My AUG A3 would have weighed 8.8 lbs with the intergral optic, with a micro RDS it weighed 8.2 lbs ) My RDB 6.7 pounds ..with a RDS . tangible weight difference.  I have never fired an AUG A1 so cant comment on trigger. I know my A3 trigger was a mushy unpredictable mess before i put a Nuetrigger in it...cleaned it up some.  The RDB shoots just as well as the AUG at about 2 MOA in my hands.  You dont need to hope that the RDB has solved all of the ergonomic deficiencies in the bullpup design, RDB eliminated all of the deficiencies except for accuracy.  I like the AUG... enoughto have paid $1860 for one,,,still like it...but I'm not married to it.  i can point out the flaws in its design with no remorse or regret...thats just what the AUG is.  

I have a few problems with the RDB also. I wish they would have made the barrel 16 inches and went with a heavier profile. i wish they had stuck a stiff metal shank molded into the handguard to add rigidity to the barrel instead of being a flex liability to the pencil barrel. i wish the gas settings were more defined.  Nothing is perfect.  But RDB came alot closer to the mark in ergonomics

Your A1 may be lighter than the A3 and from what you posted that seems to be the case... but i cant go out and buy a new A1...only an A3. So my comparison is to the A3

What mcantu says...

Again, I base these remarks on the old AUG that I have compared to the new RDB (I haven't played with or handled any of the newer AUGs).

The AUG with 20in. barrel weighs 7.9 lbs, but contains a great optic (although 1.5x).

The RDB with 17.3in. barrel weighs 6.9 lbs with no sights.  Add the Bushnell 1-4x24 (17.3 oz.) on the Burris PEPR (9.7 oz.) and, well, you see where I'm going here.  And that doesn't even count the Magpul SFG-2 or rail cover (although, admittedly, both are light).

As mentioned, the trigger of the RDB is better.  Having said that, the trigger on the AUG I have is quite decent and certainly not any deal breaker in favor of the RDB.

Why would you even think of removing the trigger pack in the AUG for normal cleaning?  Straw-man arguements always suck...

While the RDB is relatively easy to break down for cleaning, I think that the AUG is even easier.  Push a button and remove the barrel.  Pull the rest of the innards out the front of the stock.  Hardly hard...  And if you want to pull the trigger pack, that's a snap too...

One potential problem with the AUG is the gas piston spring.  In the early guns, they were known to rust if the gas system wasn't cleaned when the gun was shot.  Condensation formed in the gas block/cylinder and the spring was made out of a material that is not resistant to rust.  And it is fairly thin and fragile (not in terms of breaking, but rusting).  Having said that, the gas system is pretty easy to clean, just don't lose the spring (I bought several just in case since I suffer from OCD (), but I'm still on the original one...

Personally, I don't think that the gas system of the RDB is easier to clean, although it's also pretty easy.

Having so many adjustments to the gas system requires you to know where you are when you pull things apart for cleaning in your RDB (although most of what needs to be done can avoid this).  I have only fired two loads in my RDB to date, and both worked fine with the same gas (M193).  If I switched to something else, I could easily need to reset the gas.  If I set the gas in 100 degree F heat in the summer, I may well have to reset it if fired in 30 degree F times.  In the AUG, I have fired several different rounds and they have all always worked with the small gas setting.  While the RDB might be theoretically 'better,' the AUG is probably practically better...

The RDB feels boxier in my hands, and slightly more clunky.  I like it a lot, but it isn't as svelte as the AUG.  To my old eyes, the AUG looks better due to the blended lines.  Don't even ask me what I think about the looks of the Tavor...

While a very subjective thing, the AUG feels quicker in movement in my hands than the RDB, even though it has a barrel nearly three inches longer (with the additional 100-120fps velocity increase with M193 ammo in a cartridge where speed kills).  I think that this has mostly to due with slight differences between the two guns in their balance point.

Although the RDB is somewhat boxier than the AUG, I don't mean that in the same way I would mean it if talking about that shoebox called the FN FS2000.

I could go on and on, but that's probably enough.  My writing teacher always said, "Short and sweet is better."  I have said that I like both the KelTec RDB and the Steyr AUG, but for somewhat different reasons.

