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The CMR-30, extended, is still a svelte gun.
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And the grip compacts nicely.
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Read more at Kel-Tec: https://www.keltecweapons.com/our-guns/rifle/cmr-30
Buy one on GunsAmerica: https://www.gunsamerica.com/Search.aspx?T=cmr%2030
The Kel-Tec CMR-30 is truly original. I don’t get to write that everyday. The first time I saw this gun, back in January of 2015, I fell for it. The CMR-30 seems to me to be purpose built for serious plinking. The hopped up .22 WMR is a great round and offers more punch than the typical rimfire roundup. And that extra power gives the CMR-30 a edge for those looking for a lightweight gun for a pack or bugout bag. It is a serious fun-gun. Or maybe a fun-gun with a serious side. Either way, I’ve found this gun to be exceptionally fun to shoot, and capable enough to trust with some more serious responsibilities.
Large frame shooters will have to get accustomed to the limited real estate on the gun.
Specifications
- Caliber.22WMR
- Barrel length 16.1″
- Barrel threads 1/2″-28 TPI
- Barrel twist rate 1:16″
- Total capacity 30+1
- Weight empty 3.8lbs
- Length (Stock collapsed)22.7″
- Length (Stock fully extended)30.6″
- Length of pull (Stock to trigger)10.3″-14.2″
- Height 6.6″
- Max width (Across operating handles) 2.9″
- Width across majority 1.2″
- MSRP $630.00
Kel-Tec makes a pistol version of the platform, too–the Pmr-30–which has been winning fans for a few years now. The odd looking pistol also shoots the .22 WMR–which makes a loud fireball from the pistol length barrel.
Ergonomics
The design of the CMR-30 is all Kel-Tec. Fans of the brand will be familiar with the minimalist aesthetic, and the bolted together parts. There is an element of this specific Kel-Tec, though, that feels almost fragile. The struts for the stock, for example, are thin. The barrel is thin, and it extends out from the front of the frame, unguarded. That fragile or delicate feel disappears on the range. There’s nothing here in the CMR-30 that needs to be babied.
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The thin arms on the stock do have some play in them, but they held up fine during our review.
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And the barrel, though thin, isn’t exactly fragile either.
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The controls are something you’ll have to learn through practice. While this is true for any gun, the CMR-30 handles some basic elements in unique ways. The lever in front of the trigger guard releases the stock and allows it to slide back up the frame. The space on the grip where most Americans reach when they want magazines out of their pistols is not a button, but a bolt and a nut. The magazine release is actually on the bottom of the grip, at the back, like some of the old John Moses Browning designs.
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The CMR-30’s mag release.
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Gripping the gun isn’t enough to drop the mags. You have to hit it with your thumb or finger.
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While this isn’t really the most ideal place, at least not for me, it actually works great. The only reason I don’t consider it optimal is that we’re creatures of habit. I reach for the old thumb release, and it isn’t there. But if you approach the mag as you would with a stuck mag in a pistol, it will spring free. I found that a stripping motion worked flawlessly. I simply removed my support hand as I was angling the gun into that prime work-area in front of my chest and brought that free hand to the base of the grip. My thumb lines up with the mag release every time. Before I can even get to the full-on stripping motion, the mag has shot into the palm of my left hand.
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Hit the mag like you would when stripping a stuck mag and it pops free.
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The motion is hard to capture when you act as your own camera-man, but it is best executed with two hands.
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Still, it is a motion that is executed entirely with the support hand, which takes some getting used to. If there is one detriment here, it is that a one handed drop is more complex than I’d like. When everything is functioning perfectly, I like to have the next mag on the way up to the mag well as the empty mag drops free. With the CMR-30, I find myself reaching for the mag release, then taking that same hand back down for another magazine. It is just one extra step.
So much about the CMR-30 feels like a pistol that I keep defaulting to the pistol skill-set, and almost everything there can be done one handed. It has crossed my mind that it would be possible to inadvertently drop the mag with misplaced pressure from the shooting hand, but I’ve not managed to do it–even when I tried to do it purposefully.
My only real gripe is that the ambidextrous charging handle sits right where I want to put my hand. The frame doesn’t extend far enough forward for me to hold onto the rifle like I would on my AR, which has an extraordinarily long forend. Instead, I’m having to tuck up like I would on most small rimfire rifles. Hardly a deal breaker for my new infatuation with this thing. But it the charging hadle weren’t angled toward the muzzle, I’d hook my thumb behind it and call it good.
