I know this is an AR forum but I have a limited gun budget. I was wondering how the  SU-16CA stacked up against the Oly Arms plinker. Ive heard okay things about both.

http://www.kel-tec.com/su-16ca_rifle.htm



http://www.olyarms.com/?page=m1_plinker_models


I like the AR look but I also like how the kel-tec is sort of different. Even though it doesnt have the same style grip It looks ergonomic. Does anyone have experience with either gun? Preferably both.

My vote goes to the Oly

Save a little more to expand your options.

If not get the Olympic

Not disagreeing with you guys but what makes the oly better? Id just like to know so I cant go in with the best info.

I like Kel-Tec's idea, I just think it needs a little work, like a thicker barrel for starters. Do you live in a "ban" state? if not and you decide on the kel-tec I would get the SU16C instead of the SU-16CA.

Oly by a long shot.  The Oly has many upgrades and potential to be more gun in the long run.

If you want an AR, get one.  If you want something else, get an "other". It's not about Oly and Keltech, it AR or not an AR.

the ar is a weapon and the kel tec is a range toy.

buy the ar in parts and end up with a much better rifle than the oly.

eaglefirearms.net

As a Plinker owner, I can say its a pretty good deal. They eat whatever you feed them plus you can give em all the AR upgrades you want. The SU-16 looks nice in its own right and I'd buy one simply for its nifty folding ability, but I'd get the Oly if you want alot of aftermarket.

Quoted: the ar is a weapon and the kel tec is a range toy. buy the ar in parts and end up with a much better rifle than the oly. eaglefirearms.net

Hmm interesting take. Thanks

I dont want to spend much more than the $500 I could get a plinker for. Id like a flattop or something like this:
http://www.olyarms.com/images/k3b-mil4-a3-tc/k3b-mil4-a3-tc-side-right.jpg

but I just dont have $1000 to spend.

Quoted: If you want an AR, get one.  If you want something else, get an "other". It's not about Oly and Keltech, it AR or not an AR.

Heh. Well Ill remember that thanks. I just know if I got an AR Id want to buy every hand guard, butt-stock, and sight out there.

Quoted: Oly by a long shot.  The Oly has many upgrades and potential to be more gun in the long run.

Thanks Im leaning towards the Oly.

Quoted: I like Kel-Tec's idea, I just think it needs a little work, like a thicker barrel for starters. Do you live in a "ban" state? if not and you decide on the kel-tec I would get the SU16C instead of the SU-16CA.

Im in VA. Id get the C but I dont need the folding stock plus I cant stand how it looks.

OLY

I just need some reasions why I should get the oly. Is it so much more reliable? Accurate?

Given the two choices....Oly..IMHO

for get both of them save a little more money and do this if you want an A1
and yes you can get it with an A1 birdcage and lug

howabout a kit built AR? Oly makes some GREAT barrels but they dont put them on plinkers. if you shop well you can kit build an good AR for around $550. shop the EE.

I have an Oly Plinker and I like it a lot. It has a collapsible stock on it, instead of the fixed stock that they come with, and that is a plus to me.

But -- I have had a hankering for the Kel-Tec ever since they came out. They would make a great trunk/truck gun. Here is an article on it: Kel-Tec SU-16 5.56mm Rifle  It was written by Jeff Quinn, who knows and loves ARs.

I've got an AR built on an Oly lower and an SU16B.

I can't leave my AR alone, always something new to do to it, good obsessive/compulsive hobby.

The SU16B is nice in its own right, but my wife decided it was hers as soon as she shot it.

She loves the weight, even if she prefers a pistol grip on her rifles, and simply shoots it better.

I know it's hard to decide one or the other, but I'd go with the AR first, and follow up with a Kel-Tec once money allows.

I have an Olympic K3B and an SU-16A.  The K3B is basically a Plinker with a flat top and a collapsible stock.  It's a very accurate rifle.  The Kel-Tec is too, but as the barrel gets hot the groups upen up similar to what a Mini-14 does.  There are now versions of the SU-16 with shorter thicker barrels that should do better.  The model above does have that barrel.  

