The Kel Tec KSG is a tactical shotgun with a bullpup stock, a compact frame and a high capacity, dual-tube magazine. It's designed with ease of use in mind; fewer moving parts and a less intricate set of components make the firearm functional. The Kel Tec KSG is easy to load, easy to shoot and gives users the adaptability that most shotguns don't offer. We're going to cover everything you need to know about the Kel Tec KSG and compare it to some other options in the market.

Pricing

woman shooting with kel tec ksg

​Image by Mitch Barrie from Flickr

Not only is the Kel Tec KSG easier to use than its competitors, but the smaller number of moving parts contained within its frame allows it to sell for cheaper. While the UTAS UTS-15 goes for just under $1100, Kel Tec’s tactical shotgun goes for just $850.  Although it does not include a built-in sight like other tactical shotguns, one can easily be adapted or fit onto its frame. In fact, the sights offered by its competitors also fit onto the KSG.

How It Compares

The Kel Tec KSG is a versatile firearm that packs a punch and contains fewer moving parts. Basically, it has less of a chance of malfunctioning or jamming. Other firearms, with their intricate moving parts, jam easily and don’t always perform as advertised. But with the simple, compact design of the KSG tactical shotgun, we find that the muzzle remains clear, and the shells eject once spent.

Compared with the UTAS UTS-15, it is shorter by about two inches. The total length and weight of the KSG are twenty-six inches and seven pounds, respectively. The UTAS UTS-15 weighs the same number of pounds but carries an extra two inches in its stock, making it harder to handle and clunky in tight quarters. Likewise, the TS12 bullpup is eight pounds and twenty-eight inches, and the DP-12 is nine pounds and nineteen inches. Overall, though the KSG doesn’t come with the same features and accessories as other shotguns of similar design, it does come with parts that work reliably.

Preview

Name

Kel Tec KSG

Kel Tec KSG

UTAS UTS-15

UTAS UTS-15

DP-12 Double Barrel Pump Shotgun

DP-12 Double Barrel Pump Shotgun

IWI TAVOR TS12 Bullpup Shotgun BLK

IWI TAVOR TS12 Bullpup Shotgun BLK

Kel Tec KSG

Image source: keltecweapons

The Kel Tec KSG is an affordable and versatile firearm offering a design that gives it a great appeal and usability. Its lighter weight gives it agility, while the port below the action makes it easy to reload and eject spent casings.

Ease of Use

Although it may jam on you, the Kel Tec KSG is easy to reload, adaptable with speed loaders and not as likely to jam as other models of bullpup shotguns. We feel that because of its design, the KSG is the easiest to use bullpup shotgun and is a great firearm for beginners trying to get used to the action of a shotgun.

Design Quality

Its compact frame makes it easy to transport and carry while its materials make it durable. Because it is two inches shorter than the shortest of its competitors, the Kel Tec KSG wins in the design column.

The plastic frame may not seem like the ideal material for longevity, but the synthetic material holds up under stress. It also gives this firearm the same durability as its competitors with slightly less weight.

Also, the port for ejecting and reloading is wide, with the pump mechanism sliding over it. This gives the action a smooth feel because the grip fits in your hand better and allows for a more comfortable grip. It is, overall, the best design for a tactical shotgun that is currently available on the market.

Warranty

Kel Tec offers a lifetime warranty! This company is committed to providing their customers with excellent firearms, and they prove it with their warranty policies.

PROS

  • Easy to carry
  • Light
  • Easy to reload and not prone to jamming
  • Choke tubes are available for tighter shots
  • Best economic value for the product that you are buying
  • Made in America
  • Easy to use safety mechanism

CONS

  • Not very many accessories come with the purchase
  • It sports a significant recoil, mostly because of its diminutive weight
UTAS UTS-15

Image source: utas-usa

The UTAS UTS-15 is a great gun that comes with everything you need to have a great time shooting it. The design, though not perfect, is accommodating and the price is not too large.

Furthermore, if you operate it with care, you can circumvent many of its design flaws. Plus, the composite plastic casing built around its frame makes it just as light as the Kel Tec KSG.

Ease of Use

Though we did not have too many problems at the range, the firearm did jam a few times, and this is a problem that has plagued the UTAS shotgun line for some time. Furthermore, it is not compatible with speed loaders, and the reloading mechanisms are hard to manage with gloves on.

Design Quality

The design of the UTAS UTS-15 is not sub-par, but it does not deliver the seamless experience at the range that other bullpup shotguns give to the user. It is longer, and though it is the same weight as the Kel-Tec KSG, it does not feel as maneuverable or agile as its competitor. It does, however, come with iron sights built in.

The biggest flaw in its design lies because the reloading process is awkward and not at all easy for a left-handed shooter to pull off. Although the system is designed for ease of use in specific situations—such as when you are on your side, or even holding the firearm upside down—it does not offer the fluent shooting experience of the Kel-Tec KSG or the TS12.

One final point: the design of the firearm is not friendly to left-handed users. The direction in which the shells eject cannot be changed, and would, therefore, be throwing empty shells back into the faces of anyone who shot from their left shoulder.