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The charging handle seen from below.
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It is very easy to find during rapid problem-solving.
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But how does it feel?
There are two ways of answering this. The first, as I just mentioned, is that the CMR-30 feels distinctly pistol-like. It is very light. At under four pounds, it moves like a pistol. The grip, without the mag well in front of it, is reminiscent of a pistol. And it even loads through the grip–like most traditional pistol designs. Yet, and this is going to sound strange, it doesn’t feel anything like the PMR-30 (even with the same grip shape). That gun, with 30 rounds in the grip, has a noticeably different balance.
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Even the trigger is plastic. But it breaks at 3 pounds.
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The panels on a Kel-Tec aren’t aggressive, but the grip shape still fills the hand, and the protrusions keep you from slipping.
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There is another set of sensory experiences Kel-Tec owners should be familiar with. The CMR-30 is a gun built of plastic and steel–mostly. Most of the places where you, as the shooter, come in contact with the gun are plastic. From the grip, to the controls, to the charging handle and the trigger, you have to be accepting of polymer. But the rails are aluminum.
Magazines
There are two things to consider when discussing the CMR-30 mags. The first is the positive. This is a great magazine design with what would appear to be a long life span. Plastiphobics will still decry Kel-Tec’s reliance on plastic, while jamming PMAGs into their ARs.
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The windows are easy to use, and the mags are fairly easy to load up. And that’s a plastic body, not aluminum.
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From the top-end. Note the feed lips are still plastic.
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That said, it is a proprietary design–one that would be hard to replace without the ready availability of our current supply chain. What I’m implying with that statement is this: if this is your bug-out gun, you need to plan accordingly. A friend, when he heard that I was working on a CMR-30 review, got all glassy-eyed and said it was his dream SHTF pack-gun. I can clearly see the appeal, but the availability of magazines isn’t something you can take for granted.
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The mags are super easy to maintain.
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And all of the important features, like this over-travel stop, are easy to see and inspect.
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Kel-Tec sells extra mags for $31. While the gun comes with two, I’d set aside money for at least four more if you plan on using this gun as a pack-gun, or for any kind of survival scenario. And $31 is about what you’ll pay for a good box of 50 .22 WMR, so keep it in perspective.
Ballistics
The .22 WMR, or .22 Winchester Magnnum, or .22 Win Mag, or .22 Magnum, or whatever you might call it, is an interesting little round. The early benchmark for the caliber was the 40 grain bullet with a muzzle velocity around 2,000 fps (from an 18″ barrel). Lighter rounds with better designs have added speed and greatly increased the rounds terminal performance.
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40 grain soft points. Sub 2000 FPS.
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V-Max, 30 grains. 2,200 fps +/-.
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There are a variety of loads for the caliber, and they can be harder to find that you’d expect. Back int the great .22 LR shortage of 2014, I could find the occasional box of .22 WMR for sale in my local shop. But now that things have reversed, I’m left with the same limited options. An occasional box or two. If you shop online, you can keep your eyes peeled for the deals and availability from some of better performers. Today I’m working with these Remingtons, the only rounds available locally. They’re 33 grain jacketed hollowpoints with a hard insert to help with feeding. From the 16″ barrel, they’re putting up speeds in the 2,100 FPS neighborhood.
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The new Remingtons look a lot like the V-Max design, but weigh 33 grains.
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.22 WMR Shot shells. Bitter little pills. Disappointing targets below.
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Accuracy should be better at longer distances than you’d expect from a .22 LR. As there’s a significant increase in the speed, the round will cover more ground before you have to account for much drop–at least in comparison to your typical rimfire rounds. Conversely, you’d get much more distance from any of the .22 caliber necked rifle cartridges. There’s a Master’s thesis in there, somewhere–if any of you are looking for a subject: Comparative Ballistics of the .22 Caliber Projectile
Shooting The CMR-30
This thing is a blast to shoot. It is dead-on accurate, and easy on the hands. There’s so recoil to speak of. The gun runs fast, and the trigger (3 pounds!) is light with a short reset.
Check out these images for more details.
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5 rounds of the Remington from 30 feet. Iron sights.
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5 rounds from 25 yards.
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5 from 100 yards. The two in the red were dumb luck. At 100 yards, the irons are hardly a surgical tool.
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A full mag dump from 25 yards. This was running the gun quickly, from a standing position.
