Our installation instructions can be found here!

Any of the Kali Keys that are currently for sale on our website have been modified to fit the most common products of these three brands and others that are slightly proprietary in their design. While we cannot guarantee that the Kali Key will fit all rifles that deviate from mil-spec,
we have worked hard to make the most recent specs very forgiving and likely to fit the widest array of direct impingement rifles.

No. Currently, the AR10 Kali Key fits DPMS pattern AR-10 rifles only. If you are not sure what you have, ask your manufacturer or this link can help: https://308ar.com/ar-10-308-ar-compatibility-reference-guide/

Any of the Kali Keys that are currently for sale on our website have been modified to fit painted rifles as long as the coats are not out-of-the-ordinary think. Our revised specs are thinner than before to allow for the risk of tolerance stacking due to Cerakoting.

Any of the Kali Keys that are currently for sale on our website have been modified so that they do not come into contact with mil-spec components and/or paint on the exterior of the rifle during normal use. The Kali Key will not sit on your castle nut when at rest. Keep in mind that most mil-spec charge handles can slightly rub on castle nuts and other parts due to some flex when charging, but we have put a focus on our most recent Kali Key design to help prevent any such rubbing. We cannot guarantee that the Kali Key will not rub up against certain buttstocks, depending on positioning, and the size of the cheek weld.

No. A simple allen wrench will do. While we recommend using a torque driver to tighten the supplied screws to the proper setting, it is not necessary and a firm (but not excessive) hand-tightening will suffice.

No. The way we have designed the Kali Key, it is not necessary to stake the screws.

No. We supply high quality BCGs at a low cost as a convenience to our customers who want to dedicate a BCG to the Kali Key. Any mil-spec BCG will work with the Kali Key – even if the gas key is staked. Installation takes less than a couple of minutes! Please refer to our installation video to see how quick and easy it is.

Yes and No. Here’s why: We’ve learned that our customers tend to shoot the Kali Key much faster than they would other bolt-action rifles. We listened to our customers and we redesigned the Kali Key to try to address this to the degree physics allow. When shot quickly, the bolt lugs on any rifle expand with the heat build-up and grip more tightly on the rifle, making charging stiffer. This issue doesn’t make itself known on semi-automatic rifles because the PSI involved power through the physics involved. Since the human arm is not nearly as strong, manual charging can feel stiffer as heat builds up. The Kali Key’s current design allows for faster cycling rates than ever before, because its revised specs and design allows for some internal play which helps overcome some of these difficulties. Our Gen1 monolithic design hand different specs than the Kali Keys currently for sale on our website. If shot at a typical bolt-action speed the Gen1 should work without issues. This issue is more pronounced on the larger calibers used on the AR-10 platform. If you still encounter stiffness with our current design (which should be rare if all is functioning as expected), it can almost always be corrected by simply pulling from the opposite side (i.e. left vs right side or vice-versa). Though we try to come close, we can’t fully resolve the physics behind metal expansion. Also keep in mind, that if you are using a new BCG, there will be a break-in period after which the barrel and the BCG will “marry” each other, and things will become increasingly smoother. Lastly, if charging when cold is not buttery smooth (new BCG or not), there is something wrong. Double check your installation or contact us for help.

There is reason to the madness:  It’s all about ergonomics.  The larger handle design allows for the shooter to move their hand forward and away from the face by comparison to a mil-spec charge handle.  This allows for a flattening of the wrist position and massively increases comfort while charging.  The finger pads are also wide enough to charge with two fingers on either side and clear scope bolts without scraping knuckles – again ergonomics.  The holes in the wings of the handle are for weight savings only.  They are not meant for fingers.  While it’s all bigger for the sake of comfort, the handle’s design doesn’t catch on gear.  We know how many customers love going to the range in their full battle-rattle!

Please review our full return/refund policy here!

We strive to deliver the best possible product and stand behind everything we make. The Kali Key is guaranteed to be free from defects in material and workmanship. If you have an issue, please contact us and we will make it right. Please review our full warranty policy here!

We don’t want to replace traditional bolt-action rifles or tell anyone that an AR shouldn’t be a semi-automatic. The Kali Key (1) allows one to hunt in certain jurisdictions that may restrict the use of semi-automatic rifles; (2) offers benefits in long range precision (LRP) shooting with the AR platform; and (3) gives one the ability to build the quietest suppressed rifle possible. Perhaps most importantly, (4) we give law abiding citizens a way to keep their rifles by preventing their ARs from being considered “assault weapons” to begin with. Currently, every state that has “assault weapon” laws defines an “aw” as a semi-automatic center fire rifle. Therefore, if you don’t have a semi-automatic, you don’t have an “assault weapon”. Put simply, the various restrictions and/or prohibitions implemented by “aw” laws do not apply to bolt-action rifles. (You need to independently verify the laws in your own jurisdiction.) Furthermore, any future “aw” laws aimed at semi-automatic rifles could not apply to bolt-action rifles. We call this being “future ready” thanks to the Kali Key. Our true drop-in design offers you a way to quickly and easily covert your AR into a bolt-action rifle without requiring any milling, esthetic modifications, or the removal or turning off of your gas system. By simply dropping in the Kali Key (1) your collection stays intact (no registration, no moving it out of town, no esthetic mods, no bullet buttons, and no removal of your favorite features); (2) you can import something special into a hostile jurisdiction legally and cheaply; (3) you can transport your rifle legally through hostile jurisdictions; and (4) you can build yourself something really cool which you couldn’t otherwise do given certain laws. Importantly, with the Kali Key, you can keep all the features that are regularly prohibited under most “aw” laws. This also means that if you find yourself moving to a free jurisdiction, going back to the original, factory form and function of your rifle is no more complicated than installing a BCG. In most cases the Kali Key costs less than going featureless, and in all cases it is easier to install. In further comparison to featureless, it also allows you to maintain full control of your rifle by allowing you to keep your pistol grip. Lastly, you don’t risk any of the real dangers in clearing malfunctions (i.e. double feeds) that you would with fixed magazine alternatives. We don’t pretend that all of these benefits don’t come at a cost, but we do believe that we are the only “future ready” solution on the market, and that does come with certain advantages.

Our goal in the videos we produce is to show customers the functionality of the product: how it works, what the ergonomics involved are, what you can do with it, and how it won’t get caught up on gear. As for accuracy questions, while it obviously depends on the shooter and the quality of the rifle, the removal of the BCG’s reciprocating mass and slight changes in the flow of gasses are said to actually improve long distance accuracy.

Our goal is to offer people who love their rifles a way to keep them and stay “future ready”. Because the Kali Key makes your rifle a bolt-action, future “aw” regulations may not be something you need to worry about ever again. We have families, businesses, and are law abiding citizens. The risk of felony charges may be for some but are not for us. We choose to protect ALL that we hold dear for less than $100. Where we choose to resist and fight back is by donating proceeds from our sales to grass roots organization like San Diego County Gun Owners (SDGCO). SDCGO works on their own and in conjunction with other worthy organization like CalGuns and FPC to fight for our rights where it can make a permanent difference – the courts and government. We believe in 2A rights and we put our money where our mouth is – with our sales we literally support an organization that, when successful, will put us out of business.

Absolutely.  Please go to the Contact section and fill out a support ticket, including a copy of your credentials.  We will happily set you up with a special code.  Thank you for your service!

No.  The California DOJ does not issue opinions on products, period.  We currently have a legal analysis on this website for you to read and decide upon for yourself.  You alone are responsible for knowing your local laws and how they apply to your personal situation.  We are also in the process of requesting a determination letter from the ATF, which we will publish upon receipt.

The Gen1 has a monolithic design: The rod and the gas blocking portion of the Kali key are one solid piece.  The Gen2 has a two-piece design.  As of May 2019, the Gen2 has been slimmed down to accommodate rifles that are slightly out of mil-spec and/or have added material due to Cerakoting.

