Kel Tec's soon to be released KSG (Kel Tec Shotgun) takes advantage of an innovative bullpup design. Though profoundly interesting, it isn't exactly new. A South African company produced a dual magazine tube shotgun named the Neostead around 2000-2001. Though the KSG and Neostead seem fairly similar they do have their differences.
What is most immediately impressive to me is the 15 round capacity the KSG has. Two 7 round magazine tubes, plus one in the chamber. It is able to chamber both 2 3/4" and 3" 12 gauge shells. It's compact design is very attractive. In my opinion one of the main draw backs of shotguns is that in order to get a larger capacity, typically you need to have a longer barrel. Or if you have a magazine fed shotgun like the Saiga, you have to cart around giant sized magazines. I'm far more of a David than I am a Goliath; so neither option has ever appealed to me.
The KSG seems to be a great compromise between size and strength. If you can call smaller and just as strong a compromise. If you had 15 rounds of slugs you would have a pound of lead on hand; ready to be blasted off at significant velocities. Being left handed, I am almost always never allowed in the bullpup club. The KSG ejects spent shells from the bottom though, allowing me admission to a fairly exclusive group.
To be entirely honest; I am not a big fan of the tactical aesthetic. I prefer wood stocks to plastic and revolvers to semi-autos. I don't like that the KSG does not come with simple iron sights. Yes, I could put flip up sights on the rail that runs the length of the barrel, but I don't want to have to. It seems to raise the whole profile of the gun too much. Given the close quarter nature of the shotgun, I don't like my line of sight hovering that far over the barrel. I am much more comfortable being right over the barrel.
That being said I am a big fan of the KSG. I've always felt that any conflict I could be in domestically would be within 100 yards. Anything more than that and I don't have a clue as to why I wouldn't be just running away. A shotgun is profoundly effective at what it does within 100 yards. The KSG holds 7 more shells than the average pump action (double!). It would seem silly to not endorse the KSG as a significant contender for best home/ zombie defense shotgun around. It is slated to hit the market soon, personally I would wait to make sure the bugs are worked out of it to pick one up...but maybe I'm just saying that in an attempt to prevent somebody else from getting one before I do.
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