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The CCI shotshell from 25 yards. And yes, I was spot on with the accuracy. I heard some shot hit the cardboard.
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The CCI from 15 yards. Hardly reliable.
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Same target with another round, but from 7 yards.
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From ten feet, pulling up and firing one round fast. Note the peppering from the blast, even at this distance.
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Problems with the gun?
I’ve shot very few reviews in which something didn’t go wrong. This one is no exception. The first mag I ran through the CMR-30 had a rough start. I had two stove-pipes, and then three failures to feed. After those five rounds, the next 25 ran flawlessly. As I progressed through the day, I would have the occasional failure to feed, but only if the mags were topped off. When there were 30 rounds in the mag, or 29, 28, I was more likely to get an empty click when I pulled the trigger. So I stopped topping off the mags, and the gun ran flawlessly.
That was it, though. There wasn’t anything else about the whole experience that didn’t put a smile on my face.
Thin. Compact. Powerful. And damn near perfect, as-is. Watch the support hand as that barrel heats up.
What’s next for the CMR-30?
The CMR-30 has me thinking. I’d love to have an SBR built from one of these. Or I’d like to see one with an integrally suppressed barrel. But those are aftermarket revisions. I think the biggest opportunity for Kel-Tec to perfect this design would be to make a CMR-30 take-down. The point here is that I want to take this already minuscule gun and make it even that much more compact.
The holy-grail for me would be a CMR-30 that folds like the Sub-2000. That’s going to be almost impossible with a telescoping stock. But imagine the beauty of a CMR-30 that folds at the breech, with an under-folding stock. It would be the perfect pack-gun.
Price and availability?
Well, that part is up for some debate. The MSRP of $630 should have these hovering in the $500 price range, retail, but the supply and demand hasn’t leveled off yet, so the gun is commanding a premium. I’ve seen them listed for some outrageous prices. Truly outrageous. Almost twice the MSRP? Indeed. But these are early days.
Is the CMR-30 worth the asking price of $630. Most definitely.
It rides well enough, right here, in the old Subaru.
So what is it?
Is it the ultimate bugout gun? No. The limited availability of .22 WMR should be a big clue as to why I feel that way. Is it a great camp gun? Hell yes. A solid pack gun? For sure. A great option for a survival rifle. Yes. If you are looking for a versatile rifle, and you aren’t defining the parameters of your existence with fantastic apocalyptic societal collapse, than the CMR-30 would be a great choice. Think bush pilots. Back-country guides. Hikers. Campers. Canoers.
As for the rest of us, I bet this is a gun that will find its way into pickup trucks across America. It would be a great way to introduce new shooters to black rifles. And it would be ideal for a responsible kid.
Read more at Kel-Tec: https://www.keltecweapons.com/our-guns/rifle/cmr-30
Buy one on GunsAmerica: https://www.gunsamerica.com/Search.aspx?T=cmr%2030
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The stock lever, in front of the trigger guard.
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The open chamber. Clearing a jam would be cumbersome, but brass ejects very well.
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A hook-sling point on both sides.
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The stock compacts perfectly.
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Ambidextrous safety.
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Top view of the struts.
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Magpul MBUS Irons and a very AR-15 like sight radius.
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Plenty of space for air circulation.
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Rear MBUS. I found the sight to be too far back for my typical hold. But this is just something to acclimate to.
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The front post.
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A threaded barrel for those who may want to suppress some of the noise.
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The cap is easy to remove a great addition. Every barrel should be threaded.
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I own the PMR30, CMR30, KSG and the RFB From Keltec.. I have had no problems with any of them period. All Keltec’s are limited production runs per year based on demand and profit made, KT is a small USA company that does want to flood the market like most firearm Titans around the globe.
Can’t find one of these firearms? You’re not looking beyond your local gun shops. Gunbroker has them all day everyday. Mags and ammo cheap. If you haven’t owned any of these KT’s don’t knock it till you actually try it, reading blogs isn’t testing a weapon. Sweat, ammo and hours shooting is a test. And I have tested all four listed and they are outstanding weapons. Especially the RFB.
I can’t find any mag 40 gr. Ammo for my pmr 30
I wanted something small & light, and this over grown pistol seems to be about perfect. I pick up my new CMR later this morning. Dave’s review & all of your comments have been enlightening… I will follow some of the tips & advice found here. I will put an Aimpoint Micro red dot, and some sort of forward grip on it… Kel-Tec recommends CCI ammunition that is 40gr. or heavier, so that will be my next quest.