The SU-16 is a fun plinking rifle.  A combat rifle it is not.  The way it folds is neat and it can fit into a small space when folded.   I like tha fact that you can store either the two 10 round mags in the stock or 1 twenty or 1 thirty round mag there.  The Kel-Tec mags do no work in other rifles.  Any AR mag will work in a Kel-Tec.  Excellent customer service and they stand behind their product 100%.

The action is piston operated so no gasses venting into the bolt area.  I fired 1,000 rounds of Wolf 62 grain FMJ through withoug cleaning it right after I got it to test it out.  Not one problem.  Bolt was remarkable clean.  

My Kel-Tec gets lots of looks at the range and many people are curious about them.  For grins and giggles I got the short forarm grip and added a Harris bi-pod to it.  Topped it off with a T168 score and had a pretty neat looking combination.

Since you can only afford one I would go with the new Plinker.  A more robust rifle with lots of easily available parts and accessories.  More accurate and just as fun to shoot.   Since you can't do the standard ARFCOM thing and get both the Plinker is my suggestion.  No matter which way you go, you will be curious about the other rifle no matter what.  

Foxtrot,

I live an hour away from the Oly factory and here is what I recommend:

1- Buy a stripped lower of whatever brand you want locally. Here I pay $89.00 for the lowers from Oly. They give me dealer discount because I am Active Duty Military but locally your price should not be much higher or you can get good deals from guys on this board's EE section.

2- Get a kit from Oly Arms and build it yourself. All the instructions on assembly are on this board. Your kit will include absolutely everything you need to finish it off. Dont forget to order magazines. They are $20.00 each. Anyway carbine setup pricing is as follows with dealer/military pricing in parenthesis:

Carbine kit with collapsible stock and flat top upper $449.00 ($410.00)
M4 contour stainless steel barrell $60.00 ($50.00)
FIRSH handguard upgrade $78.00 ($65.00)
Detachable carry handle $95.00 ($79.00)

That's $682.00 ($604.00) Shipping is $21.00 at this price range.

I would skip the add-ons initially even the M4 contour and just go for the basic kit with the A2 upper. I've built 5 kits so far and have never had a problem. The uppers are fully assembled and test fired at the factory. You get a little tag that says who assemble it and the date they did it. The basic kit with collapsible stock and A2 upper/sights will run you $464.95 to your door. If you call and talk specifically to Skip you can probably talk him into throwing in a sling and switching the hanguards to the fat M4s with shields for free. I almost always do but I interact with him face to face. If you know someone in the military that can fax a copy an ID and buy it for you your total will be $426.95 to your door. After your local buy on the lower receiver this will put you at between $550.00 and $575.00 for a quality AR Carbine. I have the dealer catalog. Feel free to IM me with any questions. Good luck.

Luis

Get the Oly Plinker.  

neither



but out of the two i would have to choose the ar

Quoted: I have an Olympic K3B and an SU-16A.  The K3B is basically a Plinker with a flat top and a collapsible stock.  It's a very accurate rifle.  The Kel-Tec is too, but as the barrel gets hot the groups upen up similar to what a Mini-14 does.  There are now versions of the SU-16 with shorter thicker barrels that should do better.  The model above does have that barrel.   The SU-16 is a fun plinking rifle.  A combat rifle it is not.  The way it folds is neat and it can fit into a small space when folded.   I like tha fact that you can store either the two 10 round mags in the stock or 1 twenty or 1 thirty round mag there.  The Kel-Tec mags do no work in other rifles.  Any AR mag will work in a Kel-Tec.  Excellent customer service and they stand behind their product 100%. The action is piston operated so no gasses venting into the bolt area.  I fired 1,000 rounds of Wolf 62 grain FMJ through withoug cleaning it right after I got it to test it out.  Not one problem.  Bolt was remarkable clean.   My Kel-Tec gets lots of looks at the range and many people are curious about them.  For grins and giggles I got the short forarm grip and added a Harris bi-pod to it.  Topped it off with a T168 score and had a pretty neat looking combination. Since you can only afford one I would go with the new Plinker.  A more robust rifle with lots of easily available parts and accessories.  More accurate and just as fun to shoot.   Since you can't do the standard ARFCOM thing and get both the Plinker is my suggestion.  No matter which way you go, you will be curious about the other rifle no matter what.

