The SU-22
The SU-22 was introduced in the early 2000s after the success of its big brother: the .223-chambered SU-16. The SU-22 has basically all the same features and ergonomics of the SU-16, differing only in caliber and weight.
The KelTec SU-22 is a magazine-fed semi-automatic rifle that uses a straight blowback operating system. This rifle version has a 16-inch, 1:16 twist steel barrel with a compensator installed on standard pattern threads. For my testing, I replaced the compensator with my personal Tactical Solutions Tac65 suppressor.
The receiver and furniture are made of polymer to keep weight down. Unloaded, the SU-22 weighs 4 pounds. With my Vortex Strike Eagle LPVO 1-6 riflescope on an Aero Precision cantilever mount, the weight pushes 6 pounds.
The SU-22 is compatible with most Atchisson-style magazines – the general AR-22 magazines that work with most rimfire conversion kits for ARs. The rifle came with two 15-round translucent Black Dog Machine (BDM) magazines, and I also used some personal 25-round BDM mags, CMMG AR-15 .22 conversion kit magazines, and a BDM 50-round drum. The BDM mags ran the best. The CMMG mags didn’t fit in the mag well as smoothly, but they still functioned.
Shooting Impressions
Overall, this gun is super fun. It’s light, fast, and extremely easy to point and transition from target to target. You can shoot to your heart’s delight because it’s so reliable and affordable to shoot. If you can fire rimfire at your local run-and-gun match, this carbine would be a great choice.
It’s also easy to move around and carry all day because it’s so light. This would an outstanding woods gun. The light weight makes offhand shots easy, and I had no problems with standing shots at 100 yards.
The pistol grip and collapsible stock feel very comfortable and familiar, just like an AR-15. Shouldering is natural. The magazine release is also in the same place as an AR-15. The crossbolt safety, bolt lock and charging handle are in different places, but they are very easy to find. Operating this carbine is a no-brainer.
I like that the folding mechanism makes this gun a smaller package to transport, but it’s really designed for the straight stock version of this gun. When you fold this pistol grip and collapsible stock version, the grip gets in the way, and it doesn’t completely fold in half.
Accuracy & Reliability
Accuracy on this KelTec was phenomenal. I was able to get touching groups at 50 yards using CCI Standard Velocity ammo. That’s as good as my custom Volquartsen 10/22 with a match barrel. It was very windy on the day we recorded the video, so the groups were not as good, but there were still touching holes.
This gun is accurate, but I wouldn’t call this a target rifle because of its light weight and heavy trigger. But the mechanical accuracy is superb.
Speaking of the trigger, I would say it feels like a heavy mil-spec trigger. There is a short take-up and a heavy wall, and the pull fluctuated from 6.5 to 8.5 pounds. Getting tight groups is a bit more challenging because of the trigger.
Reliability is also excellent. I had few issues with a variety of ammo. I mean, it’s still rimfire, so there were some stoppages, but only a few in the 500 rounds I shot. I’ve read reports that it does need to be kept clean to maintain this reliability, but I didn’t encounter this problem. I haven’t cleaned the gun, and it is still running well.
Bolt Lock
One minor issue with the SU-22 is that the last-round hold-open is not a real last-round lockback. You see, the SU-22 has a bolt lock that’s a button inside the magazine well that you push up to catch on the bolt. The button only locks the bolt open and cannot release it. To release the bolt, you pull back on the charging handle.
But this mechanism is not used when the last round in a magazine is fired. When the last round is fired, the magazine follower comes up and stops the bolt from moving forward. But it only blocks the bolt; it does not engage that bolt lock discussed above.
When you remove the magazine, the follower can no longer hold the bolt open, so the bolt closes on the chamber. If you want the bolt locked open after you remove the empty mag, you have to lock it open again.
I think this is just strange. It’s not uncommon for .22 rifles, but I still find it notable. It also makes drop-free magazine changes impossible, because the bolt is putting pressure on the mag follower. Like I said, it’s a minor problem, but it’s just a weird quirk.
Pros & Cons
The biggest con of this gun is the takedown and maintenance. First, you need a tool to take this gun apart, and the takedown pin, which is also the folding pin, is tight. Once it is folded, removal of the bolt and recoil spring is a bit complicated.
Even after you have field stripped the rifle, you can still only clean the barrel from the muzzle end because of the shape of the receiver. This is not unlike the Ruger 10/22, which is also a pain to take apart and clean. I guess this is just a problem with .22 rifles.
Aside from the complicated takedown and the bolt lock issue mentioned above, I have a few other minor complaints. First, the included iron sights are good, but the windage adjustment is weird. Two opposing screws on the rear peep sight hold the sight on the Pic rail, and you have to adjust both to drift the sight. You must tighten one and loosen the other, which is a bit awkward.
Also, I would be careful with attaching bipods to this gun. Even though this rifle has a Picatinny rail on the bottom of the forend, the rail is made of plastic and can’t take a lot of load. You can attach a bipod and shoot from it, but don’t put too much pressure on the bipod. When I loaded the bipod, which means pushing into the bipod to stabilize it, the polymer rail flexed and took some damage.
Lastly, the trigger is heavy. You notice it a little during fast shooting, but it becomes very apparent when trying to shoot groups.
Pros:
- Fun to shoot
- Accurate and reliable
- Versatile for competition, hunting, training or just plinking
- Affordable at under $600
- Rimfire .22 ammo is also affordable
- Lightweight and easy to carry
Cons:
- Complicated takedown/maintenance
- Bolt doesn’t lock open after last round
- Windage adjustment on rear sight is weird
- Pic rail is plastic and can’t take a lot of pressure
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Trigger is heavy at 6.5 to 8.5 pounds
Conclusion
Overall, though, I really like this carbine. It’s just fun to shoot. It’s a perfect gun to pull out to show inexperienced people how fun shooting is. And at this price, it’s worth it to just have for when the need arises.
