I kitted out an FDE Glock-17 compatible 9mm KelTec SUB2000 with some of my favorite attachments. The Glock-pattern receiver opens the possibilities for many inexpensive magazine choices. The 9mm chambering keeps the recoil light and the trips to get ammo a little less expensive.
The Glock-compatible receiver is perfect for me, as I typically carry a Glock 45 as a sidearm. Having the ability to switch between the same pattern of magazines makes shooting drills all the easier.
Related: Keltec SUB2000 – Tricked-Out Truck Gun
Two most important attachments
The KelTec SUB2000 is a solid choice for things like home defense, backpacking, and training. Two accessories are a must if you plan on using a firearm in any serious role: a sling and a weapon light.
First, retention of any primary firearm is important in case your hands need to be free do something else. Maintaining possession of your firearm is key, and a sling ensures that you retain control under any circumstance.
Second, identifying a possible target in low or no-light situations is also incredibly important. Whether mounted on a daily carry handgun or a duty rifle, a weapon light is a must.
Sling
There are many great sling options, but for this rifle I decided to go with the Magpul MS3 single-point QD sling. With the MS3, the nylon is comfortable, the clips are metal, and the mounts are easy to use in either single or two-point retention.
The SUB2000 does have mounts for a normal sling on the buttstock, but there is no forward-mounted sling attachment. I mounted a Magpul RSA QD rail sling attachment on the top rail to match up with the QD attachment on the sling.
Weapon Light
The importance of target identification cannot be overstated. Having a reliable weapon light on your go-to firearm is so important, but finding the right brand can be difficult. Top brands that typically come to mind are Cloud Defensive, Modlite, Streamlight, and SureFire.
For this KelTec, I chose the Cloud Defensive Rein 3.0. There are two major factors to consider when picking a light: candela and lumens. Lumens refers to the brightness of the light, while candela determines the effective distance the light can reach. While it is important to have a bright light, if you are out backpacking, you want a light that can spotlight out at a distance.
The Cloud Defensive Rein 3.0 has 1,250 lumens with a 100,000-candela peak beam intensity. In layman’s terms, the light is bright and can spotlight well past 50 yards. The light includes a pressure switch so the user can control the power with their support hand.
Cloud Defensive lights go great on any firearm that will see serious use.
Foregrip
While the SUB2000’s iron sights are great, optics are basically a must have upgrade for any modern firearm. Optics offer a speed and accuracy that can be much harder to master on iron sights.
For an optic, I went with the Holosun HS403R red dot sight. Holosun’s optics are incredibly robust for the price, and their LED reticle design can last up to 50,000 hours of battery life. The red dot makes perfect sense for this pistol caliber carbine, as there is no need for magnification.
The KelTec SUB200 does not feature an optics rail that sits over the receiver. The design also folds in half, making it difficult to mount an optic directly to the top of the receiver. MCarbo has produced a folding mount that can move out of the way when the rifle is folded. This design helps maintain the ability to compactly store the firearm.
Suppressor
Suppressed shooting is the best kind of shooting. Once you have shot suppressed, it is hard to go back. It is easier on your ears and less annoying to anyone around while you are training. I am a big fan of SilencerCo, as I have had nothing but great experiences with their products. With suppressed shooting on the rise, SilencerCo is out in Utah making cans for every imaginable situation.
The SilencerCo Omega 9K is a short 9mm suppressor that mounts a tri-lug rear cap. The only thing better than a suppressor is a quick-detach suppressor. Using the tri-lug end cap and the tri-lug muzzle device, this KelTec can go from outside voice to inside voice in about 10 seconds.
The 16-inch barrel, 9mm chambering, and addition of a quality can all come together to make a quiet and soft-shooting package. The Omega 9K is money – one of the best attachments you can get for any pistol caliber carbine.
The great thing about the tri-lug mount is it’s inexpensive and easy to install on all your threaded 9mm firearms. That means you can buy one can, a bunch of mounts, and easily and quickly move the Omega from firearm to firearm.
The point is: everyone should have a suppressor or two.
Summary
Overall, this KelTec SUB2000 turned out to be a pretty sweet build. All these accessories make the rifle more effective for training, home defense, or taking small game.
While attachments are great, they are not the main contributing factor to better shooting. Regardless of if your rifle is bare bones or dressed to the nines, training is the most important aspect of firearm ownership. So, if you plan on getting some new attachments, make sure you save enough to grab some ammo and hit the range.
