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I didn’t know where else to post this on 24HCF, but here goes anyway.

I had been wanting to try out a Kel-Tec Sub 2000 Gen 2 9mm for quite some time, but they have been unavailable locally. I just missed one at a local mom and pop store, and got on the waiting list for one at $399. (The have had a .40 S&W Glock magazine version on the shelf for months at the same price.) A couple of weeks ago, I walked into the local Sportsman’s Warehouse and found one for $459. As a typical American, I paid the premium to get it now. After shooting it, I will stay on the waiting list at the mom and pop store. (Dollar cost averaging makes sense, right?)

I bought the Glock 19 magazine version. There is a Glock 17 version, which has a slightly longer pistol grip. I bought the 19 version because I am close to Colorado and don’t want to have to deal with any magazine capacity BS. I carry a Glock 19 regularly and have loaded magazines for it all over the place. The grip is fine for me, but someone with large hands may want the Glock 17 version.

I read some negative reviews about the gun on one thread here, and was not expecting much. Yes, the trigger is mush, although I have become more familiar with it. Yes, getting a good cheek weld on the “receiver” takes some practice. (What we would call a buffer tube on an AR15 has the serial number on it.) The front sight is not like a traditional AR15 front sight in that I can’t center it in the rear peep. For me, it’s more like putting it in the bottom third of the rear peep. (Like using my Aimpoint Comp M3 in a Larue AR15 mount as a faux ghost ring with an AR15 front sight.) The safety is a little awkward compared to an AR15 safety. The bolt doesn’t hold open after the last round is fired.

With the negative stuff out of the way, this gun is a hoot. It weighs 4.25 pounds, has an overall length of 29.5 inches open with the stock in its shortest position, or 16.5 inches folded. When folded it easily fits in a nylon laptop bag. I could hide it under the seat of my truck in a manner that would make it difficult for a casual thief to find it. Recoil is negligible with my 115 grain handloads and Speer 124 grain standard velocity Gold Dots.

How does it shoot? Well, I am not fully finished testing it. It took a while for me to figure out the sights. While I was sighting my hunting rifle yesterday at 200 yards prone, I threw 3 rounds downrange with the Sub 2000 using Kentucky elevation (new term). I was surprised to hit the paper. One of the hits likely would have been a peripheral hit on a human torso. It was nothing to write home about, but I can improve. This morning, I shot it at 50 and 100 yards using a sloppy bench technique, each time using 3 of my 115 grain handloads (1070 MV out of Glock 19) and 3 factory Speer 124 Gold Dots (1120 MV out of Glock 19). I was surprised that the groups were relatively close. I wouldn’t have much trouble on a coyote at 50, but 100 would take a little more time. The biggest hindrances are the size of the front sight pin and figuring out both the elevation and the placement of the front sight pin in the peep. The last two are things that I can figure out.

I am sure that it would work better for me with a dot sight, but adding one prevents folding the gun unless you buy a funky Midwest Industries deal that swivels out of the way for folding the gun and requires the bolt to be retracted. That seems to detract from the handiness, and the cost of the mount and dot sight is approximately $230.

Anyway, for a beater that doesn’t weigh much and folds in two and only costs 2 cents more per round to shoot than .22 LR, it’s kinda fun. I doubt you would lose much money on it if you didn’t like it. If the other one shows up at the gun store for the cheaper price, I probably will buy it and throw it at the cabin.

I will update this thread after I have a bunch more rounds through it or if anything weird happens with the gun.

Sorry, I don’t do pics on this forum. But, it looks like all the other Gen 2 models that you see on the web.

Edited to add: Left handed people may find that the magazine release interferes with their grip and/or risks inadvertent release.

Last edited by Cheyenne; 09/22/17.

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Mine works extemely well and is accurate too. And almost every one I let shoot mine, bought one afterwords.

I wish they would make a 10mm version. I'd buy one in a heart beat.


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Does the stock fold on that thing? I was wondering what the shortest length was? If you could fold it up and store in a backpack? 10 mm would be awesome!

weil I answered my own question. Wonder if the gen 2 gun fixed all the issues.

I was wondering if in a blow back pistol the 40 might be more reliable and hit harder?

Last edited by jimmyp; 09/23/17.

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I have a 9 mm and a .40. Both have been great. A great gun to have close at hand at all times. STAY READY


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has either been more reliable? I would lean towards the 40 for reason of more power.


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I've got the 9mm version and a buddy has the .40 cal model. Both are extremely reliable and accurate. My nieces and nephews love to shoot the 9mm. Not much recoil and easy for them to handle. Easy shooting too as there is not much recoil.


"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston
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A truck gun that uses Glock mags is definitely a good thing!! If it was cheaper or threaded for a suppressor, I'd have to give one a try.......


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Drum roll please...... "I don't know, to be clear." and THAT is one promise he's kept!!!
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It is threaded. What's your excuse now? wink


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Anybody else experience the same thing as me as it pertains to the front sight post? I notice that a lot of people complain that it shoots very high, which I think is the result of them trying to center the front sight in the ghost ring. I was going to try to move the front sight but I could not depress the retaining pin/plunger thingee enough to allow the sight to turn.


