The Kel-Tec SU-16 line of folding stock .223 rifles are a fairly new option for those seeking a lightweight, compact, mid-range wilderness survival firearm. Ed Whiting puts the SU-16 through its paces and reports on what he found.

This is hopefully the first of a series of articles on compact, lightweight firearms suitable for inclusion in your survival equipment, if you are so inclined. We have a list and Ed will be working his way through them going forward.

http://www.equipped.org/Kel-Tec_SU-16_Review.htm

Doesn't the inclusion of a magazine-fed rifle in .223 make this a "survivalist" entry?

Just saying ...

While not everyone cares to include them, and you can argue the weight might be better spent elsewhere or elsewise, firearms are a perfectly appropriate tool for wilderness survival. For small to moderate size game and potentially rouge wildlife, .223 is a practical cartridge. I carry such a firearm myself at times. Not sure what it being a magazine fed rifle has to do with it. There's nothing in the article of a "survivalist" bent, assuming by that you mean the adverse connotations the word has taken on, and for which we avoid that term here.

Thanks for the review. I carry a older Kel-Tec 9mm Sub Rifle to compliment my G-17 in my kit. I've been looking to upgrade with a SU-16.
A .22 lr conversion kit or a few conversion cases might make the SU-16 a great camping firearm as well as a survival firearm.

Wow that was an exelent reveiw. Thanks Doug for providing the heads up and thanks Ed Whiting for writeing it.

Is there a special deal where ETS readers can get one for 1/2 off?

I can dream, can't I?

Very worthwhile review, Doug. Nice to see a test we can trust and one aimed at the ETS user. We have all seen the tester who never saw a firearm that wasn't the greatest ever made.
Some suggested guns for future testing:
AR-7: This has been around for nearly fifty years and four differant manufacturers.
Savage 24: Take a look at a couple of the older wood stocked models, such as 22 WMR/20 gauge and the little 24C Campers Companion, as well as the current (and heavier) F series.
Smith & Wesson M60, 3" barrel: You might want to compare this fine field gun to the similiar, but lighter model 360.
I've done quite a lot of work with all three and have my own observations, but I'd like to see what your reviewer has to say.

Great review!

I have been looking at the SU-16C and CA. I am holding out for one in Remington 6.8 SPC. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I have read that a survival kit with a rifle is required for flights over Canada. So a rifle is not a survivalist item.

Repeat after me... survivalist is NOT a dirty word <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Troy

If you want to use Doug's web site you have to pretend it is! <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />