rdb Archives

I’ve had a bit of experience with bullpups, some more than others. But if you’re interested enough in them to be reading this, you may want to read my last piece “Ode to bullpups” where we discussed bullpups in general. Today we will be speaking specifically about the Keltec RDB bullpup, a sixteen inch barreled 5.56 bullpup semi-auto.

Keltec
Keltec has been around since the early nineties, with a motto of creating original and innovative firearms in the state of Florida. An overview of Keltec firearms gives the impression that affordability, alternative designs and materials are all part of their operation. My personal experience with Keltec has been modest at best until this RDB came to me, so this review will represent a fresh look at the rifle.

The RDB
The RDB is a 5.56 nato chambered bullpup rifle, the action and magazine are located behind the pistol grip. This allows the rifle to present with a much shorter and well balanced platform than a traditionally configured rifle such as an AR-15. The RDB is fed by standard AR type magazines, and those cartridges are loaded by a piston driven bolt-carrier. The sixteen-inch one in seven twist barrel features a 1/2-28 threaded muzzle that came with a birdcage style muzzle device, as well as an adjustable gas block to meter pressure into the operating system. The cunning ejection system that sets the RDB apart from its competition is it downward ejection, the spent cases are pulled behind the magazine and ejected out the bottom of the rifle. The controls of the rifle are pretty standard, but not like you are used to for sure. There is a reversible charging handle that can be placed on either side of the fore-grip after disassembling the rifle. The safety is ambidextrous and located in the right position, right where your thumb would expect it to be.

The magazine release and bolt catch are both located behind the pistol grip. The mag release is a stamped piece of metal that reaches around both sides of the lower-rear receiver, there is a push-pad at the front of this horseshoe shaped piece just behind the pistol grip to release the magazine. The rifles locks open upon emptying the magazine, and the bolt release is located on either side of the lower receiver, but uses a captured lever on the right side of the rifle to aid in leverage to easily release the bolt after loading a fresh magazine.
There is a picatinny rail across the top of the rifle for sight mounting, and there are several points on the rifle for attaching slings with a hook or other attachment. The Defender handguard features M-Lok slots at three, six, and nine o’clock for attaching additional accessories.

First Impressions
I have seen Keltec firearms for years and had many opportunities to handle them. So when the RDB case arrived I wasn’t particularly surprised by its contents. I picked the RDB up from its case, and cleared it for inspection. I shouldered the rifle to give it a feel, it was then that I noticed it was lighter than I had anticipated, six-point-seven pounds according to Keltec. This was a pleasant discovery.

I played with the rifle for a few minutes to get a full understanding of its operation and features, and then I stared at it for a bit. At first I thought it appeared like a high school or college engineering class had drawn this thing in Solid Works, but the more I looked the more I could see what they were working at. The bullpup balance was like most others I’ve held, balanced right at the grip area. I again ran the charging handle a few times, the handle can be pulled to the rear and lifted into a locked position to leave the action open. But the ejection port being on the bottom, there isn’t really a place to inspect.
I wanted to try out the trigger, which for many bullpups is famously terrible. To my surprise the trigger was not bad, the first stage gave way to a solid wall that broke clean and firmly. So firmly in fact I almost immediately felt the desire to open up the rifle and see what was making such a significant strike when I pulled the trigger. Internal inspection showed a very curious design, both the hammer and trigger mechanisms were far from what I’d imagined.
The hammer itself is not unlike a turkey wishbone, with two legs coming together at the top to form a hammer anvil. The hammer splits around the magazine well, and the sear/connecting linkage travel all the way up to the trigger group itself. The whole thing is quite interesting, and explains why the trigger feels so good compared to other bullpups.
While inside I noticed the very short bolt carrier. The bottom ejection requires the bolt-face to travel far enough behind the magazine as to allow spent cases to clear the magazine and trigger parts. The short bolt and firing pin are similar to most other semi-auto bolt designs, with a rotating bolt guided by a cam-pin that also locks into the receiver guide rails as it goes into battery.
With fresh perspective, I reassembled the rifle and went to work preparing it for a range session. The rifle had come with set of Magpul flip up sights, but I also added a Sig Sauer Romeo RDS. I was surely going to try the rifle suppressed as well, to see how the adjustable gas system could accommodate the difference.

