Kel-Tec Sub-2000 gen. 2

[FergusonTO35]

Went to the fun store yesterday and they had a new Kel-Tec Sub-2000 in stock, was a 9mm using Glock mags. I would rather have a Ruger PC carbine but this Kel-Tec looks pretty nice. Alot of folks report problems with the .40 version but not the 9mm. The safety button works opposite of most others, in that you push in from the left to fire. However, you would use your thumb to do it rather than trigger finger, so it's sort of like sweeping down a 1911 safety. I remember looking at the gen. 1 previously and was not impressed, however the gen. 2 seems to be more sturdy. Also, the receiver is now the steel tube in which the bolt fits into, not the plastic clamshell grip as was previously. I thought how silly it was to have the serialized "firearm" be a piece of blow molded plastic. Anybody have much experience with these?

[Sig556r]

Got the gen 1 back in the days in 9mm glock mag, other than the cheapo sights & handguard, shoots ok. Cool thing about it is its foldability & fits nicely to a backpack...nice carbine paired with you glock when you're out in the woods. There are a lot of aftermarket upgrades but its supposed to be a bug-out gun.
I heard that the sights & handguard have improved & it has a threaded barrel now to boot, quite handy with suppressed 9mm loads.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
We have a Gen 1 and Gen 2 in 40 S&W and have not had any issues with either. I am going to do some looking about and see what issues are reported.
Mike in Peru

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Well having done some searching here and on the web I do not see a lot of folks reporting on issues with the 40 S&W Kel-Tec 2000 Carbine. Actually I was somewhat amazed how little I could find. Far less than Ruger gripes and SW gripes.

Two I read probably were bad magazines. I use Glock and the Korean 29 round mags and have never had a feed issue.
Never did any feed ramp work or had sight issue beyond a simple adjustment to get it dead on at 50.

I never have fired any factory 40 SW ammo. I tried my standard 200 grain cast Glock load in both carbines after purchase and they both shot it equally well so never tried anything else. That is a truncated nose PB cast of WW sized to .401+. Do not remember the powder charge but it has never failed to cycle our 3 Glocks or the two carbines. Smacks with authority a 25 yard and 50 yard steel plate.

Not writing Kel Tec never sends off a bad one but to me they must be doing OK or the web would be clogged with issue reports. I like our's. So does my wife. We both carry one in our vehicles with 3 29 round mags and 2 standard Glock pistol mags in computer shoulder bags. I have put single point slings on both carbines just in case we need to go for a long walk. Tends to be room for a standard Glock in the computer bag also.
Mike in Peru

[Hamish]

https://www.thektog.org/forums/sub9-and-sub2000-rifles.85/

240069

240070

https://www.thektog.org/threads/sub2k-mi-rotating-mount-with-pa-dot-shoots-too-low.267744/

[WinchesterM1]

I had the gen2 Glock mag in 9mm I waited for about 2 1/2 years for one, I loved it for up to 50 yards but trying to get MY rifle to shoot at 100 was laughable

My PC9 will hit my 3” spinner at 100 almost 95% of the time with my Lucid red dot on it. I even killed a deer with my PC9 this year at about 35 yards in my opinion the PC9 is a much better rifle for the money

[FergusonTO35]

I agree, the Ruger is a better choice for me personally. However, the Kel-Tec does seem to have some plusses.

[Meatpuppet]

Bought a Kel-Tec Sub 2000 in 9mm for my son 2 years ago. The darned thing just keeps running and running. I have shot it out to 75 yards with irons and it groups well enough to hit a standard USPSA Popper 9 out of 10 times.

I just ordered an M*Carbo version of the Sub 2000 for myself yesterday. It is a special run of Sub 2000's Kel-Tec had worked over by M*Carbo with all the popular goodies.

[Earlwb]

I like mine. I do like the folding concept and how it works, very handy for a bug out bag or pack. Mine uses Beretta magazines. I did fancy it up some with a red dot sight, flashlight and laser though. The sight mount moves over to let you fold or unfold it too.

[Hamish]

I agree, the Ruger is a better choice for me personally. However, the Kel-Tec does seem to have some plusses.

Depends on what you intend for it. I have witnessed a Ruger pc9 shoot a 4" gong boringly at will at just over 250 yards. Had something to do with the shooter as he is a great shot, but that rifle will flat shoot when dialed in. I WILL own one if they make it in .45acp.

I bought my Sub 2000 to carry in a laptop bag in the vehicle when the wife and I are driving. With a couple of 33 round stick Mags that also fit my carry gun, it's quite a potent package.

[richbug]

I bought a used 40 S&W, got it home and found the plastic trunnion that holds the barrel was cracked where it locks. I took it back to my dealer and he let me upgrade to a new 9mm for a few bucks. It has been flawless.

[AR-Bossman]

What do the feedramps look like on that ?

[FergusonTO35]

The ability to fold is cool but not really necessary for me. The Ruger is a takedown, just not as fast to get in action. I like the fact that the Ruger has a conventional stock, which is more comfortable for me. The issue sights work better for me too.

[BPSharps]

I have a Gen 2 in 40 S&W and haven't had any problems with it at all. Plus out of the 16" carbine barrel the 40 hits like a 10mm.