In addition, I must have better luck that some here (Naw, I know that's not true.  Ever heard that old saying, "If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all?")  I have a number of KelTec products and have had pretty good luck with all (that includes a PMR-30, a CMR-30 and an RFB).  All have worked well for me when used appropriately.

A number of people here have said something to the effect that, if you've always wanted something (whether a good idea or bad), it's probably a good idea to go with that...  And, with the AUG, it's not a bad idea to begin with...

Forrest

Another numbered list to keep my reply organized.

1. Weight: RDB 6.7 pounds. My AUG without all the accessories, 7.5 pounds. Its 8.5 with a Ta33, sling, cleaning kit in stock, and magpul pro sights.
2. Separate piston? I haven't cleaned mine much since the initial cleaning. So, not really an advantage or disadvantage.
3. Well, suppressed goes to the RDB then I guess.
4. You don't need to clean the trigger pack. Hell, the only reason I ever open the buttpad is for the cleaning kit.
5. If its a piston, there's going to be build up to scrape eventually. The only way around it is if you white glove it after shooting it a little.
6. Mushy trigger? Doesn't feel mushy to me. While "heavy" it certainly isn't mushy. At least mine isn't.
7. It isn't tedious, it takes so little time it doesn't really meet the mark for that word. A brass deflector also goes a long way.
8. Well, you admitted its built like a tank. It also doesn't weigh like one though. Actually, the AUG is my lightest rifle.  
9. Again, push bolt and that's pretty much all that's needed to take it apart to clean. It has that over the RDB.
10. Cleaning kit again. You can store one in the stock, so it also has that over the RDB.
11. Back to the thinner/fatter comment. There's no advantage over it being thinner. An advantage would be less stuff on the sides to snag on, both of them require a new charging handle for that.

As I said earlier, the only thing the RDB really has is its ambidextrous. And suppressor friendly out the box I guess.

RDB gas system is pretty much self cleaning...big ole rod and tube like an AK, run a brush down it every 1K rounds and you will be just fine.... Look at the buildup of carbon around the gashole inb the AUG piston if you try that many rounds without cleaning. i know its a pain in the ass to clean mine if i let it go that long. An added procedures to clean the AUG piston... another step with small pieces. Not so with the RDB.  The Bolt in the RDB is much easier and faster to disassemble and clean than the AUG. There are simply less peices and less steps to perform , this isnt subjective

I always took out my trigger pack if only to blow it out, so its not a straw man ..subjective yes...not a strawman.

Trigger in the RDB is tangibly lighter and more predictable than the AUG...point in favor of the RDB never said it was a dealbreaker...strawman arguements suck dont they?

The RDB is lighter and more intuitive to me all the way around including point and shoot...it is boxier than the molded body of the AUG...but it is also thinner and a lb lighter

RDB doesnt weigh 6.9 lbs.  factory specs say 6.7...my  calibrated scale says 6.5.  My AUG with a 16 barrel and and long rail weighs 7. 8-9 lbs ( scale flucuates)...  You cant try equivocate weight when you are adding a pig of an optic with an anchor of a  mount.  Compare the two with equal optics... in my case its an RDS and the AUG weighs over a LB more everytime...if I toss on my Steiner 1x5 and mount...both get heavier by the same amount

My comparison to the AUG A3 new manufacture...not a 30 year old model..

You are right..those are the only two things...if you ignore the lighter trigger and less weight.  

If the AUG is the lightest rifle you own...you dont own an RDB.  

Guess you dont dissasseble and clean your bolt either along with your piston....Hey..I'll stop cleaning my RDB altogether ...can I now claim its easier to clean than the AUG?

Aug will never be suppressor friendly...the Ratworx suppressor built especially to address the over pressure and piston pop is a costly one trick pony of a suppressor...if you can find one

No they arent. The trigger is better for people  that prefer crisp predictable lighter triggers...thats almost all people...I have yet to run into a person that is looking to make thier trigger mushier and heavier...and I'm 50 years old..dont think i'm going to run into that one guy the rest of my life...unless you are that guy...then yes, that is a subjective opinion.