Warranty

The warranty on the UTAS UTS-15 is a little less than it should be, in our opinion. It only applies if you purchased your firearm from the manufacturer directly, and even then, it only lasts for one year.

Compared with other warranties offered on similar shotguns, this offer does not even compare, especially when one considers the sophisticated design and the intricacy of its loading mechanisms.

PROS

  • Widely adaptable with a large range of accessories
  • Rather cheap for its functionality

CONS

  • This shotgun jams rather easily
  • As mentioned above, the warranty does not do its easily breakable design that much just.
DP-12 Double Barrel Pump Shotgun

Image source: stdgun

The DP-12 is great for more than one reason, but one of the reasons its great is because it is a double barrel. It loads both with a single pump and carries more firepower than any other offering on this list.

Ease of Use

The DP-12 shoots quickly, has in-line feeding, and it features an ambidextrous safety switch. It also has two Picatinny rails to attach accessories to. These features make for a smooth transition for a shooter new to the firearm and its performance on the range will make anyone want to fire it again. Also, the adjustable choke that the DP-12 features further increases the versatility of this firearm.

Design Quality

The DP-12 double barrel is a wonderful firearm that has a greater capacity than either the UTS-15 or the KSG, but the increased space comes complete with a heavier weight, a bulkier frame. Despite this though, it has a faster action than either firearm and can be fired twice before needing to be racked.

The overall length is greater than the KSG. Unfortunately, since it's a double barrel, it does not shoot slug rounds as well as the Kel-Tec KSG. This is because we have found that shooters need to compensate for the difference between the right and left battle. This is a downfall that only matters when one is using slug rounds, but still, it impacts the firearm’s ease of use.

Aside from that, the rails make it adaptable to numerous different functions. The body is made of aircraft quality aluminum and is, therefore, practically indestructible, though this development is most likely what contributes to the weight jump.

Warranty

Also unlike the Kel-Tec KSG, Standard manufacturing does not offer a substantial warranty on their product. It only stretches for one year and only applies if the firearm is purchased directly from them with a warranty. That being said, the design is good enough that one shouldn’t need to employ the warranty if the firearm is properly cared for.

PROS

  • Its inline feeding system makes reloading easier
  • Larger magazine capacity that the UTS-15 or the KSG
  • It is designed to function ambidextrously

CONS

  • The double barrel muzzle can be a nuisance regarding the firearms accuracy at long range
  • This shotgun is hard on the wallet
  • It also does not come with a great warranty
IWI TAVOR TS12 Bullpup Shotgun BLK

Image source: Iwi

The TS12 is the most advanced tactical shotgun of the ones on this list. It is a gas powered firearm, has three magazine tubes, and comes with an interchangeable choke tube.

Ease of Use

The TS12 is a great firearm that is both easy to use and complex in its design. By including the rotating magazine barrels, its manufacturer ensured that the gun is easy to use and dependable.

 The user does not even need to manually rotate the barrels because the firearm’s operation does it for you. The safety and ejection are both reversible so the lefties won’t have to go through the inconvenience of taking their firearm to the shop.

Design Quality

The design of this tactical shotgun offers much in innovation and adaptability. The thread on its choke works with Beretta choke tubes, giving this firearm a wider range of use. The reloading system in the TS12 surpasses any other tactical shotgun for its innovation.

Its gas-powered operation makes it semi-automatic and does not require pumping. The triple magazine barrels all hold fifteen rounds, which means, including the one in the chamber, the firearm holds sixteen shots, giving it the highest capacity listed here.

Although the design works well overall when it is chambered with light shells it does not eject properly. This can cause jamming or other inconveniences when at the range. When using heavier ammunition, it has been shown to work perfectly, and the smooth motion of the barrel rotation makes saves energy as you use it for long periods of time.

Another design flaw we have noticed in the TS12 is that not all the mechanisms of control of the firearm can be switched from left to right-hand use without a tool. Most can, including the shell ejection, but for the extractor, one must have a pen.

Warranty

This firearm comes with a five-year warranty, which, although it does not top the Kel-Tec KSG, tops every other listed warranty here. The firearm works quite well, though the high level of design innovation makes us wonder if the five-year warranty would be enough to ensure that all of the pieces worked properly and withstood the test of time.

PROS

  • The magazine capacity is high
  • It is completely ambidextrous
  • Its gas powered system makes shooting a breeze
  • The side rails allow for a number of accessories

CONS

  • The TS12 is the largest gun listed here
  • It is also the heaviest

Conclusion

soldier carrying firearms

All four of the firearms mentioned in this list are great regarding functionality and design, though the Kel-Tec KSG is the superior choice. It is compact, easy to use, and simple. By combining a sleek and simple design with user-friendly design practices and an ambidextrous setup, the Kel-Tec KSG provides the broadest range of shooters with the most convenient product.

It may not come with all the perks of the other firearms listed here, but for the value that it comes at, this gun is worth the buy. Overall, the functionality of such a simple design is emblematic of the ingenuity at Kel-Tec, and the KSG will surely stand as a great step forward in tactical shotgun innovation.


Featured Image by Mesa Tactical from Flickr