[Lloyd Smale]

guess the deal breaker for me is you cant fold it without taking your red dot off. the ruger take down can be put in just as small of a back pack and the optic can be left mounted. or you could go with a 4.5 in ar15 pistol like mine that when the brace is retracted is as small or smaller then either of those taken down and its ready to go instantly and doesn't cost any more. I want a 40 but my money will probably go to the new ruger with the m lock rail on the front.

[Earlwb]

guess the deal breaker for me is you cant fold it without taking your red dot off. the ruger take down can be put in just as small of a back pack and the optic can be left mounted. or you could go with a 4.5 in ar15 pistol like mine that when the brace is retracted is as small or smaller then either of those taken down and its ready to go instantly and doesn't cost any more. I want a 40 but my money will probably go to the new ruger with the m lock rail on the front.

I got the sight mount that moves out of the way for folding or unfolding it. You flip the sight/mount over to do it. It is pretty neat actually and you don't need to worry about the adjustments changing either.

https://www.midwestindustriesinc.com/product-p/mi-g2sub-t2.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_aCdGOXVeY

[Tackleberry41]

I had 2, 9mm and 40. The 40 went back to the factory after about 50 rds as something had come loose. It no longer locked solid, but folded a touch. They stuck a new barrel in it, and I sold it. Its just not a hefty enough design for the 40. The 9mm was fine, not something you can fold once you put a decent sight on it, the factory ones suck. It is threaded, but no way to counter the added back pressure. Kel Tech sells a heavier bolt. Sold it when I built a 9mm AR.

[smokeater]

I bought the KelTec SUB2000 Gen2 9mm. Shoots great, no malfunctions so far and several people have shot it and were amazed at their accuracy with it. After blowing thru some of my 9mm reload stash, shooting it was so much fun, I purchased the Ruger PC Carbine and as the old saying goes; love'em both. Each one has their own merits and I can certainly live within those. Just trying to figure out how I am going to be able to feed them as much as I want to and like to. Where I live the PC Carbine is a marvelous one rifle for everything. Hunting, plinking, woods walking, target practice and with hardly any recoil, great rifle for the ladies and grandkids to shoot. Do not have any regrets buying both and so far both have been stellar performers. Got to break out my LEE 125 RN mold and start making boolits. For owners of each or either, does one have a particular cast bullet that their's prefer over others?

[skrapyard628]

I have a Gen 2 in 40 S&W and haven't had any problems with it at all. Plus out of the 16" carbine barrel the 40 hits like a 10mm.

Try a few .40 handloads using Winchester Autocomp powder. I got the best velocity gains in a 16" barrel with that powder. There may be something better but that gave me the most speed with what I had in my powder cabinet.

[Ramjet-SS]

The only down side I have found is having to keep the scope mounted and it will not fold up. Seems reasonable enough. I like a low powered forward mounted extended eye relief scope on my carbines. Mine is the 9mm.

The gun itself is very reliable it does wack you some in the cheek bone but that may be my big Mellon of a head. They run like tops and I have not had any issues with any ammo I have run through mine. So far about 2200 rounds. They fit the price range and are maybe even a good value considering how well they run.

[kenton]

My brother in law bought a sub 2000 in 9mm that took glock mags and then promptly sold it after he realized that being a lefty it shot brass and unburnt powder in his face. He likes my PC carbine, the ejection port is far enough forward that the brass clears his face.

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks for sharing the experiences. Still too broke to buy either one, but sure is fun to talk about!

[Hamish]

guess the deal breaker for me is you cant fold it without taking your red dot off. the ruger take down can be put in just as small of a back pack and the optic can be left mounted. or you could go with a 4.5 in ar15 pistol like mine that when the brace is retracted is as small or smaller then either of those taken down and its ready to go instantly and doesn't cost any more. I want a 40 but my money will probably go to the new ruger with the m lock rail on the front.


Not true Lloyd. With the Midwest Industries flip mount, it can be done, I modified their mounting system to a twin barrel ring mounting system, instead of a single barrel ring and a forend lock. This allowed me to move the mount in between the mounting holes of the forend, which allowed the flip mount and red dot to sit in between the charging handle and trigger guard, instead of having to lock back the charging handle with a loop of braided rope as designed.

241676

Start with post #6
https://www.thektog.org/threads/sub2k-mi-rotating-mount-with-pa-dot-shoots-too-low.267744/#post-2404840

All thaT said, I am eagerly awaiting news of the Ruger being made in .45 ACP.

[Mistered]

I had a Gen 1 S2K and while it shot and cycled well there were many things time was beginning to reveal I did not like.
One was the difficulty to break down and reassemble and I learned later KT does NOT recommend this.
I could also see issues with the potential of plastic parts breaking and possibly stripping the front sight blade screws. Another revelation was the epoxied barrel issue which a pin modification was later developed and recommended.
I'll admit the Gen 2 S2K appears to be a dramatic improvement over the Gen 1 with a lot of needed changes.
I eventually sold my S2K and recently bought a Ruger PCC and really like it - and it is very easy to break down!