Kel-Tec KSG Tactical
- Category
- Shotgun
- Barrel
- 348 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.81 kg
- Introduced
- 2018
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Kel-Tec KSG Tactical is a short-barreled bullpup pump-action shotgun chambered in 12 gauge, a compact variant of the Kel-Tec KSG introduced by Kel-Tec CNC Industries. It shortens the standard KSG's 18.5-inch barrel to 13.7 inches, classifying it as a Class 3 Short-Barreled Shotgun (SBS) under the National Firearms Act, and trims the overall length to just 21.4 inches. Like the standard KSG, it retains the dual tubular magazine system -- here holding 5+5 rounds of 2.75-inch shells for a 10+1 total capacity -- with an ambidextrous selector that lets the shooter switch between the two tubes to feed different ammunition types such as buckshot and slugs. The bullpup layout places the action behind the pistol grip and trigger, and spent shells eject downward, making the shotgun fully ambidextrous. Picatinny rails on the top and bottom of the polymer receiver provide mounting points for optics, lights, and vertical foregrips.
By cutting the KSG's barrel to 13.7 inches, the Tactical fits a full 12-gauge dual-tube shotgun into an overall length shorter than many carbines -- but the trade-off is a federal NFA tax stamp, since anything under an 18-inch barrel is legally a short-barreled shotgun.
The KSG Tactical is regulated as a Short-Barreled Shotgun (SBS) in the United States, requiring an NFA tax stamp and ATF registration to own. Its 13.7-inch barrel and 21.4-inch overall length make it one of the most compact 12-gauge shotguns available while preserving the KSG's high-capacity dual-tube feed system. The dual-tube magazine requires the shooter to manually switch tubes with the selector lever when one tube empties, a technique that requires practice under stress.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Kel-Tec CNC Industries
- Category
- Shotgun
- Country
- United States
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2018
- Variant of
- Compact
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 348 mm
- Overall length
- 544 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.81 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Pump action
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Trigger pull
- 22.0 N
- Capacity
- 10
- Magazine
- Tube
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Polymer
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Effective range
- 40 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Bullpup configuration- Short barreled shotgun
Dual tube magazines
Ambidextrous tube selector
Downward ejection
Completely ambidextrous
Picatinny top rail
Picatinny bottom rail
3 inch chamber
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 622 12 Gauge shotguns | 2.81 kg | 3.29 kg | Lighter than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 570 12 Gauge shotguns | 544 mm | 1150 mm | Among the shortest tenth |
| Barrel lengthAmong 650 12 Gauge shotguns | 348 mm | 711 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 647 12 Gauge shotguns | 10 | 3 | Holds more rounds than about 90% |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the Kel-Tec KSG Tactical
How much does the Kel-Tec KSG Tactical weigh?
The Kel-Tec KSG Tactical weighs 2.81 kg (6.20 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Kel-Tec KSG Tactical?
The Kel-Tec KSG Tactical is chambered in 12 Gauge.
How many rounds does the Kel-Tec KSG Tactical hold?
The Kel-Tec KSG Tactical holds 10 rounds, fed from a tube magazine.
How long is the Kel-Tec KSG Tactical?
The Kel-Tec KSG Tactical is 544 mm (21.4 in) long overall, with a 348 mm (13.7 in) barrel.
Who makes the Kel-Tec KSG Tactical?
The Kel-Tec KSG Tactical is made by Kel-Tec CNC Industries (United States). It was designed by George Kellgren.
When was the Kel-Tec KSG Tactical introduced?
The Kel-Tec KSG Tactical was introduced in 2018.
How does the Kel-Tec KSG Tactical operate?
The Kel-Tec KSG Tactical uses a pump action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
68%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/kel-tec-ksg-tactical' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "kel-tec-ksg-tactical", "name": "Kel-Tec KSG Tactical", "manufacturer": { "id": "kel-tec", "name": "Kel-Tec CNC Industries", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1991, "website": "https://www.keltecweapons.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "version": "510f94db90ac830742510a5176f9b1dc25a2e3bbf433e5f56f499b8b623d8511" }, "category": { "id": "shotgun", "name": "Shotgun", "description": "Smoothbore firearms designed to fire shot or slugs" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 2018, "barrel_length_mm": 348, "weight_empty_g": 2812, "action_type": "pump_action"}