Take both rifles apart for cleaning dissassemble the bolt and the gas system for cleaning..reassemble..see if that is subjective.  AUG more parts more steaps... RDB less parts less steps

if you think that stating the RDB is a much better suppressor host than the AUG...you must like piston pop and gas face when you shoot suppressed...because thats what you get when you shoot the AUG suppressed....You dont get piston pop or gasface when you shoot the RDB suppressed...or overpressure rough cycling action

I do clean my bolt, it just isn't difficult if at all. Considering I don't clean my guns very often.

You're right, I personally don't own an RDB. I know someone who does. And the weight difference really isn't significant. I'm not ignoring the less weight, I'm saying it isn't a significant enough of a difference to say its an advantage.

The trigger is lighter, okay. But not much of an advantage to me. If it was 2 stage out of box, I'd give it to the RDB. Even then, its still just subjective.

The only things the RDB has objectively, is its ambidextrous and suppressor friendly out of box. Everything else would be subjective.

It is subjective if you like a heavier trigger.... do you like a heavier trigger?

I didnt say it was difficult to clean the AUG bolt or diassemble it...I said it was easier to do it on the RDB because its designed with less parts and less dissassembly.  

I love my AUG and can point out its shortcomings to a superior design... all you are doing is acknowledging those flaws and saying they are irrelevent to you..... THATS is the definition of being subjective in your observations

Did I say I like a heavier trigger? No. I said it doesn't matter to me. Its subjective whether a trigger weight matters. Again, the trigger being an advantage or disadvantage is subjective. If the trigger doesn't bother someone, then its subjective. There's no way of it being objective, short of it bothering every single person.

Are you also suggesting that its easier to clean a RDB bolt? Looks to me its about the same in difficulty in cleaning it for both of them when looking at the RDB's owner manual.

I can have my AUGs completely apart in about a minute, so I don't see what the issue is.

And two of them are suppressed.

I don't know about you all, but I'm convinced. Going to sell all my AUG's and replace them with RDB's...

OP, buy whatever you want. You want an AUG, then buy one to fulfill that desire. An RDB isn't going to satiate that want.

I can also have my AUG apart in under 2 minutes...and yet i must acknowledge that i can have my RDB apart , cleaned and assembled quicker..... Its alot like these kettle bells i have.  I can lift and throw around the 25lber alot easier than the 35lber ...but i cant say with any shred of logic or honesty that the 35 lber is just as easy to throw around (as the 25lber) because  its also not a challenge.    I can  suppress my AUG and the RDB...the RDB  is more quiet  more controlled and less gas ejection.... same logic as the kettle bell example should be used here

barring the sarcastic segue....Totally agree. OP wants an AUG for having an AUG sake..by all means...it a solid gun. OP asked for opinions and the pros and cons of each gun. I gave them honestly. Fanboys of platforms tried to rationalize them away,
minimize them...call the differences irrelevant ( and they may be if the O.P wants an AUG because he simply loves the way they look or whatever his reason may be).

Owning both rifles, i would have loved to know what I know now about the function and performance of each rifle.  I dont understand this illogical denial of the shortcomings of the AUG design...its still a great bullpup and it brings its own qualities to the table...its just not the only great bullpup

True. I think when the Lithgow/Thales F90 appears, it'll be very popular.

Just for shits n giggles I checked to see how long it takes me to field strip my AUG. Without even hurrying, it took about 30 seconds (including gas system and trigger pack)

Yep...I can do the RDB faster than that...plus there are NO small parts to keep track of..... one pin tilt...remove everything at once...and thats just doing it withou rushing to see how fast i can do it....very field freindly. i can also dissassemble my AUG in under 45 secs if the piston isnt caked with carbon.  i am care about where i do this for speed and practice as i dont want to lose a spring or pin. i dont dissasemble the bcg though...havent timed it that way

When i first got into Bullpups I already had an SBR and commented on the SBR section... Bullpups were mentioned and I brought up the attributes of the Bullpup platform and how it was superior to the SBR in several ways, not all ways but several....those guys acted like the advantages were so negligible that they were not worth mentioning...it was surreal...I shouldn't have been surprised that bullpup fanatics would be the same way....at least the SBR cheerleaders were defending against an entirely different platform that negated many of the advantages that they had to jump through hoops to attain.... here..its just brand loyalty...you all are as bad as Colt and SBR fanboys
.....

