Kel-Tec KSG Initial Impressions

[HKGuns]

LGS had one of these in the back today and gave me a fair deal on one significantly under MSRP. I've never owned a "Tactical" shotgun before as they're never interested me....This one is different.

I haven't shot it yet so I will give you my initial impressions, focusing on the main features that make this thing different.

Capacity:

This thing holds a LOT of rounds, far more than your traditional home defense tactical shotgun. I'm loading one tube with six 3" 00 Buck and one tube with six 3" slugs. With one in the chamber that is 13 rounds of lead down range without a reload.

It is relatively easy to reload and very easy to select the mag tube from which you want to feed rounds.

It is extremely ambidextrous and the controls for the slide release and safety are within easy reach of either hand.

You can see, in the picture below, where you load and select which mag tube from which you're feeding rounds from. An additional safety feature is that if the selector is in the middle it won't feed any rounds. Some might call it an opportunity to fail. In the picture below the selector is in the middle.



Size & Weight:

This shotgun is small and EXTREMELY handy. It feels very much like an M1 Carbine from a balance and weight perspective.

It balances well and is quite maneuverable in a tight space. This would be my choice of shotgun if I made my living doing forced entry. (This will serve duty as my HD shotgun.) The bull-pup design makes it balance extremely well and with all of that lead down the mag tubes you don't feel the weight and it helps balance it out really really well.

The picture below has a pair of M gloves for size reference. I can't get over how compact a package this is having shot many shotguns over my years.



Takedown:

The gun is relatively easy to break down for cleaning, there are a couple of pins that allow you to remove the stock and the trigger group. After that, most everything will pull right out. I had no issues getting it apart and putting it back together. The pins are a great feature and you even have little holes in the grip to store the pins when you are cleaning the shotgun.

The only thing I don't like about it so far is that it needs to be slammed home extremely hard in order to release the shell from the magazine tube. It is really easy to short stroke this thing and I've written Kel-Tec to determine if this is normal. I will post their response when it is received. It may get better over time or there may be something a bit out of spec.

Below are some pictures of the various parts of the shotgun. Notice the rails on the top and the bottom which are a nice feature.

[sevin8nin]

Well done on actually getting one. The shop I work at has had 2 in 5 years. Getting it is the hardest part.
The second hardest part seems to be getting it to run.

Please update with your initial shooting impressions and how it goes. Always curious to hear more feedback.

[walker2713]

Nice post, and great pics! Let us know how she shoots!

[Javelin]

I want one!

[HKGuns]

I wanted to go to the 50 yard range to sight the KSG in today. However, it was closed for some reason. So, I took it and my HK91 to the 100 yard range to see how they would perform.

The KSG had an unusual failure on only the second round. It wouldn't eject the fired hull and was locked up tighter than a drum. (I was shooting Winchester 1600FPS defensive partitioned slugs)

I had to disassemble the gun to get the spent hull to eject. I then proceeded to shoot another 12 slugs without issue. I was on paper at 100 for the most part, but the gun wasn't sighted in so it wasn't worth trying to be accurate. I was mostly function testing anyway.

Recoil was sharp with pronounced cheek slap from the way you are forced to mount your face to the gun to get a proper sight picture. I felt it in my molars on more than one occasion. It is not a pleasant to shoot slug gun.

Well, it will take a few more range trips for me to have confidence in the gun after that initial failure to eject, but since it did well afterward I am optimistic about its future. I fired slugs from both tubes and had no issues feeding the rounds and didn't short shuck it a single time.

The HK91 shot fabulously @1.32 max spread MOA using standard HK irons and some off brand ammo. I only put three down range as it was close enough to dead on center that I wasn't going to mess with the sights. Those rear drums can be a PITA to adjust properly, even with the HK sight tool.

[RIGPIG]

I wanted to go to the 50 yard range to sight the KSG in today. However, it was closed for some reason. So, I took it and my HK91 to the 100 yard range to see how they would perform.

The KSG had an unusual failure on only the second round. It wouldn't eject the fired hull and was locked up tighter than a drum. (I was shooting Winchester 1600FPS defensive partitioned slugs)

I had to disassemble the gun to get the spent hull to eject. I then proceeded to shoot another 12 slugs without issue. I was on paper at 100 for the most part, but the gun wasn't sighted in so it wasn't worth trying to be accurate. I was mostly function testing anyway.

Recoil was sharp with pronounced cheek slap from the way you are forced to mount your face to the gun to get a proper sight picture. I felt it in my molars on more than one occasion. It is not a pleasant to shoot slug gun.

Well, it will take a few more range trips for me to have confidence in the gun after that initial failure to eject, but since it did well afterward I am optimistic about its future. I fired slugs from both tubes and had no issues feeding the rounds and didn't short shuck it a single time.

The HK91 shot fabulously @1.32 max spread MOA using standard HK irons and some off brand ammo. I only put three down range as it was close enough to dead on center that I wasn't going to mess with the sights. Those rear drums can be a PITA to adjust properly, even with the HK sight tool.

Try low recoil slugs, like Federal Tru-ball LE or Speer Lawman LR loads. They'll bring recoil down to that of a 2 3/4" low brass 8shot birdshot. They're accurate out past 100yds, and will make use in a pump of any kind much more pleasurable. The low-recoil loads will cycle most autoloaders as well.

[dlh2689]

Thank you for sharing your experiences with this shotgun. We had one at my shop but it sold just as quick as we got it in. Maybe one of these days I'll actually be able to shoot one.

[Javelin]

Are these not reliable? I like my 870.... worth the trade up?

[Abraham]

"Try low recoil slugs, like Federal Tru-ball LE or Speer Lawman LR loads."

Thanks for educating me on these low recoil loads - I didn't know they existed, until now.

I've a light weight, 12 gauge that I've had to put shoulder and cheek protectors on as the loads I ran through them were hideously punishing...

[Campbell]

I just got one in the shop to refinish, and I really love how compact it is, but the mixed reviews have got me in a holding pattern...good luck with yours.