On the Range
Once on the firing line, with some thirty-round magazines I loaded the RDB and prepared to fire. Initial ergonomics were not bad, the rifle fit me well. The charging handle on the left side of the rifle was easy to find blindly and provided plenty of purchase. With an easy click of the safety I was in business. Recoil was just what I expected from a 5.56 caliber bullpup, not bad at all. The spent shells began to pile up neatly on the ground in front of me. When my first magazine went empty, it was time to try out the reloading controls of the rifle. Stuffing magazines through the rifle and doing lots of reload drills taught me a couple things about the RDB. It could use a more flared magwell, as it seemed a little bit of a stickler to get the magazine stabbed in properly. The magazine release worked better than I had anticipated, almost too good. I have long heard of people complaining that the mag release is too easy to inadvertently drop the magazine while maneuvering the rifle. And it proved to be so for me as well, a slight miscalculated move of the shooting hand can drop your magazine from the rifle. The bolt release took some time to get used to as well, reaching back and hitting it with my right thumb seemed to be the best option. I’m sure with some training it could become second nature. Cross training on different rifle platforms doesn’t hurt anyone, and its a bit of a pet peeve of mine when bullpup haters act as though a slight retraining in operation somehow renders a gun “useless” in their opinion. Continue Reading Here…

Introduction

I’ve been called many things in my life, some of those titles I earned and others not so much. There is one label that some would consider an insult but its a badge I wear stress-free, that title is Bullpup enthusiast. Today I’ll share my Ode To The Bullpup.

My experience with bullpups is not unlike many others, the first time I was exposed to them was back in the 90’s when a friend showed me a hideous Mini-14 in a bullpup chassis. I was appalled by what had been done to the poor unsuspecting Mini-14. Then I went back to gazing at the more conventional weapons like AR-15’s.

desert tech mdr and mdrx configurations — My MDRX collection

Buying my own Bullpup

Years would pass before I would again dabble in the occult realm of the bullpup, a friend of mine invited me to go shooting after work and he presented me with a Desert Tech SRS Covert to shoot. Within minutes I was absolutely addicted to the rifle and its impressive accuracy. Before we had even left that dry Montana hillside I swore I would get one of my own.

desert tech srs a1 covert — My original Desert Tech SRS A1 Covert

A man of my word, I kept that promise to myself. And it was the beginning of my trip down the bullpup rabbit hole. I am a gun nut in every sense of the word, I like them all as long as they serve a purpose. So having become a bullpup owner myself, my eyes were opened to the rest of this stubby bullpup community. After years of enjoying my SRS bolt-action precision rifle I jumped into the Desert Tech MDRX with both feet, this only deepened my affinity for these short and effective rifles.
In the term of a short few years, I had gone from a typical anti-bullpup traditionalist into a pure bullpup enthusiast. Having successfully navigated the rabbit hole I began shooting bullpups of all kinds. Mainly to see what I liked or disliked about the different rifles.

An Odd Bunch

There are bullpups from every corner of the firearms market. Both big names and shops you’ve never heard of seem to have a bullpup model hidden somewhere in their lineup. FN has their FS-2000 which looks like it hit every branch falling from the space-gun tree. I guess there are plenty of people out there who like it but their reasons are known only to them. Perhaps the most well-known bullpups come from Steyr. Their AUG rifle has been a stalwart movie prop and service weapon with its unique look for decades.

Low Key Popular

They continue to be popular with even those who mostly dislike the bullpup genre. But for me their mushy pushy trigger and unique magazine still keep them at arms length. You certainly couldn’t talk about bullpups in America without mentioning the lineup from IWI.

They have become so popular that many gun owners are under the impression that “Tavor” is some kind of all-inclusive term for bullpups. I’ve been able to shoot several of IWI’s rifles and they are probably my first choice in autoloading bullpups after my MDRX. The X95 has an incredible amount of aftermarket support and accessories, caliber conversion kits, and triggers (a much-needed improvement in my opinion).