I'm in favor of both. MG/SBR bullpups FTW! 

Attached File

haha yep ,  can't go wrong there

The deal is done.  OD Green A3M1 with the NATO stock.  1800gunsandammo.com (their store front is in Arlington) had them in stock and I picked it up for 1705 (before tax) they were having some kind of 4th of July deal going on.  Was going to go with the standard AUG stock but they didn't have any in and I figured I already had a big ass pile of AR magazines so I might as well go ahead and go this route even if I loose the bolt release feature



I've got a Holosun 403C (Solar/Battery powered) on the way for it that should be here Saturday.  I figured a space gun deserves an optic powered by the stars.  

I was going to put my TLR-1HP on there but the bezel is so large it just barely rubs the reciever so I may put either my TLR-1VIR on there or order another TLR-1 or TLR-1HL to throw on there.  My other standard TLR-1 lights are being used on my pistols.

congrats

Very nice! 

I'd say that is a bit unfair and you have been throwing around hyberbolic statements of your own. Like saying the AUG weighs as much as a tank for a 1 lb weight difference . 1 lb exactly for short rail 1.1 for high rail on the AUG A3 M1 going off steyr's website.

Does the RDB have a better trigger? From all accounts yes that is a definite advantage.

Is the more adjustable gas system better? That depends for supressed use yes otherwise moot point to potentially a derogatory one with adding another part that can need periodic cleaning or reduced reliability if you really tailor it to one set of circumstaces or load then change them.

The cleaning thing. Id argue there is no point for either side there both are easy and in what world are we living or dieing on reassembling a dissembled rifle to get into a fight? Me and generations of servicemembers haven't had a problem cleaning m16s in the field. I never even lost the cotter pin. I can't actually think of a single instance of one really getting lost the entire time I was in and that bitch is tiny. Some parts you can just leave be. For instance if I just needed to wipe down the bcg and didn't shoot that much I'd take it out and wipe the whole thing down shove it back in good enough. An example would be the AUG's gas piston does it need to be taken out and cleaned all the time? Not really. On the MSAR I owned which was just a knock off AUG I went over 1k rounds without cleaning the piston once that never caused a malfunction though it was a bitch to get it unstuck when I finally cleaned it before selling it. The trigger pack part well I don't see the need and others didn't either hence why they disagreed with you on counting that part against it for cleaning.

People have different thoughts on certain things so they wont always agree with you. For example you really like the downward ejection. I think its as stupid as forward ejection like on a fs2000 or RFB. I like to be able to cant my rifle at 45 degree pull the charging handle and inspect my chamber easily not awkwardly flip my rifle upside down and fumble around with pulling back the charging handle to observe the chamber or fix an issue or flip up a toilet seat or whatever you have to do with RFB. The potential ambi goodness it imparts is very meh to me im right handed and in stressful situations unless I absolutely have to I am shooting right handed accuracy goes down with stress to begin with so I figure I might as well stack the deck as much in my favor by shooting with my dominate hand as possible. Does that mean you are a "fanboy" for liking it? No it just means we have different expectations and thought processes on the subject. It simply isn't as cut and dry as say 5.56 out of a 10" barrel will not perform the same as out of a 16" to take it to the sbr example you brought up.

Lastly I hold Kel Tec in low esteem and they have earned that with a crappy pistol of their's I had the displeasure of dealing with. One of their little .380 jobs. It would either launch the extractor every shot or simply let go of the shell casing and leave it in the chamber. This was because instead of them putting a proper one on it was basically free floating with a little hole it rode in on the slide with a flat spring holding it in place which was held in place with a allen screw if memory recalls. A cheap half assed way to do things which sucked at its job. Completely different product of theirs I know but things like this have earned them the low reputation that they hold in a lot of the firearms field. Then add on whenever they have a new product and its unobtainable you have people coming to the forums bitching about things like welds breaking at low round count or sending their guns back multiple times to get it fixed or in the case of that 22 magnum pistol they had kel tec bragging about it sending it with one of their people to show off to a youtuber and when it completely failed then they went back to the drawing board and redesigned parts because it wasn't reliable. I think George Kelgram is a pretty bright designer who comes up with interesting concepts but I think he half asses the implementation which leads to mediocre final products.

