Swedish-born firearm designer and inventor George Kellgren has a gift for developing models that are often unique and ahead of their time. KelTec’s P11 polymer-frame 9 mm Luger pistol started shipping more than two decades before micro-nine pistols became all the rage. And the KSG series of dual-tube, pump-action shotguns, which were a big surprise to the industry 13 years ago, are still diversifying and selling well—and being imitated by other makers.
Along with pistols and shotguns, KelTec offers a selection of rifles. These days, many gun shops carry multiple examples of rimfire and pistol-caliber carbines that either break down or fold in half for easy storage or transport. Here again, Kellgren designed and launched the SUB2000 folding PCC back in 2001, which was years ahead of many competitors. Since then, this gun has been available chambered in 9 mm Luger or .40 S&W with grip magazine wells designed for specific pistol magazines from various gunmakers, including Beretta, Glock and Smith & Wesson.
The original SUB2000 was still in production when I had my first opportunity to write about it in 2013. I opted to work with the 9 mm version configured for Glock magazines; I liked this little carbine so well that the test gun was added to my collection. It was upgraded with two in-house add-ons—a 2" Picatinny rail was mounted to the underside of the fore-end to support a flashlight, and a clamp-on polymer buttplate was added to shroud the front sight assembly and extend the length of pull to 14.25". Otherwise, it’s still in the stock factory configuration.
Just two years later, the GEN2 SUB2000 was on the market with a variety of useful updates to the nearly 15-year-old design. I don’t recall exactly why, but I didn’t ever quite get around to working with this version, and nearly another decade would pass before the GEN3 model was launched. Could it have been the release of Smith & Wesson’s folding 9 mm M&P FPC carbine in 2023 that inspired KelTec to introduce the next iteration of the SUB2000 in 2024? Perhaps. But whatever the reason, the changes made are good ones for this platform. Looking at the GEN1 and GEN3 models side-by-side, it was easy to see how the platform has been updated while maintaining the core features that have kept this gun selling well throughout the years.
Like previous generations, the SUB2000 GEN3 is a blowback-operated pistol-caliber carbine that uses polymer and aluminum components to minimize weight. Initially chambered in 9 mm Luger for Glock-pattern magazines—a new variant was just announced chambered for the 5.7x28 mm FN cartridge using that company’s Five-seveN pistol magazines—the example reviewed here is a 9 mm that weighs just 4 lbs., 6 ozs., with an empty 15-round box in place. The black polymer receiver and fore-end are both clamshell designs with the halves mated via machine screws. This version does not have a set of iron sights. Instead, the top of the fore-end features a 12.75"-long molded-in Picatinny rail that can be used to support magnified riflescopes, red-dot optics or AR-15-type folding back-up sights.
The most notable change to the GEN3 is the rotating fore-end. Past models had fixed forward furniture, which made mounting optics to the SUB2000 problematic due to the barrel’s ability to fold on top of the receiver. Owners could choose between being able to fold the gun completely in half or use an optic, but not both. When unlocked from the receiver, the new fore-end rotates 90 degrees to the right or the left as the barrel swings into the folded position. This allows devices mounted to the top-side optics rail, or to the 8.5" accessory rail along the bottom of the fore-end, to remain attached.
In addition to the rails, the fore-end features four M-Lok accessory slots on each side with a ridged and waffle-pattern textured gripping surface near the receiver. When the barrel is folded, the forwardmost M-Lok slot facing the shoulder stock engages the one-piece latch that also serves as the end plug for the buffer tube. This keeps the barrel locked in the folded position. The 16.15"-long, round-profile, carbon-steel barrel’s muzzle is threaded at 1/2x28 TPI to accept a variety of muzzle devices, including brakes, compensators and sound suppressors; a knurled thread protector is provided with the carbine.
The trigger guard serves double-duty as the barrel’s release lever. Other external controls include a crossbolt safety button and a left-side magazine-release button. This version of the carbine ships with a curved and grooved aluminum trigger instead of the polymer trigger found on previous models. The test gun’s two-stage trigger pull was smooth and clean. The front half of the trigger’s 0.5" arc of travel is almost effortless with a fairly firm stop—it then broke at 4 lbs., 7 ozs., of pull before stopping against the interior of the trigger guard.
