This week on Rifle Roundup, it’s a KelTec SUB2000 Gen 3, topped with a Gideon Optics Mediator sight and carried in a Leapers backpack.
Kel-Tec SUB2000 Gen 3: MSRP $511
A dozen or so years ago, you could have thrown a pebble in the pistol-caliber-carbine section of your local gun store, and it would have bounced off the original KelTec SUB2000, a few lever-action guns chambered in revolver cartridges and … that’s about it.
Times change, and the pistol-caliber carbine became a popular choice for competitive shooting, while other people began to see the advantages of having a firearm around that took the same ammunition and magazines as their carry gun but was more accurate than a pistol could be, and the KelTec SUB2000 was right there in the midst of this reinvigorated interest in this type of firearm.
The Gen3 adds a new twist to the proven SUB2000 design, as in an actual twist. The SUB2000 could always fold in half for discrete and easy storage, but the Gen3 version has a front section that twists 90 degrees as you bring the halves together. This allows you to mount optics or sights on the rifle and have them retain zero as you put the gun away.
Other than that, the SUB2000 Gen3 is pretty much a straightforward gun. It’s blowback operated with a rather decent trigger and uses 9mm Glock compatible magazines which are inserted into the pistol grip. The sides of the front of the rifle are covered with M-Lok slots and the top has a long stretch of Picatinny rail for mounting optics or sights. The barrel is threaded so you can mount a muzzle device or suppressor, and while the cross-bolt safety isn’t technically ambidextrous, it is easy to flick on or off with either your thumb or if needed, your index finger.
Gideon Mediator Red Dot: MSRP $249.99
A pistol caliber carbine like the KelTec SUB2000 is not meant for long-distance encounters. 9mm starts to run out of energy after 100 yards or so, and so mounting a magnified optic on this style of gun doesn’t make a lot of sense.
This means that a 1X dot like the Gideon Optics Mediator is a good fit for this gun. It’s small (it’s set up to use the Glock MOS footprint) and ships with a riser for use on a rifle or carbine. It has three choices of reticle: A 3-MOA dot, a 38-MOA ring or a circle-dot reticle. I prefer the circle-dot combination, as it gives me a large aiming area for those “minute of bad guy” shots up close, with a smaller dot when pinpoint precision is needed.
Battery life is good, with a motion-sensing on/off function to further extend the life of the user-replaceable CR2032 battery. The sight is also available with either a green or red reticle, and is waterproof and dustproof up to IPX7 standards. The Mediator ships with a Picatinny-compatible riser for use on an AR-15 or on our SUB2000. There are also adapters available to mount this optic on the Aimpoint ACRO footprint, the RMR footprint or a lower Picatinny mount.
Leapers Overbound Backpack: MSRP $79.97
I will never understand people who go to great lengths to make sure their concealed carry gun is not showing through their clothing and then turn around and festoon themselves with enough gun-related clothing to make a NASCAR driver jealous. I am a big believer in blending in when carrying concealed, and while some say that the MOLLE loops on this backpack are a giveaway that there’s a gun inside, after an extended people-watching session on the streets of my town, I can confidently say that nobody cares about MOLLE loops by themselves. MOLLE loops which hold magazine pouches on a back covered in gun company patches? That’s another thing.
The Leapers Overbound pack is a good example of a general all-purpose backpack. It easily holds and conceals our SUB2000, and the internal MOLLE loops are great for securing the other little bits and pieces needed to make sure you stay safe no matter where you are. There are water bottle pouches on each side, and a handy sunglasses/earphones/whatnot pouch on the top to hold frequently-accessed items. Also inside the pack is a built-in pouch for your laptop, and the rear of the back is covered with breathable mesh to keep you and your gear dry.
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