Oh and I own neither rifle at this time im happy with my tavors though I would like to add a real AUG to the stable some day so I don't really have a dog in the fight just my opinion on the matter.

Congratulations...

Have great fun with it...

Forrest

And this sums it up.  KelTec comes up with some fabulous designs, and then botches the production.  The RFB should be a GREAT rifle.  It should have ended the "I wish someone made a .308 bullpup" conversation.  Instead, it has a reputation as a breakage prone jam-o-matic disappointment.  Just like many of KelTec guns.   There's just too many stories again and again of people getting shoddily made guns from KelTec, for me to be beating down the door to get a KelTec anything.

1.2 pound difference in weight is pretty substantial in an item that weighs less than 10lbs.  its would be like  I(proportionally) gained 30lbs instantly...or added 7 lbs to my field load out. That may not interest you  but it doesnt negate the fact that the difference exists and is an advantage.

You bring up the RFB...whose jam-omatic problems are 90% user induced. A buddy of mine would complain costantly about how crappy his RDB was...until i showed him how to properly set the gas system and anticipate settings for running suppressed or low pressure ammo.  Due to the completely differnt mechanical make of the RDB vs the RFB that line of reasoning is a non-sequitur .  The RDB hasnt been spotless in QC..it has very few complaints vs other keltec builds and the great majority of reviews are great as far as function goes. i modified all my ARs with adjustable gas blocks...all run perfectly. i can make them jam by just screwing with the settings on the gas block...does tha mean the gun sucks?

The fact that the RDB  has less moving parts and is easier and faster to clean and disassemble is fact. Your opinion doesnt change facts.  Just like an AK is faster and easier to clean than an AR.... just is.  

You have a point about the ease of checking malfunction or status of chamber ...a 45 or 90 degree tilt is easier and faster than a a 180 flip. i full acknowledge that as a weakness of the RDB. The AUG doesnt offer any advantage in clearing any said malfunction ...but it would be quicker to spot.

Try doing a shoot house with the AUG and then do it with the RDB...the difference is readily apparent. Did that stop me from keeping my AUG...nope. But my AUG doesnt go to shoothouse drills or the first thing i grab when i hear a disturbance in the middle of the night. YOU dont care about ambidextrous advantage. Doesnt nagate that it exists

the gas system is stupid simple and self cleaning...i havent cleaned mine beyond running a brush down it for shits and giggles.  The adjustability that you see as a potential fail point exists in the AUG also.

The most telling flaw of your arguement is that you had use the RFB to cast a bad light on the RDB...and you had to minimize or disregard fact in order to prove neglible the ifferences are ...In your opinion. i simply aswred the questions posed by a potential customer with facts...i have no need to defend my choice of buying the RDB and loving it against purchasing an AUG...i have both...i love both...One  seems more durable....one is better ergonomically... FACTS

I wouldnt have a leg to stand on to debate  ..with this simple response

"I dont care what advantages the RDB offers. I prefer the AUG becaue it has a longer track record of durability".

The AUG is a great gun, you will not be disappointed. Congrats .  Ggreat choice on the optic. i have 2 Holosun optics 2 years old same battery solid optic for the cash.

Don't forget the $100 rebate.

https://steyrarms.com/Rebate%20Form_Memorial%20Day%202017_Steyr%20Arms.pdf

Awesome thanks  They didn't mention that at the shop lol

I never said it wasn't an advantage weight wise. I simply had an issue with the hyperbolic statement of it being as heavy as a tank because of the weight difference. The AUG DOES weigh more than the RDB. However it falls well within the weight of military long arms going back over a century. Using your example of a shoot house. I once did one with a m249 with either a nutsack or the full 200 rnd belt box I forget which. That was a tank and definitely not a great use for that weapon. Also both the RFB and AUG would excel at something like that because of the way they balance making high ready less tiring to hold for prolonged periods.

The point I was trying to make was that many of your positives were subjective and not absolute. You even reinforced my point on adjustable gas systems as you know lots of people who those have resulted in malfunctions for them while since you know what you are doing and run cans are a great improvement in quality of life for you with less blow back.

A non gun example say we were discussing an SUV. We bring up fuel economy, horses power, towing capacity, etc. Those are concrete. Like weight or trigger pull. Now how much the end user cares about those things tips what they are going to buy based on their use. Like a soccer Mom won't care about HP or tow capacity as much as fuel efficiency. I was simply arguing features you like don't necessarily mean clearly superior its subjective. That's also why I didn't mention Ergonomics at all. They are very subjective. I would very much every day of the week chose the safety selector of a RBD over a AUG. In fact I thought it was a definitive draw back until someone on here one day pointed out that it's easier to use crossbolt with winter gloves on I had never thought of that before then. To go back to the SUV parallel. It would be like arguing about one model doing better with snow chains. Would that matter at all to someone who lived in Phoenix Arizona? No pretty damn subjective.

As for the RFB I was trying to list completely ambi bullpups with non standard ejection hence the RFB and FS2000 as well as the RDB to illustrate an issue I find with all of them. Hence the comment about flipping a gun over ala rdb, flipping a toilet seat fs2000 and the I don't know what you do with a rfb. Take out the mag rack the action look in there? Disassemble? I didn't base my whole argument on comparing the AUG to the RFB. It looks like Kel Tec learned some lessons from the RFB to make the RDB a better weapon actually.

Lastly I don't think their argument boils down to simply AUG is old so good RDB change is bad. The RDB has some improvements I aknowledge. Some things are subjective. Then on top of it all you have the albatross of being made by Kel tec hanging from its neck. Who would they be in the auto world Fiat maybe? If ruger copied it and built them better like they did with the LCP or LC9 for instance that would raise my interest some. But hey even the brand thing is subjective. If you have faith in Kel Tec engineering and QC then what is a huge draw back to me might be nothing for you. Hence my issue with your ermygerd you are all fanboys that's why you don't like my rifle of choice post of yours I initially quoted.

PS: I also think a AR is easier to disassemble/reassemble than a AK the top cover and getting the carrier on the rails causes me more problems than shotgunning a AR dumping the bcg then shoving it back in latter. Also I'm glad you are enjoying your RDB. The world would suck without variety.

+1.  Steyr Aug prices as well as magazine prices have come down in the last 2 years. I have a Steyr Aug, but, I never had an RDB. I did however, have an RFB that was garbage. From the cheap, brittle, plastic stock to the weird accordion style receiver that didn't totally separate from the cheap plastic frame, I hated that rifle. It came brand with a empty brass ejection chute that was too small. After firing a few rounds a shell casing jammed up in the chute. KelTec did have great customer service and sent me a brand new ejection chute that was enlarged. Steyr just produces a much better quality product than KelTec and you will pay more for it. But, quality is worth it.

AUG if you can afford it.

No ermygerding here haha...Don't forget , my selection  of bullpups are limited to two and one of those is an AUG.  
If you try out the RDB and the AUG back to back in close quarters, with lots of doorways or corners, you will greatly appreciate the downward ejection and the 1 lb difference. The weight diff can be tangible when shooting one handed while opening doors etc. The exact  cheek weld and sight picture without brass pelting your face is a godsend.
I have no faith in QC  from Keltec , I just haven't seen any problems in the three Keltec firearms I have owned. So to summarize my whole point for posting on this thread. It wasn't to denigrate an old warhorse like the AUG, it's a great weapon. I did want to highlight the excellent performance of the RDB and the shortcomings it resolves and the fact that at $1k , it is an excellent bang for the buck.

As far as the AK vs AR ease and speed...some AKS are more difficult than others. My Veper and Mpap are a breeze to pop the cover off and field strip. No complaints on any of my AR'S though may not be as fast to clean for me...but they are more accurate and lighter.

