

Bullpup handling isn’t for everyone. An advantage, the rifle features a full-length barrel in a shorter configuration than most rifles. There are not a lot of good-quality bullpup rifles. The Steyr AUG and IWI Tavor are among the best of them. Britain’s problematical SA80 is a famous bullpup and an example of how not to get it right.

RDB Bullpup Features

The KelTec rifle offers good reliability and excellent maneuverability. The rifle is bilaterally symmetrical — fully friendly to left-handed shooters. The rifle is chambered in 5.56mm. KelTec also offers the platform in .308 Win., which I have not the opportunity to test. The rifle takes AR-15 magazines. The RDB is a downward-ejecting bullpup. For those not in the know, the RDB came right after the RFB and is among the most interesting rifles I have test fired.

A big question many ask, “How does KelTec manage to achieve forward ejection?” That’s easy enough to answer. KelTec designed a tilting bolt and an extractor that pivots. The rifle fires from a closed bolt (like the AR-15) and operates by gas pressure.

The bolt has dual extractors. Twin recoil springs are recessed into the receiver in the original design, later a single recoil spring was designed. The rifle fires, the bolt carrier then moves to the rear (cocking the hammer), the bolt jolts to the rear, the extractors pivot, and sling the spent case forward. All in a day’s work. KelTec’s design — in my opinion — has resulted in a rifle that stresses positive extraction and ejection.

KelTec RDB Specifications

Action: Gas piston
Barrel: Chrome moly steel, 18 inches
Weight: 8 pounds, 1 ounce
Trigger: Single stage, 6 pounds, 8 ounces (as tested)
Capacity: 20- or 30-round magazines

Lockup is similar to the AR-15 with locking lugs in the bolt that lock into fitted lugs in the chamber section of the barrel. The new model rifle features a single, overhead recoil spring. This new design makes for a considerable advancement over the original, which wasn’t a bad rifle.

The rifle is offered in different configurations including a 16.1-inch barrel Defender and a Hunter version. The Hunter is well suited to predator calling, small pests, and varmints. With the proper load, the .223 will take deer-sized game at modest range.

A failing I have had with the KelTec was singular and may not manifest itself in every rifle. I have tested mine extensively. Reliability is good with polymer magazines such as the Magpul. Metal AR-15 magazines fail to engage the magazine lock and fall out during firing. This seems common. PMAGs are inexpensive, reliable, and widely available.

To rack the bolt, a forend-mounted charging handle is accessed and racked. The handle is easily moved from one side to the other (when needed). The rifle features an ambi safety and ambi magazine release. The magazine release is a paddle type. It takes some getting used to. The rifle is easily field stripped, and the frame separated by knocking out four captive pins.

The rifle has two advantages in rapid handling for home defense. The Gator Grip finish makes for aggressive adhesion and abrasion that doesn’t allow hand slippage. The overall length is only 27.25 inches making for good maneuverability.

Bullpup trigger designs make for a long linkage from the trigger to the hammer let off. It is difficult to avoid creep in a trigger with this set up. The KelTec is a good trigger of the type and manageable with training. I mounted a SIG Romeo 5 red dot sight for testing.

The red dot sight was sighted in for 50 yards during the initial test phase. I used PMAG magazines — after having a metal magazine drop out during firing — and Federal American Eagle ammunition in 55 and 62 grain weight.

Firing tests went well. The KelTec RDB bullpup balances well without any forward weight bias. It is easily handled with one hand, bringing it into firing position quickly.

Firing at man-sized targets at 25 to 50 yards results were very good. The rifle doesn’t recoil very much as the weight of the rifle absorbs recoil well. I fired a 100-round Value Pack of 55-grain loads and 50 rounds of 62-grain American Eagle. The rifle never failed to feed, chamber, fire, and eject.

Moving to a long 100 yards, I settled down for accuracy testing. The rifle is comfortable off the benchrest. Be certain to balance the rifle on your shooting bag so the ejection port allows easily clearing spent cases. I added the Federal 69-grain SMK, one of the most accurate 5.56mm loads I have fired, to testing. Results were good if not outstanding.

Range Test: 3-Shot Groups at 100 Yards

Hearing Protection

I adopted a set of Walker’s Razor Electronic muffs for range work. I am on the range a lot (indoor and outdoor ranges), and I have suffered some hearing loss from operational incidents. I assure you, a bullet going through the air at 1,000 fps DOES compress the eardrum if it is close enough to the auditory canal!

Walker Razor Features

• Omnidirectional microphones
• Low noise sound clarity
• Dynamic round speakers
• Sound activated compression
• Audio input jack

I like these electronic muffs. When this type of hearing protection was first introduced, they were expensive. This is no longer true, although there are more expensive options. They should be an essential part of your shooting kit.

Conclusion

The KelTec bullpup seems well suited to informal target shooting and personal defense. It is a relatively bargain and a reliable rifle with good features.

Are you a fan of the bullpup design? Why or why not? How does the KelTec RDB rank against your favorite truck gun? Share your answers in the Comment section.