The Tavor 7 308 caliber rifle brings similar operation and design to a bigger bullpup. The battle-hardened reputation of the IWI bullpups can be seen in militaries from Jerusalem to Bogotá where I last saw them.

Bullpups in Combat

Bullpup rifles can be found in military service all over the world, the Desert Tech HTI is a 50 BMG sniper rifle used in service in the jungle climate of the south China sea and in the current war in Ukraine.
Not all of these bullpup rifles are popular or serve in militaries of the world. But just because a rifle is put into service doesn’t make it superior. The SA80 family of British bullpups has been despised for decades by her Majesty’s finest soldiers.

Many bullpup rifles enjoy a life free of military service but still filled with action. The Keltec RDB has been a very popular 5.56 bullpup with American gun owners, it is used for everything from hunting to home defense. And its larger caliber sibling offers 308 power to those looking for a bullpup.

So why the Hate for Bullpups?

What is it exactly that most gun owners have against bullpups? I think there is a two-sided explanation, and I’ll start with the first half. The engineering required to position the magazine and the action of a rifle behind the trigger tends to get complicated. While this feat does greatly reduce the overall size of the firearm, there are many complications that come as baggage.

Bullpups often have complicated linkages to operate controls. These systems can be messy depending on the dedication of those who design and build them. These linkage systems frequently add weight and play to controls reducing the quality feel and performance. And there is also the obvious problem of ejection systems that either hit you in the mouth as a lefty. Or add even more weight and complexity to circumvent the redecoration of your lips.

Appearance

The second half of the anti-bullpup phenomenon is based almost entirely on appearance. Most gun owners see an AR-15 or AK-47 type rifle and see a near-perfect visage of what an autoloading rifle should be. The same thing could be said about a bolt-action M-24 clone, it has nearly everything a bolt-action guy could want. And when these people see a bullpup, with its weird configuration and often goofy controls they are just immediately turned off.

The complaints about performance and design can be validated against some bullpup models. But there are others that work as good as any conventional rifle. The looks of some of these rifles is a more subjective topic. If a gun looks goofy, then no matter how functional it is many people wont want it. And for that there is no excuse, some bullpup designs are just hideous and can only be mocked from a safe distance. Continue Reading Here…

BUT ARE THEY WRONG?

Yes, they are wrong. Depending on the bullpup. For the most part, I can understand some of the complaints. Yes, many of the triggers are terrible, some of the ergonomics are awful. And let’s not speak of accuracy for some of them. But some bullpups are fantastic rifles, particularly when specialized to a specific purpose.

KelTec RDB Rifle in the mountains — Shooting the RDB suppressed with a YHM R9

My Desert Tech SRS will shoot on par with almost any precision rifle out there, and it does it with a better balance and shorter package. Many of the other perceived problems can either be overcome with training or some ingenious alterations. Obviously, not all bullpups are great, just like not all firearms are great. But with the proper amount of research, you can probably find a bullpup that will exceed your expectations.

Just as good?

Haters might say why bother? My AR works just as well with no change in the manual of arms or alterations. To them, I say this. The future will be bullpupped. Until energy weapons replace kinetic projectiles. The militaries of the world that drive much of the innovation continue pushing for more compact and powerful firearms.

The longer barrels that bullpups can carry compared to conventional rifles are exactly the edge they are looking for. The huge popularity of the Tavor and X95 with military forces shows that. And the U.S. military was also playing footsie with bullpups in the Next Generation Squad Weapon program. I think it’s only a matter of time until one of these manufacturers nails the perfect design and turns the tables on what we consider conventional rifles

Final Thoughts

You can love them or hate them, but bullpups aren’t going anywhere. There are models for every purpose. Whether it’s a sniper rifle or an incredibly short SBR for close-quarters fighting. Bullpups can do everything conventional rifles do, and they can do them just as well with more compact and powerful platforms. Bullpups are no longer the fantasy gun of space movies. They are a valuable tool you can add to your collection.

-CBM