Kel-Tec

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Founded in 1991
in Cocoa, Florida

  • Founded by George Kellgren in Cocoa, Florida
  • 1995 P-11
  • 1999 P-32
  • 2001 SUB-2000
  • 2003 P-3AT
  • November 2005 PLR-16
  • 2006 PF-9
  • 2007  RFB  “Rifle, Forward-ejection, Bull-pup.”
  • 2011 PMR-30
  • 2011 KSG
  • 2015 RDB

About Kel-Tec

KelTec CNC Industries is a privately owned firearms manufacturer in Cocoa, Florida, founded in 1991 by Swedish-born designer George Kellgren, who serves as its president and chief engineer. Firearms production began in 1995 with the P-11, a compact 9mm pistol. Lightweight, affordable pocket pistols such as the P-32 in .32 ACP and the P-3AT in .380 ACP made Kel-Tec a familiar name among concealed carriers.

Kel-Tec is equally known for unconventional long guns. The folding SUB-2000 carbine accepts common pistol magazines, the RFB is a forward-ejecting bullpup in .308, the KSG is a dual-tube bullpup 12-gauge shotgun released in 2011, and the RDB bullpup rifle followed in late 2015. The PMR-30, introduced in 2010, revived the 30-round .22 WMR pistol concept from Kellgren’s earlier Grendel designs. The company dropped the hyphen and became KelTec in 2021, and in 2022 it retired the PF-9 in favor of the higher-capacity P15. Kellgren received the NRA Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award in 2019.

Key Facts

  • 1991: Founded by George Kellgren in Cocoa, Florida
  • 1995: First firearm, the P-11 9mm pistol
  • November 2005: PLR-16 pistol released
  • 2010: PMR-30 .22 WMR pistol introduced
  • 2011: KSG bullpup shotgun released
  • 2021: Company name changed from Kel-Tec to KelTec

Timeline of key dates for Kel-Tec

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Sources

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