Best Seller: Kel-Tec KSG

Fourth Top-Selling Pump-Action Shogun of 2020

by
posted on June 30, 2021
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
kel-tec-ksg.jpg

When Kel-Tec introduced its innovative pump-action KSG shotgun in 2011 it took the platform’s self-defense stature to an all-new level, but there were skeptics about the company’s first foray in tactical design. Its bullpup design was hard to ignore, though, as was the pair of rotating, tubular magazines—with a 6+6+1 or 7+7+1 shotshell capacity, depending on ammo length.

Then the glowing reviews piled up and demand increased with each one. By 2014 orders were so brisk the company struggled to meet demand. In 2014 American Rifleman’s Editor-in-Chief at the time, Mark Keefe IV, visited the factory and witnessed firsthand the volume of KSGs manufactured and shipped daily.

Despite the fact it’s now available in Compact and Tactical versions, and the company subsequently introduced a KSG25 (10+10+1 or 12+12+1 capacity), the original KSG remains a top-seller and was one of the most popular pump-action shotguns in 2020. There’s more than just influencers and media hype that attract enthusiasts, though.

The 12-ga. has an 18.5” barrel, but overall length comes in at only 26.1”—home- and personal-defense nimble when needed. It can chamber 3” shotshells, but capacity maximizes when 2.75” are selected. The gun doesn’t ship with sights, although there’s a Picatinny rail on top for mounting optics, and accessories easily attach to another on the bottom of the gun.

The shotgun ejects spent shells down, rather than to one side or the other. Working a lever near the pistol grip allows owners to rotate to the second tubular magazine if they run the first one dry. The pump action isn’t finicky when it comes to ammo, or sequence, either—birdshot followed by buckshot won’t lead to a stoppage.

KSGs weigh 6.9 lbs., empty, and MSRP is $900. The gun was the fourth-best-selling pump-action shotgun on Gunbroker.com last year.

Latest

FN “Moroccan” Mauser, semi-automatic LRB M14SA
FN “Moroccan” Mauser, semi-automatic LRB M14SA

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Trijicon Releases Green-Dot RMR

For the first time, the Trijicon RMR will now be available with a green aiming dot, providing some benefits to shooters with astigmatism and red-green color blindness.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 15, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Firearm Industry Companies Consolidate, Others Close Doors In 2025

This year has already seen some big changes in the firearm industry. They don’t quite reach the tectonic shift in 2020, when legendary firms owned by Remington Outdoor were auctioned off, but there have still been some notable shifts within the industry in 2025.

Preview: Uni-Loader

The easy-to-use Uni-Loader can save high-volume shooters a lot of time and finger pain.

CZ 600+ Introduces Switch-Barrel Capability

In 2025, CZ USA expanded its 600 series rifle lineup with the CZ 600+, a design that delivers on the company's promise of a switch-barrel platform.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.