KelTec Sub 2000 Longevity

[hm]

I'm considering a Sub 2000 for my bug out bag, but I'm leery of KelTec quality, or lack thereof. I've seen plenty of posts singing praises about this carbine, but mostly from folks who have only owned them a short time. So, who out there has owned a Sub 2000 for a while and/or has put a few thousand rounds through it? How's it holding up? In case it matters, I would get the Sub 2000 that accepts Sig 226 9mm ...if I can find one.

 

[seh]

I have the S&W 59 mag version. Bought it about 7-8 years ago. At the rate I shoot it, it should last a lifetime considering it has never made it through a whole magazine without a malfunction. FTF & FTE are the most common problems. It came with 2 10 round MECGAR's and I picked up a few brand new S&W 59 mags. Does the same things with all of them.

Also the front sight is kind of fragile. It fell out of my safe and snapped off.

One of these days I will make this stupid thing work cause I like it and wont let it win.

 

[Willie Sutton]

I've a pair of them, both for the Beretta M9 mags. One is on my boat along with a M9 for a matched-magazine set for local defense needs, and the second goes into my seat-pack survival kit for flying. Both have been proven rugged and perfectly acceptable for those uses. I would have zero hesitation using one for what you describe.

I use milspec mags, and in contrast with the above user I've put hundreds of rounds thru both of mine with absolutely zero malfunctions whatsoever. They are not "AK-Rugged" but for survival use there is likely really nothing better.


I "strongly think" the Glock and SIG ones are the same save for the magazine release and that they can be converted one to the other. The Beretta one is unique as the grip angle is different in order to accept the magazine. The S&W one "might" be in the same family as the Glock and SIG one, a distant memory tells me that it also can be converted by changing the mag release and that the Beretta one is the only one that cannot. Research this. The Glock ones are the easiest ones to find. S&W ones were never popular and the SIG ones are uncommon as well. Converting with the correct parts might be easier and cheaper than trying to find exactly the one you want.


Willie

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[HRnightmare]

I have owned one for about 5 years. I had the barrel threaded and have shot it suppressed and unsuppressed with no real problems. It jams frequently with steel cased ammo. But Kel Tec specifically tells you this! Other than that I have neve rhad an issue with it. It shoots ANY type of brass cased ammo just fine.

I have the Glock 17 version and have used it with extended and "regular" capacity magazines and the cheap Korean variants...again, no issues!

It is definitely going to outlast the amount you pay for it provided you dont use it as a golf club or baseball bat...and Kel Tec's CS is excellent!

 

[thralldad]

My sons .40 Glock version has been flawless. Never a jam/FTF/FTE. I'm about to reload some and we'll see how it likes those! It is a bit flimsy but it's made for a BOB.

 

[Ramone]

mines at about 10k rounds (my nephews shoot the heck out of it, so the round count is likely +/- 1000). It's a GLOCK19 model.

I think it might need a new action spring (recoil spring) on principle, but it still runs fine.



edited to add:

the front sight did break at some point, but KelTec mailed me a new one. other than that, it's been great.

a lot of the ammo through it is sub sonic 115gr 'cream puff' handloads- just enough to cycle the action, which may aid in it's durability.

 

[easy]

All about S2K and all things KT.

http://www.thektog.org/forum/

 

[horsemen61]

I love mine it has never had a problem

 

[hso]

I've had mine for a looooong time with easily over 1,000 rounds through it without any complaints.

 

[FireInCairo]

You would be better suited to get a Keltec SU16. They take standard AR mags and have a decent reputation for longevity considering it's a light arm that can be broken down. There are plenty of people who have put 1,000's down range without a hiccup.

 

[Speedo66]

My G17 version is pretty much bulletproof, except with dirty Russian steel cased ammo. I think all the dirt slows it down. Other than that it's great with all regular commercial ammo.

I replaced the POS plastic front sight with a steel AK type from a Hi-Point carbine. Works and looks great.

 

[Ed Ames]

My .40/Glock 22 mag version has worked perfectly for years and burned up a lot of ammo. I like it as much as I could like any very low power carbine.

 

[hm]

OP here. Great feedback, and I thank you. Looks like about 80% thumbs up and 20% "I had to do work on it to keep it operating acceptably." I'm keeping my mind open, but I think that the feedback thus far is tilted enough toward reliability to put my mind at ease.

 

[Cornhusker77]

Haven't had a bit of trouble with mine, I don't recall any failures at all.

 

[Bobnfl]

If you do a little research you will find that it is designed to a life of about 6k rounds. This comes from keltec. That is what I found when I was doing the research on mine. Buy the way I had the g17 model and it ran perfect. But I was offered a good price for it so I sold it.

 

[tuj]

I can't speak for actually owning one, but the example I handled had a filmsy feeling trigger guard. It had been used a lot as it was a range gun at the local range. I asked about how it had held up to use/abuse and they said pretty well, but I did feel like the trigger guard was going to bend/break. YMMV.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

I lusted after a Sub2000 for a couple years! Finally gave up since I don't recall ever seeing one "in the flesh" much less for sale. They seem to be unobtanium. Too bad. I thought it would be an awesome pack rifle for backpacking/hiking. True, you wouldn't have much luck getting it out quickly as you would with a concealed handgun. However I think it would shine for survival hunting or to unpack to have ready around camp at night.

After a couple years of not being able to find a KT I gave in and bought an HK USC carbine in .45 ACP and a Beretta Storm carbine in 9mm. Not as packable as the S2000 would be but great for keeping around the house in case of a zombie uprising.

 

[Willie Sutton]

I can't speak for actually owning one, but the example I handled had a filmsy feeling trigger guard. It had been used a lot as it was a range gun at the local range. I asked about how it had held up to use/abuse and they said pretty well, but I did feel like the trigger guard was going to bend/break.


But it hadn't, had it?

Even after being used as a range-rental.... It hadn't.


And that's the key.


Willie

.

 

[45_auto]

I've had the Glock 9mm version for over 9 years (gun store I bought it from went under in Hurricane Katrina and never came back, I don't remember how many years before that I bought it).

Never used anything but Glock mags in mine, 17 and 33 round. Kids and grandkids love it, probably over 10K rounds through it (figuring 50-100 per month over the last 10 years) with no problems at all.

 

[Cornhusker77]

I can't speak for actually owning one, but the example I handled had a filmsy feeling trigger guard. It had been used a lot as it was a range gun at the local range. I asked about how it had held up to use/abuse and they said pretty well, but I did feel like the trigger guard was going to bend/break. YMMV.

The trigger guard is also the release lever to fold the gun in half, that's probably why it felt flimsy