I'll chime in one more time. While I've never owned an AUG (Austria's Ugly Gun lol) I've sent quite a few rounds downrange from them. Having retired my 07FFL /02SOT last February after being in the business building AK's, AR's and Bolt guns for well over 25 yrs I've been around the horn so to speak. I have no negative experience with Keltec personally but, I've seen enough of it online. Having said that, not one manufacturer that I know of doesn't have their share of issues with QC from time to time. I've owned my RDB for a couple of weeks now and have right at 1000 flawless rounds thru it. Accuracy and reliability to date have been perfectly acceptable for a "Battle rifle". The design is outstanding and very simple to maintain and operate. It addresses a lot of the negatives found in other  bullpup designs. I will only judge this rifle by it's own attributes and or deficiencies not by past performance of other completely different designs by the same manufacturer. I think Keltec has a winner on their hands and as of right this moment I would have NO fear taking it to arms to defend my family and my home.


Carry on.....

Agreed, judge by whats in your hands...I love the simplicity of the RDB ...disassembly and cleaning remind of in some ways of an AK.

I have owned both rifles. I no longer have the AUG (A1) as I sold it, but I still have my RDB. For me, the only issue with the RDB is QC and reliability. Mine had an extractor pin fall out, but it
was an earlier model, and it has since functioned perfectly since being replaced with a properly sized extractor pin. That aside, the RDB outshines the AUG by nearly every metric. In my hands, it does feel significantly lighter. It feels almost like it weighs nothing when held in the shoulder one handed. While the difference may be only a pound, it feels significant when handling the RDB and transitioning between targets. The trigger for the RDB is noticeably better. I have a Colt 6920 with a geissele SSA trigger, and I would almost rate my RDB trigger as feeling as good as the Geissele. It is light, crisp, lacks any creep and almost feels 2 stage with the wall before the break. While my AUG trigger wasn't bad, it had a tad more creep than my RDB. I could field strip my AUG very quickly, but I always took extra care to disassemble the BCG. It just felt more complicated to take apart, especially the way the firing pin had to snap back into place. The RDB definitely does feel "AK simple" when disassembling it. There are so few parts, the barrel and chamber are actually just as accessible as the AUG and more so than any other rifle I've seen. The RDB charging handle is folding and can be effortlessly swapped during a field strip if one is inclined. I feel like magazine changes are faster with the RDB simply because the magazine can be quickly dropped with the firing hand, rather than needing my support hand to remove it like one needs to with the AUG (This is my primary criticism of the AUG, and why it is not my go-to rifle).  Overall, my vote goes to the RDB simply because I think the handling and manual of arms feels faster and more intuitive. Quite simply, the RDB feels significantly lighter, faster, more intuitive, and overall just feels like it is more naturally fitting for my body/hands, and most people I know who've handled it have said the same thing. And it feels so tiny compared to the AUG, it's a joy to just handle. As Brutus stated, the AUG is built like a tank, and will run flawlessly every shot.  I feel like if Keltec could guarantee QC and reliability as much as any other quality rifle, it would be superior to any other 5.56 fighting rifle in every way.

I'm assuming that the A1 was a 20" since that's what pretty much all of them were. A better comparison would be to one with a 16" barrel.   A 16" A1 (with built-in optic) only weights 0.6 pounds more than an RDB without an optic

I had an original AUG SA and the built in carry handle optic wasn't that great.  Looking down a long tube at a non-illuminated 1.5x donut of death, plus you needed that small two-pronged key to adjust windage and elevation.  Maybe fine back in the day, but most modern shooters want something better.  They saw the light with the A3 and just put a rail on top.

I think it largely comes down to what you are buying.  Are you buying a weapon, that works, will work, has to work, or a piece of sporting goods equipment.  The mission drives the gear.  I would also say that the question is sort of silly.  One gun is a modular, intermediate caliber weapon with a long history of hard use and actually shooting bad guys, and one is a Keltec MBR.  Its a bit like saying "should I buy a Toyota Tacoma or a Dodge Cummins Diesel king cab".  They are both trucks, but aside from that, they are very different.  THese two are bullpups, but that is really about it.  

