Kel-Tec SU 16 CA, Love or Hate?

[Badmusic]

For me, it's both.

Love: It's under 5 lbs, folds, on-board ammo storage, 16 inch barrel (compact), accurate as hell to 200 yards with open/iron sights, magazine compatibility, gas operated piston system needs less frequent cleaning.

Hate: It's a (expletive deleted) to disassemble and field clean when you do need to clean it (just try getting into the chamber and locking lugs), hard to reassemble once you do get it clean, no place to attach slings without interfering with other features, thread protector on barrel won't stay tight.

What thinkest thou?

[JB-Norcal]

I thinkest you need a bore snake, chamber maid, some paracord, and some blue loctite. As far a dis/reassembly it's like anthing else, repetition.
I will say the KT sling attachment OEM is crap. I wouldn't say I'm in love, but it is what it is.

[CSACANNONEER]

It's awesome for what it is. Unfortunately, you're going to get a lot of less knowlegable people who are going to tell you its crap because, they arecomparing it to an AR. They just don't get the fact that ARs and SU16s are completely different animals and should not be compared.

[Badmusic]

I thinkest you need a bore snake, chamber maid, some paracord, and some blue loctite. As far a dis/reassembly it's like anthing else, repetition.
I will say the KT sling attachment OEM is crap. I wouldn't say I'm in love, but it is what it is.

Chamber maid won't clean the lugs sir, maybe the chamber, if you don't mind destroying it (the tool, not the chamber) in the process. As for the others, they are just different methods that accomplish the same thing. repetition? I didn't have to repeat the process for an AR bolt, or my Mosin either. My shotgun, handguns and other semi auto rifles all were intuitive as far as dis-assembly/reassembly go. Not so for this gun.

I do like the blue loctite suggestion. One problem down, eight to go.

[drifter2be]

I have an A not a CA, I haven't gotten to the range with it yet, will be going in a week, but so far I have no complaints about it. When I got home with it last tuesday I field stripped it and made sure everything was lubed. I wasn't actually cleaning it, but it didn't seem like it was really that big of a PITA to strip down. The factory instructions are worthless, but I thought it was pretty dang easy. I through a compact 3-9x42 scope on the rail, and it sits far back enough that it does not interfere with stripping the rifle down. I'm not crazy about the plastic trigger, but after next weekend at the range if it is still bothering me I found an aluminum replacement for $27 online. I will be swapping out the handguard for the compact one with the rail on the bottom so I can put a real bipod on it. But the plastic trigger and flimsy handguard are the only two things that I can say I don't like about it.

[Rukus]

I've no experience with them as of yet but I am patiently waiting for them to be released in 300BLK

[dr_communist]

I used to have one. It was a great rifle and your complaints are the same as mine. I traded it to my dad for a mini-14, but overall it is a great rifle. I never had any problems when shooting is accuracy or reliability wise.

[Badmusic]

Ayup. Accuracy and reliability are on the plus side.

[railroader]

I use to have an "A". My one gripe I had with it was if you scoped it. To take it apart and clean it the scope had to come off because it was in the way. I went with a 3moa red dot on it which solved the problem. One other thing if you used a sling or bared down on the bipod the point of impact would change because of the receiver would flex. It was a fun rifle though.

[bigcalidave]

I want one! Seems like a great pack gun, folded up and strapped to the side.

[Badmusic]

Another thing I noticed, the spare magazines fixed into the storage in the stock, seem to be jolted loose during rapid fire exercises.

Now, I've noted a few more minuses than pluses, but when compared to the impressive accuracy for a 16 inch barrel, and a design that i think would approach an AK for ability to keep going "bang" in dirty conditions, these can't be beat for the money.

[USMC VET]

For me it just didn't really work out. I liked the idea and innovation it brought to the game but it lacked in execution.

[joash]

Maybe someone can bring something to market that has all of the pluses of the Keltec SU-16 CA with none of the minuses: accepts STANAG mags, featureless, lightweight, accurate reliable, low cost + easy to strip & clean, more sturdy and rugged construction.

[dls]

I threw on a compensatory,added their compact forend and polished the bolt before I ever shot it. Also only use good AR mags.
It's been a nice little under $500 plinker, I guess I got one made on a Wednesday since I haven't had any issues, might have 2000 rounds down the pipe,mostly PMC Bronze or better.

[E Pluribus Unum]

I've never had a problem cleaning it.

It's awesome. Where else can you find a rifle that weighs 4.5 lbs, shoots .223, and folds up to fit under a car's seat?

It is my "truck gun" I carry in my daily driver.

When I am going on long hikes, I take it for personal protection... it weighs as little as my Beretta handgun!