Kel-Tec SU-16
- Category
- Carbine
- Barrel
- 406 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.10 kg
- Introduced
- 2003
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Kel-Tec SU-16 is a polymer-framed, gas-piston operated semi-automatic carbine in 5.56x45mm NATO that accepts standard AR-15 magazines. Designed by George Kellgren as a lightweight, affordable 'Sport Utility Rifle,' it weighs as little as 2 kg empty depending on variant. Distinctive features include a folding stock that can be fired from the folded position, integrated bipod-style forend, and on the SU-16A/B/C, a hollow stock that stores two spare 10-round magazines.
The SU-16's hollow stock cleverly doubles as a magazine carrier, holding two spare 10-round mags inside the buttstock and turning the rifle into its own emergency-kit ammo dispenser. The integrated bipod folds out from the forend grip, making it one of the few carbines under 5 lbs with a built-in shooting rest.
The SU-16 was Kel-Tec's first long-arm chambered for an intermediate cartridge, sharing design DNA with the company's earlier Grendel SRT-20. Currently sold by Kel-Tec under the SU16 product family.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Kel-Tec CNC Industries
- Category
- Carbine
- Country
- United States
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2003
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 406 mm
- Overall length
- 912 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.10 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated short stroke
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Trigger pull
- 27.0 N
- Capacity
- 10
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Polymer
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Parkerized
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 945 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1750 J
- Effective range
- 200 m
- Maximum range
- 600 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.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Folding stock
Ar15 magazine compatible
Integrated picatinny rail
Adjustable iron sights
Magazine storage in stock
Integrated bipod forend- Firing with stock folded
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 141 5.56x45mm NATO carbines | 2.10 kg | 2.95 kg | Among the lightest tenth |
| Overall lengthAmong 144 5.56x45mm NATO carbines | 912 mm | 838 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 150 5.56x45mm NATO carbines | 406 mm | 406 mm | Longer than about 70% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 150 5.56x45mm NATO carbines | 10 | 30 | Among the smallest capacities |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the Kel-Tec SU-16
How much does the Kel-Tec SU-16 weigh?
The Kel-Tec SU-16 weighs 2.10 kg (4.63 lb) empty. It is the 3rd lightest of 141 5.56x45mm NATO carbines in the catalogue.
What caliber is the Kel-Tec SU-16?
The Kel-Tec SU-16 is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.
How many rounds does the Kel-Tec SU-16 hold?
The Kel-Tec SU-16 holds 10 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Kel-Tec SU-16?
The Kel-Tec SU-16 is 912 mm (35.9 in) long overall, with a 406 mm (16.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Kel-Tec SU-16?
The Kel-Tec SU-16 is made by Kel-Tec CNC Industries (United States). It was designed by George Kellgren.
When was the Kel-Tec SU-16 introduced?
The Kel-Tec SU-16 was introduced in 2003.
How does the Kel-Tec SU-16 operate?
The Kel-Tec SU-16 uses a gas operated short stroke 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.
In service
- U.S. civilian market
- 2003
Provenance
Confidence in this record
78%
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-su-16' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "kel-tec-su-16", "name": "Kel-Tec SU-16", "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": "carbine", "name": "Carbine", "description": "Shortened rifles for close-quarters use" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 2003, "barrel_length_mm": 406, "weight_empty_g": 2100, "action_type": "gas_operated_short_stroke"}