Thanks!
I don’t own a CMR-30 or a PMR-30 but I do have a Kel-Tec P-11 and have never had a single problem with it whatsoever in hundreds of rounds fired. I think Kel-Tec makes a great gun for the money. That being said, if I’m going to spend $600+ for a small rifle, I would just build another AR. With a short barrel and pistol brace, you have a similar size, weight, ammo that’s just as cheap if not more so-and reloadable, and much more power. Great article though, I’d like to read a review shooting it with a suppressor.
I want one but i want it to be 22lr why dont they make that or even in 9mm i can reload for it then with cast bullets and then ammo aint stupid money cause its a spraytoy to me
For a couple of cents more per round, and in my experience, a similar PIA but easier to find (neither is ever available at WallyWurld), go with a 5.7X28 in a well-proven PS90 (costs more, but works reliably, is available, feels solid rather than wondering if every gun put out by the factory was built on a Monday or Friday, and is a hoot to shoot)
I wouldn’t buy (and haven’t) a single Kel-Tec product that I’ve ever handled. Interesting concepts/designs, badly executed…..when they actually produce them.
I wouldn’t buy any from Kel-Tec. Even when the design isn’t stupid, the quality control is gonna be terrible. I never have a problem finding their junk at gun shops, it’s just that I don’t see any reason to buy it.
I finally found the PMR-30 bought CCI ammo only to find it jam right away, jeez what a hunk of junk. Not only that DO NOT ever lay the weapon in the sun, plastic remember it wouldn’t hit the broad side on a barn from inside. Not sure what happen but it doesn’t shot straight any more, of course not sure it ever did. True the gun is lite but too lite needs to stiffen up the frame some. Don’t kid yourself Kel Tec knows exactly what they are doing the gas people do the same and you get, that’s right higher prices all the way, on Guns America from $550 to $975. The .22 mag isn’t much of a weapon, just buy a nice little .22 LR and you get almost the same for a lot less. Wouldn’t mind seeing a .17 in a nice pistol.
Availability must be regional. I haven’t seen a Kel-Tec product for sale for at least 8 years. Not even at a gun show.
If I can’t reload what it eats I don’t want it.
Add a vertical grip to the rail up front and you solve your problem with the charging handle getting in the way. I max out the magazines at 25-27 rounds and have no issues. I notice that the rim of the rounds starts to dent the cases if you try to load more than that. I have sighted my CMR in with a red dot and a long range scope and it is very accurate. Add a sling and you can walk around the woods all day. I love my AR, but the CMR is so lightweight and compact, it becomes the one I reach for when I just want to plink or hunt small game. If you haven’t tried the CMR, don’t knock it until you have experienced it for yourself.
Well, I’d suggest an ultralight AR15 variant build in .221 Remington Fireball, if the idea of a carbine that is short, light and quieter than a .223 is what floats yer boat. With the insanely cheap prices of AR components, it would probably be CHEAPER AND FASTER than getting some Keltec unobtanium… Lots of good, sturdy stoks to choose from… Real metal match grade/adjustable triggers galore available, and good, Zero break in time mags would cost $10.00.
People…. if you haven’t shot the PMR30 then don’t talk about it. If you don’t own one don’t complain about it. I own a PMR30 and it is an amazing weapon. You will never handle a more unique weapon in this class. I want someone to tell me about another mass produced rim fire pistol that holds 30 22mag. Oh, and if you can’t find a PMR30 for $500 or less these days then you must live in California…
I’m excited about the CMR30 and any gun enthusiast should be as well. The only people who should be complaining about the series of rim fire weapons from KT are all the other gun manufacturers who cant provide the market with magnum rim fire cartridge pistol or rifle that can hold more than ten rounds.
If you all want to cry about something, cry about your rim fire pistols that only come with 10 round magazines, have no after market high capacity magazines, pistol jamming, worthless, smaller and less powerful rounds. Until another known manufacturer provides a comparable weapon just be quiet. Stop hating!
Must be catching up, been waiting for years to get a PMR-30. Running’s had them on sale for $399.00 my friends and I bought all they had.. Now I want this mini rifle.. Another eight year wait, I could just throw together a AR-15 with all my left over parts I guess for a pickup gun…
KELTEC CMR-30 : I have been trying to purchase one since 2012. 1T TOOK 7 YEARS FOR ME TO FIND A PMR-30 FOR UNDER 500.00. A FIREARM , WHEN WAS FIRST INTRODUCED, HAD A SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE OF $316.00 HOW LONG SHOULD I TRY TO FIND A CMR ??? WHAT SHOULD I PAY FOR THE CMR?? WHAT A GREAT MARKETING STRATEGY!!!! ???
