Kel-Tec RDB 5.56 NATO
Model: RDBBLK
Kel-Tec RDB 5.56 NATO
Model: RDBBLK
Full Specifications
Threaded 1/2x28 barrel: compare 5.56 / .223 suppressor prices.
About This Firearm
The Kel-Tec RDB is a bullpup semi-automatic 5.56 NATO built for close-quarters and defensive use. It has an MSRP of $799.99. Spent brass drops out through the stock behind the magazine well instead of flying to one side, so the rifle shoots the same from either shoulder with no left-hand version to order.
One 20-round magazine comes with it, and the rifle feeds from any AR-15 magazine as well. The safety and the magazine catch are ambidextrous and the operating handle reverses. The gas piston is adjustable, which Kel-Tec fits so carrier speed can be turned down behind a suppressor and set for different loads. Mounting is Picatinny above the barrel and on the Zytel forend, with another section underneath for a bipod, and nothing on the rifle is M-LOK. No sights come with it, and the trigger breaks at 5 lbs within a 4.5 to 5.5 lb range.
If you're cross-shopping, an IWI Tavor X95 has an MSRP of $1,999, is a shorter bullpup at 26.13 inches, comes with folding iron sights and ejects to the side, which a left-handed shooter has to work around. A Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport III has an MSRP of $799 for almost the same money in a conventional 35-inch layout. At 7.00 lbs the RDB is no lighter than a conventional carbine, and a bullpup puts that weight behind the grip.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- RDB stands for Rifle Downward-ejecting Bullpup, and the 17 in the RDB17 name is the barrel length.
- The barrel is AISI 4140 steel with a salt bath nitride QPQ finish on the bore and the outside.
- Kel-Tec builds it in the USA.
- No sights are included and nothing on the rifle is M-LOK, so an optic and Picatinny hardware are part of the cost.
- No thread pitch is marked at the muzzle, so a suppressor mount means measuring first, even though the gas system was built with one in mind.
- The forend is polymer, so a bipod or a sling loaded on the bottom rail has more flex under it than an aluminum rail would.
Compatible Ammunition
Find the best prices on compatible 5.56 NATO ammunition.
Shop 5.56 NATO Ammo →Ballistics Calculator
Calculate trajectory, drop, and energy for 5.56 NATO ammunition.
5.56 NATO Ballistics →Frequently Asked Questions
How do the other RDB models differ?
The Defender has an aluminum M-LOK handguard, a collapsible stock and a pencil-profile barrel. The Hunter has a traditional stock, a cross-bolt safety, a swivel-stud bipod mount and a longer threaded barrel. The Survival is the small, light one with a lightweight barrel, folding sights and a collapsible stock.
What rifling does the barrel have?
Six grooves, right hand. The manual also lists two integral MIL-STD-1913 rails, one above the barrel and one on the handguard.
Will AR-15 magazines work in it?
Yes. Kel-Tec lists the magazine as 20 rounds or any AR-15 magazine.