I have trained with .mil, and LEO and civilian shooters over a couple of decades.  Can you point to any armed body of people, regardless of quality, that are  issued Keltecs?  IS the Rdb in service with anyone doing operational work?Look at the way they are built.  Two plastic halves, welded and screwed together.  Screws (unpinned) on guns are evil.  Also, I love the "Aside from reliability and durability.... " the RDB is better.   That is like saying "well other than that Mrs Lincoln, how was the play"?  For a weapon, reliability and durability are the first 2 things that matter.  

OP, you made the right choice.  I wish Keltec would take their GENIUS for design and build heavy duty versions of their design.  I would buy a 1000 dollar SU2000, if it built robustly.  

I am totally  ok with folks says "Keltecs are good for the money".  "Keltec is what I have because I am a low wage worked and its what I can afford".  "Keltec has some interesting designs", But when it goes to "Keltec is as good as...", the shark gets jumped.

If your sole criteria is reliability and durability, then yes, the AUG wins out. But every other metric, including weight, handling, magazine changes, ambidexterity, ease of use, stripping, etc. Then
the RDB wins out against every rifle. If Keltec made a quality hard-use replica of their RDB that could handle long term abuse and not fail, I would pay a few thousand for it instead of any
other 5.56 rifle.

AUG ...   all day & every way...

Except design and function...but if reliability IS everything...by all means AUG

I have been Mil.... am currently LEO...am currently a Firearms Instructor and an Armorer.  I bought the Keltec RDB with no long term war-plans in mind.... anybody buying a rifle based on a strict first and foremost criteria of "has it been in battle, is it issued by a military or  law enforcement agency...are operators operating with it?  Look no further than an AK or AR15...ignore bullpups completely.   Now to civilian shooters that want an intuitive, inexpensive well-designed bullpup rifle...because they like bullpup rifles, I have no problem reccomending the RDB from Kel-Tec as the cheapest ,best design, greatest bang-for-the-buck.  If the shooter was in the "1k+ rounds a month club" An AUG would be recommended as a solidly built bullpup.

Civilians buying weapons based on criteria of long term warfighting...thats like city folks buying a vehicle based solely on offroad performance.

I disagree.  A successful military track record points to longevity, quality of materials, and a product improvement cycle.  Not all military rifles are created equals (Like say an SA80).  But to say it is not relevant is like saying "don't ask what kind of fire extinguisher the fireman have in their aid car, just buy whats cheap at Walmart - its not like you are going to be fighting fires."   I am not in the market for sporting goods equipment.  I buy weapons, and if a gun is screwed together, from a company with known QC issues, and is not being used by any armed group as an issue weapon, than I would be inclined to pass.  If I was in the market for a short 308 to use as a brush gun and hunt deer with, the RDB would be worth a look - at least until the Tavor gets tested.

Congrats on your AUG!  

Enjoy your rifle.  

S

The L85 is a good example of problems with .mil issue weapons, mostly revolving around the old, 'not invented here' reason for passing something over (although the L85 is really an AR-18 made shorter and less reliable ).  OK, so that's not quite fair, but whatever...

We all know the T48 story...

Having said that, my understanding is that DoD has approved the Keltec RDB for special operations use, not a .mil issued weapon but allowed for use.  Perhaps not much, but still something...

Forrest

There are alot of great guns out there with absolutely no military or war history. Logic dictates that if a military/war service record is paramount ..an AR 15 or an AK is the best choice out there.  

The screws on the Kel-Tec dont bother me anymore than the screws on an FS 2000...screws in my Picatinny rails...screws in my Geissele FF rails..screws  in my bolt action rifle barrel pillars..hell, the rivets in my AKs dont even bother me. If they are  put in right and checked...they arent a problem

https://youtu.be/w3R7ck9UPfs

fixed

I lusted for an AUG for decades and when I got it, it was ho-hum to me, so I sold it.

I'd go for the RDB today.  If I find it ho-hum, I'll sell it.

Haha!... ok..in its wheelhouse, no argument here