Yeah, yeah, yeah….another keltec toy that will end up with limited production, of which I will never see, let alone have a chance to buy. Move it along folks, nothing to see here…….
i am astounded that kel-tec has the balls to market a new.22 mwr weapon when by their own admission they cannot keep up with the demmand for the pmr-30
i have been trying to get a pmr for several years but no reputable (which includes cabela) will accept an order for them.
in a direct contact with kel-tec i told that i have to such wait until they catch up with demand and to place an oprder with an ffl
dealer
think i’ll just wait until automag comes with theirs –
kel-tec can go suck lemons
My longest wait for an ordered keltec was about 7 months. I’m not sure how some stores get them and others don’t. I don’t think many big name stores are any good compared to a local place. I have numerous keltec models now and all have proven very good after some use.
It’s too expensive for what it is, don’t look good and break in time for magazines is a joke. I bought the H&K 416 pistol and rifle, and both of these and all my other semi-rifles didn’t need a break in time for them to cycle right out of the box. Wouldn’t buy Kel-Tec for any price.
I personally find this article an insult and have to wonder what KT paid to have it written. As a shop owner and more as a consumer, there is no doubt in my mind and shouldn’t be in anyone else’s that due to kt’s exceptionally poor production history, there is virtually no chance of every seeing this rifle anywhere but gunbroker. KT still espouses the load of BS that they are producing 500 pmr 30’s a week, (don’t believe me, just call ’em and see what you get told). They still haven’t filled orders for PMR’s, KSG’s, or SUB’s written three and four years ago yet they continue to design newer versions and there’s no reason to even speak to the ammunition issues. This article was a waste of time for all involved with the exception of the writer who got paid to play with and write about a new toy. Congrats, admittedly I probably would have done the same but at what point does the media hold this company responsible for anything? KT’s owner needs to put KT first instead of some of his other interests.
Hmm….. funny, I have a PMR & a CMR… (BOTH are awesome weapons) 6 mags for each, both deals for a total of $1100. from a LOCAL GUN SHOP…..
WPB Florida….2500rds of Hornady Critical Defense 45gr. hollowpoint ammo for $495 from a local gun show vendor
I own a Grendel P-30 , which is the grand daddy of those little critters , the PMR-30 and now the CMR-30 .
It too has a 30 rd magazine and shoots the same WMR cal .
I find the Grendel a much more solid gun than the PMR-30 , and it is deadly accurate .
There was an old version of the CMR-30 too, I think it was called a carbine R-31 , so the whole concept is not new .
The Grendel has not one but two ramps and the engineering is kind of complex but after I polished the ramps to perfection , I haven`t have a single problem with either feeding or ejecting .
I would like to own a R-31 to complete the pair , but prices are prohibitive right now . Perhaps I would get me one CMR-30 , instead and call it a day .
Gents,
both the CMR-30 and the PMR-30 use the same magazine.
As the magazines are used over time, they will run very reliably from
full capacity. At least in our experience, your mileage may vary.
The earlier PMR-30’s required a ramp and throat job to run reliably,
while the latest editions have not needed this work.
We are still working with the CMR-30, but so far it has needed no
modifications.
At our shop, we consider the Kel-Tecs what used to be called ‘camp guns’.
If you need a real heavy caliber rifle, the Kel-Tec RFB in .308 is a chainsaw.
The mags are the common FAL, and dead reliable. With a competent muzzle
brake, there is no muzzle rise, and sights stay on target.
It is not an AR-10, nor is it a SCAR-17. It is decently accurate out to 600meters.
But for the urban environment, a powerful rifle short as an SBR, but with a longer barrel.
The RFB is lighter than the AR-10 and SCAR, and recoil is in the .223 range.
I believe Kel-Tec knows the difference between a “survival rifle” or “kit gun” and
a real SHTF rifle that is more powerful that the typical AR-15
Try not to take the ‘perfect rifle’ thing too seriously.
These are all tools, for various different jobs.
Enjoy your firearms for what they are and try not to obsess, on what they should be.
What you ‘really want’ usually comes along eventually!