The carbine’s grip has been shortened to accept 15-round Glock 19 magazines in addition to G17 and extended magazines that hold 20 rounds or more. Cropping the grip also brings its height in line with that of the shoulder stock. And, unsurprisingly, the grip’s texturing is of KelTec’s signature waffle-pattern variety.
The bolt carrier group is housed in the same buffer tube that serves as the rifle’s stock. The rounded, reciprocating charging handle, located under the buffer tube, can be manually pulled back and locked to the right or the left to hold the action open; it feels great to give the handle the ol’ “H&K slap” to close it. The recoil assembly provides the spring pressure to hold the barrel latch in place.
The one-piece polymer shoulder stock features a ridge-textured buttplate and mounting points for sling straps or a sling hook. Technically speaking, this is a three-position shoulder stock. It can be adjusted for a 13.25", 13.75" or 14.5" length of pull by removing the stock pin—a procedure outlined in the owner’s manual.
The SUB2000 has always been an affordable option, with the current suggested retail price listed at $499 and real-world prices closer to $450. For this reason, it only seemed logical to seek out a solid red-dot optic that doesn’t cost more than the gun. I tried several different low-mount optics, but no matter how hard I hunkered down, I just couldn’t find an alignment I liked. So, I went with Riton Optics’ X1 TACTIX ARD red-dot ($199) mounted to the carbine using the provided quick-release, AR-height riser (a low mount is also included). This rifle optic features an anodized 6061-T6 aluminum housing, fully multi-coated lenses, 1-m.o.a. elevation and windage adjustments, six brightness settings and up to 40,000 hours of run time using a single CR2032 battery. Using the taller riser allowed for a surprisingly comfortable cheek weld, considering the stock is almost entirely a 1"-diameter steel tube.
At the range, I put the carbine through its paces using typical full-metal-jacket loads, one of which was Federal’s American Eagle 147-grain subsonic. The defense-grade hollow points included SIG Sauer’s M17 V-Crown 124-grain +P. One somewhat exotic round, which was included to keep things interesting, was an 80-grain fluted copper solid that the company, G9 Defense, refers to as an “external hollow point.” Glock-compatible magazines included those by Elite Tactical Systems (ETS), Extar, Glock, KCI USA and Magpul in capacities ranging from 15 to 33 rounds.
As for reliability, the only ammunition that exhibited zero malfunctions was the SIG M17, while the only magazines that were wholly jam-free were the 15-round, flush-fit models. Considering the variety of magazines and ammunition used, the jams were not necessarily excessive, but every other magazine and ammunition mix exhibited somewhere between one and three jams during the course of testing. Based on this, it’s safe to say that, like rimfire pistols, it’s going to take a bit of trial-and-error on the owner’s part to find the just-right blend of magazines and ammunition for any particular combination of carbine, magazine and load.
KelTec’s new SUB2000 GEN3 folding PCC successfully integrates useful updates while maintaining the features and price point that make this gun a popular seller for the company. But the burning question is whether or not the GEN3’s rotating fore-end resolves the optics issue. I would say it depends on the owner’s needs and the sighting system selected.
Without any sights, the folded SUB2000 should fit into a backpack, carry bag or storage case measuring roughly 16.5"x6.5"x2.5" with a bit of wiggle room to slide the rifle in and out. That’s not too challenging of a profile to accommodate. However, the AR-height red-dot optic used for the range evaluation is 2.5" tall as configured. This can change the storage-space requirements noticeably depending on the bag being used, as would the addition of a light or laser module to the fore-end’s accessory rail. If a taller optic fits into your particular storage and transportation plans, then there’s nothing to worry about.
But for those looking to keep the SUB2000 as lean as possible, two other sighting systems may be a better fit. A low-mount micro red-dot optic, if it works with your body shape and shooting style, is around an inch shorter than an AR-height optic. Also, consider folding AR-15 back-up sights such as the ruggedly built Mission First Tactical Extreme Duty set, which add only about 0.5" of height when stored in the folded position.
The point is that, whichever sighting system or accessories you choose, the GEN3 model can be folded without taking them off—and this is a significant improvement. The SUB2000 continues to be lightweight, compact and easy-to-use, and it accepts popular Glock magazines. The latest version competes well with models in this class offered by other manufacturers—all thanks to a simple new twist.
