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I was at the SHOT show, but missed this. Kel-tec is coming out with a Bullpup in 6.5 Grendel. Called the RDB M43 Rifle.
Chamberings for either rifle can be either 5.56mm NATO or 6.5mm Grendel. Magazines are M16-type. Barrel length is 17.4 inches for both versions, and overall length for the standard M43 is 26.2 inches, while the upgraded M43s OAL is 27.4 inches. The upgraded version, which has more polymer and aluminum, weighs 7 pounds to the standard M43s 8-pound weight.
Can't wait till they are available
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Interesting. If price is right, I may have to pick one of these up.
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deadeyerick Wrote:I was at the SHOT show, but missed this. Kel-tec is coming out with a Bullpup in 6.5 Grendel. Called the RDB M43 Rifle.
Chamberings for either rifle can be either 5.56mm NATO or 6.5mm Grendel. Is it definite that the RDB will be offered in 6.5 Grendel? There's a HUGE difference between "can be" and "will be."
[video=youtube;czKsEeztbb4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czKsEeztbb4[/video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czKsEeztbb4
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There was hardly any recoil at all with that. Interesting, and has downward eject too.
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It appears to have no access to bolt and chamber for malfunction clearance. See 2:30-3:00
[video=youtube;KYjsF2vDep8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYjsF2vDep8[/video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYjsF2vDep8
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stanc Wrote:It appears to have no access to bolt and chamber for malfunction clearance. See 2:30-3:00
[video=youtube;KYjsF2vDep8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYjsF2vDep8[/video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYjsF2vDep8
Yeah, that looks like it definitely might be an issue.
Another problem being as it's a Kel-Tec: Who knows when/if we'll ever actually see it in significant quantities in 5.56, let alone in 6.5 Grendel....
Still pretty interesting though.
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I agree with you. Kel-tec came out with the KSG, 2-3 years ago? It took until now to be readily available
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As attractive as Keltec's offerings can be, they lack features I'd want. Combine that with their prices, availability, customer based R&D; I will keep looking elsewhere. I don't have the money to spend on a sub-par firearm that needs to get sent back to the manufacturer to get fixed a few times.
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I thought I'd update this thread vs starting a new one...
According to the Kel Tec rep on thektog.org:
"The focus for production is the 5.56 standard model, but the 6.5 is very close to the initial production phase. Second quarter 2016 is a reasonable estimate for the initial production run."
So we might reasonably expect to be able to buy a $1200 6.5 Grendel downward-ejecting bullpup some time this summer... Yes, I know, Kel Tec, but still...
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There are a couple reviews on the RDB on other forums where users puchased the RDB and not factory test guns. All the reviews I have read have been positive. One poster intentionally blocked the ejection chute to induce malfunctions. According to this poster it is possible to see the chamber area by looking through the ejection chute/port. The poster stated with the RDB being held upright working the charging handle and gravity has cleared any malfuntion thus far.
One poster stated he had to adjust the gas regulator for the RDB to function with Tula steel cased 223. This poster stated up to that point the RDB had functioned 100% with various brass cased ammo with the original gas setting. Apparently the barrel is nitride finished but unfloated and a light profile. I'm not sure the RDB could benifit from the 6.5 Grendel's inherent down range accuracy but I think the RDB would be intersting on a hog hunt where snap shooting might come into play.
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Half-MOA guns are definitely fun, but I'd bet the RDB shooting Wolf steel cased 100gr 6.5G ammo would also be fun... And if the 5.56 RDB shooters are seeing 1.5-2MOA accuracy, that still puts all rounds into a chest-sized target at 600 yards. For some folks, that's still pretty useful.
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So... Maybe we'll be able to chose between a bullpup grendel and AK grendell next summer.
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I was starting to save my $$ for the new 18" AA Side charging Hunter - mostly interested in an easy to maneuver wild hog gun, that could do double duty at longer ranges. But this looks like an interesting alternative to the Hunter as Vascar2 also imagined.
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If anyone in the Horde has pull with Kel-tec, please, please, ask them to resurrect the Grendel chambering for the RDB.
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The prospect of a the RDB Hunter as a CA legal ~20"+ Grendel semi-auto that handles like a traditional 16" rifle seems great on paper. I think it's going to take a return of $0.30/round steel-cased ammo before the RDB in 6.5G becomes even a remote possibility again.
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