Kel-Tec R50: Pistol Turned "Sport Utility Rifle"

Kel-Tec is back in the market with another different take on the semi-auto rifle formula, this time with the new R50 carbine.

Take a look; it sure looks like the P50 pistol with a longer barrel and a collapsible stock. That's because that's exactly what it is. It's chambered in the high-velocity 5.7×28, and in its US configuration, comes with a whopping 50-round magazine and 16.1-inch barrel.

Of course, both of those numbers would change here in Canada, if it was to be imported as non-restricted. The mag would be pinned to five rounds (although an identical 10-round P50 mag would fit... ) and Kel-Tec would have to add another 2.5 inches to the barrel. That should be easy to do, should Kel-Tec wish to fill orders for our market.

The 21.5-inch collapsed length would also be a problem, but again, adding five inches to the barrel would solve the issue, or the stock could be reconfigured.

This is a lightweight rifle, at a slim 3.48 pounds, but if you want a sling to help with the load, there's a QD mounting point for single-point sling over the magazine release.

It comes with a Picatinny rail atop the receiver that's over 7 inches long, with a second 2-inch rail under the barrel. Kel-Tec says the rifle ships with basic sights, but most owners are likely to mount an optic.

MSRP in the US is $815. Would it find a market in Canada with a longer barrel, and the currency converted at roughly 130 percent? Probably... but Kel-Tec would have to do a specific run for our country, and right now, it's probably expecting to sell all it can make in the US.

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