KEL-TEC Made in Usa
Not all the 5.56 made in the USA is an M4. If you are looking for a model with which to use your old M4 magazines but that allows you to carry something somewhat more striking to the battlefields, ARES has created the replica of this Kel-Tec model, including the licenses thanks to the collaboration of EMG (Evike Manufacturing Group), an American brand that has the KelTec licenses as well as those of many other brands of real weapons.
Kel-Tec is a company headquartered in Florida (United States) that, since George Kellgren (yes, that’s where the name comes from) founded it in 1991, has been building a varied catalogue of models that include, among others, the famous KSG two-barrel shotgun (2011) that we saw in movies like John Wick or video games like Ghost Recon Breakpoint, or the RDB assault rifle (2015) that we bring you today.
Say hello to the Kel-Tec RDB!
Why does it stand out?
Bullpup design
Lower ejection port
Ambidextrous fire selector
Lower ejection port
High quality nylon fibre body
Picatinny rail
Original EMG licensed markings
2x PMAG gen. magazines. 3: 130 and 100 BBs
It includes a screwdriver to regulate the hop-up.
Length: 695 mm
Weight: 3040 g
At first sight
From an aesthetic point of view, it is obvious that it is a bullpup model, which allows us to mount a longer barrel without affecting the length of the replica. A feature which is very useful for the flight of the BB to gain precision or stability without sacrificing mobility in closed spaces. The actual model was designed to be modular, with a Heckler & Koch-style pin assembly system. The ARES catalogue only offers this Kel-Tec model, but it is promising to imagine different configurations starting from such a good base material.
Sensations
When you pick it up, the feeling of the nylon fibre closely resemble the real one (which we have been lucky to be able to hold in our hands) but this doesn’t come as a surprise, since ARES will probably be the brand in the world of airsoft that works best with polymers. In addition, its three kilos are loaded towards the stock, which removes part of the weight from the arms enabling you to manoeuvre much more comfortably.
Controls
The fire selector is ambidextrous and having a rotation of less than 90º it is very quick to switch to different modes, and so is the magazine release, although it has an unusual design and works wonderfully. Now, it might take you a few reloads to get used to it and gain the speed you now have with other replicas.
What’s new
What is really new about the Kel-Tec RDB is precisely the RDB or Downward-ejection Bullpup Rifle, that is, the casings in the real model are ejected downwards, which makes it really ambidextrous, just ask a left-handed person to try it out. But this is a characteristic that in the ARES replica remains purely aesthetic because the ejection port has no use, the hop-up is regulated with a small flat-tipped screwdriver (which is included inside the pistol grip) through the hollow pistol grip.
Internal Parts
Characteristics
Type: AEG
Gearbox: EFCS
Electronic trigger: Yes
Mosfet: Yes
Fire Selector: Safe / Semi-Auto / Full Auto
Velocity: 340 FPS (depending on the country)
This AEG mounts a programmable EFCS Gearbox with a design in Tavor style of this same brand, at least in its concept. It includes a electronic trigger with mosfet (1) although we have to admit that to get there we have to go through a somewhat tedious disassembly, full of screws, in the purest Tokyo Marui style. Internally, we find ourselves a type 90 (2) spring which offers an average of 340 FPS with 0.20 g BBs; a piston (3) with full metal teeth; a cylinder and cylinder head (4) one-piece, made of aluminium and with silicone inside to minimize piston rebound; steel gears (5) like the ones we have seen mounted on other ARES replicas; high torque motor (6); and T-Dean battery connector, to maximize the contact surface and make the passage of energy more efficient.
Magazines
It comes standard with two magazines, 100 and 130 BBs, with a “magpulized” design that offers the dotting at the bottom in which to leave our tag for identification purposes, even if we lose sight of them, the non-slip texture that helps the grip when making quick reloads and a detail in the markings of these Gen3, if you look at the calibre marked on the bullet, instead of putting 5.56x45 they have changed it for a 6.00x130, this is airsoft! Don’t forget.
Conclusion
The replica’s characteristics mean that any gamer with any experience can appreciate how the creation of this replica has focused on efficiency. It is also obvious that, at a time when the airsoft market is saturated with versions of the same models, the Kel-Tec RDB is a breath of fresh air. Even so, to each his own, so it is up to you to hold it, try it and decide for yourself if you like it or love it. Don’t let our opinion influence you.