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watching the hickock 45 video looks like the 9 shoots higher than the 40, he shot the 40 better, maybe the sights are regulated better to the 40


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I would bet you could figure out how to zero the gun.


Is the 2000 the fold up one?

9mm would be fun and good for armadillos etc.... A buddy has some other plastic one, high point or such, just amazes me on armadillos and possums....

I need one I suspect.

10mm, oh yeah, bring it on...!!! a companion to Carolyn's bear pistols for sure!


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Originally Posted by Cheyenne
It is threaded. What's your excuse now? wink


That's good to know.....will have to add one of these to the list!


Biden's most truthful quote ever came during his first press conference, 03/25/21.
Drum roll please...... "I don't know, to be clear." and THAT is one promise he's kept!!!
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I'd like to hope this gen2 version is improved over the original pile of junk, but I'm very skeptical. I had one of the gen 1 versions in 40 S&W a few years ago; on paper it seemed like a great idea - compact folding design, light weight, Glock mags, etc. In practice it was pitiful. The whole thing flexed like a noodle when firing it, mainly in the center receiver/hinge area, and accuracy wasn't any better than I can do with a pistol, at any distance. Perhaps it would have been better in 9mm, but that system just wasn't up to the power and recoil of 40 S&W in that chassis.

Then of course the issue of the sights being too low for most people to actually use, which I see they still haven't fixed per Cheyenne's comments above. One could mount a red dot on it, but then it won't fold without using an expensive pivoting mount or a rotating handguard; classic example of polishing a turd.

Typical for Keltec, they had a decent idea with very poor execution. The one good thing about them is resale value is high so it's easy to get rid of them.

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Well they are down to $399 where I live but the inability to mount a red dot is kind of a deal breaker


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Originally Posted by Yondering
I'd like to hope this gen2 version is improved over the original pile of junk, but I'm very skeptical. I had one of the gen 1 versions in 40 S&W a few years ago; on paper it seemed like a great idea - compact folding design, light weight, Glock mags, etc. In practice it was pitiful. The whole thing flexed like a noodle when firing it, mainly in the center receiver/hinge area, and accuracy wasn't any better than I can do with a pistol, at any distance. Perhaps it would have been better in 9mm, but that system just wasn't up to the power and recoil of 40 S&W in that chassis.

Then of course the issue of the sights being too low for most people to actually use, which I see they still haven't fixed per Cheyenne's comments above. One could mount a red dot on it, but then it won't fold without using an expensive pivoting mount or a rotating handguard; classic example of polishing a turd.

Typical for Keltec, they had a decent idea with very poor execution. The one good thing about them is resale value is high so it's easy to get rid of them.


One has to remember what they are wanting it for and its uses. I always get caught up in that. Just like Hi Point carbine my buddy has.. junk,junk, and junk... and damned if it doesn't kill fine, shoot fine, never seen it jam and for riding around at night shooting armadillos I can deal with the trigger.....

I'm betting if the thing flexes where the hinge is, that can be dealt with/snugged easily with some thought. But remember how sloppy lower/upper fit can be on an AR at times and they function and are accurate enough.....


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Yes it's funny how some of this junk seems to work fine! My bud has a high point 9mm carbine as well and we were hitting a piece of notebook paper with it at 100 yards


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Ya it is funny, I watched a guy run a High point carbine in a steel challenge match and with ammo it liked, it ran pretty good.

Another guy in another match used a sub 2000 and had nothing but problems with it.

I know another guy who bought one but hasn't shot it yet, maybe his will be work.

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Originally Posted by rost495

I'm betting if the thing flexes where the hinge is, that can be dealt with/snugged easily with some thought. But remember how sloppy lower/upper fit can be on an AR at times and they function and are accurate enough.....


You'd bet wrong on that one. The one I had wasn't loose at the hinge, nice and tight, but the whole plastic receiver flexed like a noodle. What are you going to do to stiffen that up?

As to the comment about practical uses - maybe you missed the part where I said accuracy was no better than I could do with a pistol. I didn't mean a match grade pistol off a bench either; I'm talking about a Glock, shot offhand, I was still more accurate with that than the Keltec from a bench.

A buddy's Hi-Point 9mm carbine is actually pretty accurate even though the construction is pretty low quality. The Keltec does not fall in that same category of "junk but shoots well".

Last edited by Yondering; 09/25/17.
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Our glocks offhand will cut holes around 20 yards or so.... I"m good with that. Thats no rest, just 2 handed.

If its that accurate it'll be fine to 50 on varmints.

Interesting comparison hi point and keltec.

I guess the only way to see which poster is right is to buy one. LOL.

But I'm still chasing a 458 first...


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Palmetto has these on sale for $399.99 right now! Kel-Tek Sub 2000 Gen 2 G19 - $399


Biden's most truthful quote ever came during his first press conference, 03/25/21.
Drum roll please...... "I don't know, to be clear." and THAT is one promise he's kept!!!

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