I an waiting for a Sturmgewehr 44 in .300 Blackout…..
Mainspring
Due to high price and unavailability of the 22 magnum ammo I’m would not buy this plinker… Having shot the pmr and having had loading issues with the magazine capacity from one magazine to the next, jamming, stovepipe getting off 20 shots failure to feed then erratic shot placement and not being able to adjust the fixed sights turned me off to the point I sold the one I had. Why one earth would I buy anything similar.
I love my CMR. I have a ton of fun with it at the range. Feeding is really an issue of properly loading the magazine and using 40 grain ammo. First Keltec states these magazines have a break in period. I find that to be true. I started loading my to 15, Then progressed to 20 and finally 25. Over time it became easier and easier to properly load the magazine. As you are loading the magazine the rounds should go in and back and forth and look even all the way down. When one looks like it is in funny it most likely will jam. When the rounds load properly they go in easily, when they don’t it is tougher to get them in. I have also found that Ammo is very important. When the gun jams of fails to feed 4 times out of 5 it will be 30 Grain ammo with the plastic pointy tip. The rounds will either jam or just not feed the next round like the action does not open enough to catch the new round. Both CCI and Hornday make 30 grain Varmint loads and it jams constantly. The 5th time will be because time was not spent loading the magazine evenly. The gun loves 40 Grain CCI or Fiocchi rounds. The FMJ work great but I have not had any issue with the hollow point either. If you use the right ammo (which is tough to do now as finding it is tough) this will be a great little gun. It is the one gun that I will always grab when going to the range.
overpriced ammo.
Great … an other bit of “un-obtanium” from Kel-Tec.
I’m still waiting to find a distributor with 9mm Sub 2-K’s in stock.
Agree with mgkdrgn, I too have been waiting for a 9mm Sub 2-k for several YEARS! Kel-Tec’s owner is an innovative designer, but a mediocre businessman.
He refuses to expand his operation through financing, insisting that expansion only take place when Kel-Tec has the cash. The problem with this thinking is that by the time you can supply the demand, nobody wants an Edsel anymore.
Take me for example. I was excited by the Sub-2000, PMR-30, and their 15 round shotgun. To date, I haven’t seen any product outside of Gun Broker, which is a marketplace only for those willing to pay any price to be “first on the block”. My interest in the PMR-30 has waned. My interest in the SUB-2000 is waning, and I never seriously entertained being able to buy a shotgun at anything close to MSRP.
So there’s three sakes, that have all but evaporated because Kel-Tec can’t supply the demand. This new gun will be more of the same.
I feel the same way. I have been wanting to buy several Kel-tec’s for years but have lost interest due to not being able to get one for anywhere near MSRP
Now convince them to make a variation in 30 carbine. I have an amt AutoMag 111 in 30 carbine, when you shoot it at the range with lights out it lights up the whole range. Nice.
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Nice plan! Or–just buy a new clone of the .30 cal. M1 Carbine instead. The folding stock version if you like really short.
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Rocketman
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10 mm. May not light up the range but will put max hurt on the target.
I would seriously doubt the rifle is worth $635 when one can buy a basic AR15 type rifle at Walmart for $675, and the AR platform can do much more with a higher velocity round. If the gun were chambered for a hotter or bigger round, then maybe it would be worth it, but in .22 Magnum it just does not pay for itself.
I went with the Kel-Tec Sub 2000 in the 9mm. Why? Ammo in 9mm is plentiful, cheaper, Glock magazines are abundant and the rifle folds to 16″ for easy carry. Cleaning is a yip, superb accuracy and versatile; hunting, competition (bowling Pins, Steel shooting and most important defensive ready. The only issue I encounter at the range; (I always pointed the muzzle down range when folding and bagging it) was to stop folding and using the original Kel-Tec case (looks like a computer case). No sweat, I bought a long rifle case and complied. The rifle is darn popular; I always get questions about it at the range.
Shooting shotshells at 25 yards? And 15 yards? And you were disappointed? Seriously?
The seven yard target is representative of what .22 shotshells are capable of, and within realistic range.
Otherwise a great article on a neat gun.
Yup. Shotshells in a rifled bbl are designed to work at a few feet, not yards.
Perhaps my disappointment was a bit tongue-in-cheek. I’d heard some fantasy-camp style preppers talk lovingly about the fact that there are .22 Win Mag shotshells, and how that really makes this gun the perfect choice. The targets were simple illustrations of just how silly the idea is. No one in their right mind would pretend that that is a viable option for hunting or defense, yet I keep hearing about that one detail as a selling point for the whole concept.
