Kel-Tec releases the new R50 Defender short barrel carbine
Kel-Tec announces the launch of the new R50 Defender semi-automatic, short-barrel rifle, chambered for the snappy 5.7×28mm round, as the third entry of the series that already includes the R50 carbine and P50 pistol
Announced on the US market on October 23th, the new Kel-Tec R50 Defender 5.7×28mm semi-automatic short-barrel rifle is a defense-oriented design conceived as an intermediate alternative to the Kel-Tec P50 pistol, first introduced in 2021, and the Kel-Tec R50 carbine launched back in January at the 2023 SHOT Show.
Kel-Tec R50 Defender 5.7x28mm short-barrel rifle – right side
Kel-Tec R50 Defender 5.7x28mm short-barrel rifle – left side
Technically speaking, the Kel-Tec R50 Defender is nothing but a P50 pistol with a 24,4 cm / 9.6” threaded barrel and a 1:7” twist rate equipped with the same type of folding stock found on the R50 carbine.
The new Kel-Tec R50 Defender is 41,6 cm / 16.4” long with its stock folded and 64 cm / 25.2” long with its stock unfolded, and weighs in at 1,95 kg (4.3 lbs) when empty.
Just like its predecessors, the P50 pistol and R50 carbine, Kel-Tec’s new R50 Defender feeds through the same translucent plastic 50-rounds rotary dispenser magazines used by the Belgian FN P90 sub-machine gun and its civilian counterpart, the long-barrel FN PS-90 carbine.
The 5.7×28mm is a snappy round, available in numerous loads for civilian purposes, from hunting to plinking down to personal, home and property defense, but the availability of 5.7×28mm ammunition in some Countries is sketchy, to say the least.
Other features of the new Kel-Tec R50 Defender include a full-length Picatinny rail for optics and a 2” bottom Picatinny rail for tactical accessories.
Additionally, Kel-Tec announced the launch of the P50 rifle kit assembly, a stock accessory for existing P50 owners that converts the P50 into a short-barrel rifle after the proper government forms are filed and approved in those Countries and jurisdictions where such prior authorization is required by law.
MSRP for the Kel-Tec R50 Defender on the US market is set at $815; for information concerning local availability and pricing outside of the US, consult the official Kel-Tec importer for your Country.