KelTec Sub2000 as service rifle ?

[USGuns]

The KelTec Sub2000 comes in versions that accept magazines from various handguns (Glocks, S&W, Beretta) and calibers (9mm, .40). KelTec has sent the rifle out for evaluation by various law enforcement organizations.

Anyone know of any police departments that actually use or will soon be adopting the Sub2000 as a service rifle?

Just curious.

 

[johnwill]

I think one of the principal attributes of the SUB-2000, the folding part, would be of limited interest to law enforcment. If I were picking a carbine for my squad car, and I got to choose between the AR-15 or the Keltec SUB-2000, I'd take the AR in a heartbeat! However, since I already have several ARs, I picked up a SUB-2000, and it's a neat little rifle.

 

[4V50 Gary]

The only real advantage of the pistol caliber carbine is that it appeals to the administrator who won't allow a patrol rifle. A compromise is the pistol caliber carbine as it will permit head shots at 75 yards with greater assurances of hitting than with a handgun (Yes, some of you guys can, but most cops can't and shouldn't try). Funny, but in a house, penetration with a 9mm is greater than a 223. Don't ask me why administrators are worried about liability when the potential harm from a 223 rifle is less.

Don't send a boy to do a man's job. Get the rifle.

 

[Kor]

Sub2000 hasn't been issued because...

Kel-Tec hasn't jumped through all the hoops that modern US law enforcement agencies demand. Ruger apparently builds their PC carbines to meet Nat'l Institute of Justice(NIJ) and NATO acceptance specs, and the Maine State Police and Anchorage, AK PD(maybe?) have adopted the Ruger carbines. Kel-Tec won't really be able to pursue LE contracts unless and until they show that the Sub2000 meets the same NIJ acceptance criteria, and start promoting same to the LE community - without official departmental adopton, the only way an officer could field the gun would be as a privately-owned, department-approved(PODA) weapon.

And, yes, the folding feature on the Sub2000 has practically no application for a cruiser-stored patrol carbine. However, it COULD be useful as a longarm for motorcycle/bicycle officers, which could be stored in an appropriately-sized saddlebag and fed from the same magazine pouch already on the officer's duty belt. For that matter, horse-mounted officers(what few there are left) could also carry the Kel-Tec in their saddlebags when patrolling the urban wilds - rural patrol or SAR needs would be better-served by a rifle-caliber longarm.

I've found that my Sub2000 fits quite nicely into a nylon briefcase/laptop carrier, which makes it viable as a "concealed-carry carbine" for plainclothes personnel on anti-crime detail or who may be seeded in the crowd during high-risk public gatherings. Detectives and investigators could carry the Sub2000 in the same briefcase they use for their paperwork, in the event they have to use it as a "come as you are" entry weapon for a short-notice building search or warrant service.

Another strong prospect is to arm School Resource Officers with the Sub2000, carried in the same shoulder tote or briefcase that they hand out D.A.R.E. literature from. In the event of a Columbine-type scenario, an SRO might find this carbine invaluable for neutralizing an active shooter from across a football field, or from one end of a 50-yard corridor to the other. A big plus here is the fact that the carbine only weighs 4lbs, which helps keep the officer's tote bag from being burdensome or suspiciously heavy.

According to Deputy Dan Goodwin in the May 2002 G&W/LE, the Rutherford County(TN) Sheriff's Dep't. issues the Ruger PC40 to its general detectives, interdiction officers, patrol supervisors and SRO supervisors - if Kel-Tec would market the Sub2000 more aggressively to LEOs, they could take a big share of that market with a gun that's lighter and handier than the Ruger, stores in a more discreet and compact envelope, and uses the exact same ammo and magazines as the officer's duty sidearm.

 

[Jhp147]

Sub 2000

I keep looking at this gun, trying to think of a reason to buy one aside from "it looks kind of neat and handy" ever since I saw the write up in S.W.A.T.
As far as LE usage, I am one of the lucky ones, with an AR in the car, but I could see how the folks stuck with the PCC (pistol caliber carbine) might find it useful. Know what I'd like to do? Take my meager rifle skills, a Sub 2000, and a 9mm duty weapon, and have a shooting comparison to see how much better I could do with one. (there's an article for you, Mr. Hansen-use about three officers with different abilities). Then, I'd start pestering Kel-Tec about a .357 Sig version..a couple of hundred extra feet per second would be great.

 

[telewinz]

I'm kind of interested in the Kel-Tec 2000, I have their P11 and love it. Saw the carbine for sale at a gunstore for $309 which seems a little high. What kind of rifling does it have and what large capacity magazine does it take in 9mm?

 

[johnwill]

I picked up one for $289, which is about as cheap as I've seen them. The dealer marked it up about $40 from his price, which I think is not unreasonable. Mine is the Glock version, and it takes G17 or G18 magazines. The rifling is pretty standard, don't recall what the twist is, I'd have to look it up. I think I'll be ordering the buttstock extension, since it's pretty short without it.

 

[VaughnT]

I was going to buy one simply for the "neat" factor, but decided against it because it would have meant buying mags for weapons I don't have.

Now, if they were to make one that accepted the .45acp 1911 mags, I'd be in hog heaven. Someone needs to compete with the CCU Wilson is marketing (that thing is butt ugly and isn't nearly as practical as they would have you believe).

When they make a .45, I'll buy in a heartbeat!!!

 

[johnwill]

Don't hold your breath, I think they're basically building them for a bunch of the double-stack mags, but I can't see them doing a single stack version...