Thanks alot! I apreciate it. Do you have any pics of your kel-tec? And thanks for giving me reasions on why I should go with one. Thanks!

Foxtrot,

I recently picked up an SU16A (first model with the funky front sight), it really is a neat little rifle and so far I have had no problems with it, in fact it likes Wolf polymer coated ammo very much, no sweat with brass either of course (I need to try some Olympic ammo I have, if it eats that it should shoot ANY 5.56/.223 ammo).

I put a Russian POSP scope with built in Weaver mount on it, clears the cheasy plastic rear aperature sight, is quick on/off and rugged as a T34. I havent benched it but hitting small rocks and cow pies out to 150 is easy (the Ruskie scope is 8x42 with a Drag reticle).

It will wander when the barrel heats up BUT, consider this, it was not designed to be a bullet hose, it is intended as a survival/emergency weapon and is well suited to the role, I would not feel handicapped at all using it for deer hunting or even self defense, it has a very reliable action similar to a Daewoo DR200 and as stated is very clean, break down is very easy and no tools are required. The sights are rudimentary but adequate, I was able to hit cow pies to 150 with them, small rock closer in, they are more than sufficient.

I would prefer to have the one in the picture you posted as mine has an 18" (+-) barrel but will still fit corner to corner in a 26" plastic tool box when folded, I might cut the barrel to 16 1/8" if I can come up with a viable front sight for it. Trigger pull is on par with any of my AR's (factory triggers) and better than some, the safety is a cross bolt and can be reversed (a little tricky but KT has very good directions in the manual). The pistol grip stock is very comfortable and the rifle shoulders and handles very well, quick handling actually and a natural pointer, LOP is decent, I have fairly long arms and find it to be comfortable.

The guy I got mine from had a great idea and purchased a 1/4" lynch pin of the appropriate lentgh to use in place of the factory rear take down pin, it is ver easy to grab the ring and yank it out, the factory pin requires a tool such as a bullet nose or a punch of some sort and is akward.

Mine will spend the summer in the afore mentioned 26" plastic tool box in the back of my Grand Cherokee, my Bushy 20" Vmatch is my primary woodchuck rifle but if I happen to be out doing inspections and neglected to bring the Bushy, the SU16 will always be handy and discreet, I dont believe hitting chucks out to 200 or so will be any problem for the SU16, I like it.

Having said that, I have owned a lot of AR's and it is just about my favorite weapon system but be forewarned, it can get very expensive even if you start with the cheapest one you can find, you will have an overwhelming desire for a while to buy every stupid little gadget/stock/forend/BUIS/optics, etc. etc. etc. that come along till you come to your senses and get back to basics

If I were you I would flip a coin No, the best thing would be to find someone that has an AR you can play with and someone else (maybe same guy) that has an SU16 to play with and see what you like the best. Let us know how you make out, more than likely you will end up with both.

Jeff

FWIW, I have an Oly Plinker. It was my 1st AR and is the 1st rifle I go to without exception. Stout, accurate and never a problem are the terms I describe it with. I've fed it Wolf, Olympic, old WWB, all the stuff that's supposed to jam it without a problem. I go about 1500 rounds between cleanings and no issues there. The only bad thing to happen to it is that while using some aftermarket handguards they began to smoke and melt!
For a $600 AR with a lifetime warranty you can't go wrong with one.

Quoted: the ar is a weapon and the kel tec is a range toy. buy the ar in parts and end up with a much better rifle than the oly. eaglefirearms.net

I think I will stick with thinking you should get the Oly.

The most rounds I have ever put through AR has been with my Oly with fewer

malfunctions than any other AR I have owned or fired.  If they aren't supposed to

be so fucking dependable, like mine has, I better fix it so it will malfunction like the

Bushy M-4 A3 I just sold did.

Get the Oly.

And to those who think the "Oh my! There is no way an Oly can work that reliably", wake up

and smell the burning gun powder because it is still my favorite, and most reliable I have fired

20 thousand plus rounds through.  


Besides,  milspec is milspec