Like it or not, the KelTec KSG started the current trend of bullpup shotguns. Sure, they existed before, but no one really cared. These days, companies like S&W are producing bullpup shotguns. The idea has gone mainstream, with the concept of increased capacity via multiple tubes. The KSG, the S&W M&P 12, the IWI TS-12, and more use dual tubes to provide more ammo without the bulkiness of magazines.
KelTec is not a company you’ll see with big military and police contracts. Their weapons are focused on the civilian market. George Kellgren designs guns he wants to shoot. Without trying, the little company has secured numerous police contracts, and the KSG in particular has seen use by numerous police and military forces around the world.
This fascinates me. KelTec isn’t Remington or Benelli; they aren’t a name that gets tossed around in the duty shotgun world. Yet, they’ve found themselves in the hands of professional shooters around the world, and we are going to talk about who exactly is using the KSG professionally.
Who is Not Using the KSG?
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is not using the KSG. The KSG often gets attached to the U.S. prison system due to this bizarre company that called itself US CSOG, which stood for United States Corrections Special Operations Group. While that sounds like a government agency, it was a private company.
What exactly they did has always been a mystery to me. They are gone now, but they used to show up at SHOT Show Range day and do a demo for KelTec and the KSG. Doing a little research shows they offered some training to corrections departments. They changed their name to C-SAU.
Who Is Kind Of Using the KSG?
One user of the KSG is the Ukrainian military. It doesn’t seem to be used in large numbers. As I doomscroll open-source intelligence sources on Twitter posting Ukrainian photos, I’ve seen it a time or two. KelTec weapons are popular in Ukraine, and the SUB 2000 has been seen in action over there.
If I had to guess, these were personally owned or donated guns, rather than contract guns. Shotguns in Ukraine are used for drone control, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the role they are serving now. When you’re in their situation, you use what you have, and for drone control, the dual-tube design of the KSG is quite handy.
Australian Critical Incident Response Team
The police forces in Victoria, Australia, have put together a Critical Incident Response Team to deal with violent criminals and dangerous situations. Things like hostage situations, barricaded suspects, and what I assume is the eventual 3rd Emu War.
This Critical Incident Response Team is a bit like a SWAT team. They often carry a variety of long guns, including the KelTec KSG. Images and video from a training exercise make it appear that the KSG is being used as a less-lethal option.
South Korean 707th Special Mission Group
The 707th Special Mission Group is the only military force I can find evidence of using the KSG. Several photos of their operators clearing buildings, taking doors, and riding in helicopters are rocking and rolling with the KSG. The 707th Special Mission Group is South Korea’s premier counterterrorism force.
I’m not an expert in Korean military forces, but the 707th seems to be focused on both internal work and external combat. How and why they use the KSG is unknown to me. As a bullpup gun, it could be a decent breaching option due to the gun’s short overall length. It’s also capable as a less-lethal option, or even an offensive weapon.
French RAID
RAID is an elite French police force. It’s an acronym, or more likely a backronym. It stands for Recherche, Assistance, Intervention, Dissuasion or, in American English, Search, Assistance, Intervention, Deterrence. The RAID guys have a history of weird weapons, like the CZ BREN 2 in 7.62×39, or the MOLOT VEPR shotgun, so it’s not a surprise they wield the KelTec.
Since they already have quite a few semi-auto shotguns, I can’t help but wonder if the KSG is for less-lethal or breaching. Those cartridges require a pump-action design to cycle. That might be the reason why we see the KSG. It’s not entirely clear, but it’s another elite force wielding KelTec’s beefy shotgun.
The Duty KSG
The KelTec KSG is a weird gun. Weird guns are KelTec’s bread and butter. Weird guns rarely make their way to the duty world, but somehow the KSG has managed to do just that. I’m not positive, but I’d hazard a guess this is the first KelTec to see such acceptance.
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