A couple of cons with CMR/PMR-30’s: As the author mentioned, I never, ever load the magazine to capacity. At most, I load only 25 rounds per mag. That reduces FTF’s and FTE’s dramatically. Second, and more important is the very restricted list of approved ammo. Finding any 22 WMR is a challenge, but find supplies of approved ammo is even more difficult. Other than that, they’re a blast to shoot! However, as others have stated, I’d hate to bet my life on this gun and I think there are better SHTF/bug-out guns out there.
Would love to see Keltec do a 30 carbine cal in this platfor or their Sub 2000 platform. C’mon Keltec! It would be a bigger hit than the 22 WMR.
Wanted to tell you you done an awesome review on the cmr30 the pics were the best. One question…. (I’m a summing so?) I have a “PMR-30 pistol….do the pistol Mags also work in the “CMR-30”?? I hope so cause I have 6 of them! lol. I look forward to hearing back from you…John. bigjohnzubak@hotmail
Five hundred dollar 22mag rifle that has poor accuracy and jamming problems if the mags are filled to capacity, why? Has the gun industry has gotten so bad that we now accept this as normal an ok.
The mags run fine at full capacity. I just load the mag according to the way it supposed to be done.
put in 10 or so rounds and smack mag bottom in palm of hand to securely seat the rounds.
Rinse and repeat until you hit 30 rounds loaded.
Who the heck runs shotshell in a rimfire semi auto? That a plan for failure.
most of those shotshells have a flexible tip. They wont load nice, if at all in a semi.
Good Luck finding one-as with most Kel-Tec products-they don’t make enough of them!
I have the pistol version of the gun, The PMR 30, and it’s a fun gun to shoot.
The carbine is a bit pricey so I guess I might have to pass on it.
I look forward to buying the CMR-30 when the price comes down. I have a PMR-30 and it is probably my most fun pistol (although blowing the middle out of a target with 7 shots from one of my Kimbers is a blast). As to the 22WMR round, I go to http://www.ammoseek.com and never have a problem buying bricks of 500. I collect old west Winchesters and WWI and WWII military pistols and rifles. They are very interesting to work with and you better have a shoulder pad when shooting the rifles but they are not “fun” as the KelTec is.
I owned the PMR-30, the pistol .22WM. It was (is) a very unique pistol that was extremely addictive to shoot. I had no functional issues with it, other than loading it magazine correctly can be a task at times. It really loved the Gold Dot .22WM but functioned well on CCI and Hornady ammo. But looking at the PMR-30 (and I guess the RMR too) is that while they are fun and unique they are kind of a novelty. I didn’t like the calm shell assembly, it was definitely flimsy. And while I had no issues with its function it’s not a proven platform by any means. It worked great at the range, but I did a torture test, I doubt it would do well. They’re neat but I personally wouldn’t want the line in a bug out situation. There are much better combos out there with much better ballistics and proven performance the Kel-Tecs. They are very fun and cutting edge, but I wouldn’t want to bet my life on the PMR or RMR. I ended up trading off my PMR-30 for more than I put into it.
*I did NOT do a torture test.
I look forward to buying the CMR-30 when the price comes down. I have a PMR-30 and it is probably my most fun pistol (although blowing the middle out of a target with 7 shots from one of my Kimbers is a blast). As to the 22WMR round, I go to http://www.ammoseek.com and never have a problem buying blocks of 500. I collect old west Winchesters and WWI and WWII military pistols and rifles. They are very interesting to work with and you better have a shoulder pad when shooting the rifles but they are not “fun” as the KelTec is.
Really nice trigger; add a light/laser and make it a home defense monster
This is one of the best articles I’ve read on this website as far as the writer’s observations, thoughts and conclusions. He said things that other writers didn’t say regarding this rifle. I enjoyed reading it.
The comment was made that the CMR-30 was not the best bug out gun due to the caliber. If not the 22WMR, then what is your choice?
I’d stick with rounds that are abundant and have good overall performance. If I had to run out the door right now and never look back I’d grab my 92FS and CX4… both utilize the same round and mag. Given more time a 12 gauge and .308 would come too. The .22WM is a good little round but its very limited in many aspects. I guess I see it more as a small game round. Also it’s a rimfire round, which in itself is a weak point.
30 Carbine would be the best cal!