Kali Key Bolt Action AR Takes On Draconian Gun Laws

U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- It is no secret that California is a very anti-gun state. It is challenging for Californians to own semi-automatic rifles without running afoul of the law. The powers that be in the Golden State consider most semi-automatic rifles to be evil “assault weapons.” To make a semiauto rifle, California-compliant Americans have to add things like a fin to delete the pistol grips and remove other cosmetic features.

California doesn’t regulate bolt action guns as heavily as it does semi-automatic rifles. Bolt actions are allowed to have features that would transform a semiauto gun into a dreaded “assault weapon.” What if there was a way to convert your AR15 or AR10 into a bolt action gun? What if there was a way to change your modern sporting rifle into a less regulated bolt action without milling the rifle or messing with gas black.

That is where Kali Key comes in.

The Kali Key connects to the bolt carrier group and replaces the charging handle of your AR rifle. This move effectively turns your AR into a bolt action rifle. The California definition of an “assault weapon” states that the firearm must be a semi-automatic rifle with one of many cosmetic features. Kali Key is a way around this regulation.

Before we go any further, I must remind readers that I am not a lawyer or an expert in any law. Nothing I say should be considered legal advice. I am just going on the best information available to me at the time of writing. I am relying upon Kali Key’s understanding of California law and the off-the-record opinions of several high-profile attorneys, but this is California. The state is very anti-gun, and nothing says that they will not try to push the definition of an “assault weapon.” Basically, use your best judgment.

With that said, the California law is very clear that semi-automatic rifles without a fixed magazine accepting ten or fewer rounds with one of many cosmetic features are considered “assault weapons,” and possession of these guns can lead to severe criminal charges. These features include pistol grips, thumbhole stocks, flash suppressors, and telescoping stocks.

Since a rifle with a Kali Key installed is a bolt action, this means the shooter can have fully-featured rifles without bullet buttons or fixed magazines. This small change to the gun also means that Californians can safely and legally transport their firearms when driving to a free state such as Arizona to shoot. Once they get across the border, all the user needs to do is swap out the Kali Key with a standard bolt carrier group and charging handle, and then they will have a fully functional and featured semi-automatic AR.

That is the significant benefit to the Kali Key.

You can make it, so your rifle is California compliant without putting stupid-looking fins behind your pistol grip or having to modify your rifle permanently. I, for one, am all about finding ways around Draconian laws.

Another use for Kali Key is for hunting. Hunters can convert their AR10 rifles into a bolt action gun to use in states that ban hunting with semi-automatic rifles. Once again, it is a way around stupid law.

With the reasons for using the Kali Key explained, we can now get into how it works and where the company makes it and review the build quality. I will say that the company made the Kali Key extremely tough, and I don’t see it breaking during everyday use. It is also American-made, and I am always willing to pay a little more to keep my money in the country.

The Kali Key works with any AR firearm with a direct impingement gas system. One drawback of the Kali Key is that it doesn’t work with piston-driven ARs. Since most ARs are direct impingement, this disadvantage will not affect most people. Just make sure you know what AR you have before purchasing the Kal Key.

During an AR’s normal operations, once a bullet is fired, the hot gasses flow through the gas tube towards the bolt carrier group. The gas enters into an expansion chamber which pushing the bolt carrier rearward, causing the rifle to cycle a new round. The Kali Key changes this process.

The Kali Key replaces the charging handle of the AR. The Kali Key doesn’t have an expansion chamber connected to the gas system. Without this connection, the rifle cannot cycle a new round, thus removing the gun’s semi-automatic function. The operator must manually cycle the gun to extract the spent case and load a new round to fire again.

The Kali Key also works with any mil-spec bolt carrier group. The install is straightforward and idiot-proof. All the user has to do is remove the two screws and then un-bolt carrier’s gas key. The user then places the company’s gas diversion block into the same place that the gas key was located. The user then attaches the Kali Key’s charging handle to the BCG. Then it is just a simple drop-in solution.

One thing I don’t like about the Kali Key is the size of the charging handle. It is absolutely massive. I hope Kali Key decides to offer a smaller charging handle in the future, but at the same time, since this is supposed to be a bolt action solution, I can see why the company chose such an oversized charging handle. I just like the factory size of a typical AR15 charging handle or even a little larger than stock. Just not as big as the Kali Key’s design.

The company sells the Kali Key for an AR15 for $102.95 and an AR10 version for $112.95. They also offer a bundle with a bolt carrier group for $197.95 for the AR15 platform and $257.95 for the AR10 platform. It is a small price to pay to get around Draconian laws without risking jail time.

The Kali Key is excellent for people living under the thumb of tyranny, hunters, and precision shooters. I am not sure if there is a use case for the rest of us, but since I travel a lot, I am keeping mine if I have to travel to a state that isn’t pro-liberty. I am also looking forward to seeing what Kali Key has instore in the future for the rest of us.

Learn more at https://kalikey.com/

About John Crump

John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.