We are amazed by American ingenuity in the face of adversity.  We love many of the products present on the market and support the industry.  We do however believe we bring certain advantages to the table: (1) We are the only “Future Ready” product on the market.  (2) We are cheaper than pretty much every featureless solution; and even cheaper than most high-end mil-spec charge handles alone.  (3)  Every other “compliance” solution requires installation of said product(s) on each individual rifle in a collection (i.e. every rifle you own has to be featureless or have a fixed mag solution on it before you can take it out legally).  With the Kali Key, in seconds, you can shift from rifle to rifle, as needed.  (4)  Transportation for out of state competitions and/or importation of new rifle models is easy and cost effective. 

The short answer is that it depends on your optic and your buttstock positioning.  For example, if you are using an ACOG with its very limited eye relief, then yes, you will typically need to momentarily lift off of your sight.  However, on most other scopes, red dots, and iron sights, the design of the Kali Key allows for the charging of the rifle without moving your head off target.  In some cases, the buttstock will need to be adjusted accordingly.  Furthermore, we put a lot of focus on ergonomics, both in terms of wrist position and hand distance from the face. Our design allows for charging your rifle comfortably time and again. 

The Kali Key has been recently approved by the Pennsylvania Game Commission!

The PA Game Commission is confirming this to customers by email and phone, but customers with questions must contact them directly.

We recently received a copy of this email Q&A shared by a customer (download copy of email here):

Q:
“I’ve been told the Kali Key is legal to hunt with but I just wanted to make sure. Thank you.”

A:
“Good afternoon,
If the firearm is permanently altered to a manually operated firearm, it is deemed legal. However, our officers aren’t gunsmiths. If they see what looks like a semi-automatic firearm in the field, be ready to show and prove that it’s been permanently changed to their satisfaction. If a “Kali-Key” is installed and the term ‘Kali-Key’ is visible on the top of the Kali-Key charging handle, then the firearm will be considered lawful.
Thanks for checking, lnm@pgc.”

NOTE: The PA Game Commission has been very cooperative and supportive. However, they can’t provide a general statement about the Kali Key for us to share publicly since they don’t endorse products. They’ve advised us to direct customers with Kali Key questions straight to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and each query will receive an individual response:

You can contact the agency through the form on this page: https://www.pgc.pa.gov/InformationResources/AboutUs/ContactInformation/Pages/default.aspx or by phoning the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Centralized Dispatch Center at 1-833-PGC-WILD or 1-833-PGC-HUNT.

Yes and no

The physics:
Customers tend to try to shoot the Kali Key much faster than a typical bolt-action rifle, not realizing that a Kali Key rifle is to be used as an actual bolt-action rifle. When shot quickly, the bolt lugs on any rifle expand as heat builds up. They then grip more tightly on the chamber. The chamber also expands, gripping more tightly on the casing. All heat expansion makes charging stiffer. This can happen more quickly with larger calibers with larger casings. Also, some manufacturers can have slightly different tolerances on any one particular rifle due to worn tools at the factory, proprietary designs (particularly on “AR-10s” that are not true DPMS pattern rifles), etc. This, too, can make the fit of the Kali Key tighter than on a true mil-spec or true DPMS pattern. You don’t notice these issues on semi-automatic rifles because they harness thousands of PSI to power through the cycling process. The human arm cannot generate the same PSI, so things can feel stiff/stuck when continuously cycling an AR manually. Remember, an AR was born to be a semi-automatic. The Kali Key’s current two-piece design allows faster cycling rates than our original monolithic design because it allows for some internal play (the bit of wiggle you find in every current generation Kali Key). This play helps overcome some of the difficulties explained above by mimicking point #1 below.

Pro Tips – what to try:
If you encounter stiffness, it can almost always be remedied by doing the following:

1. Ensure that you are properly lubricating the BCG, Kali Key, and bolt lugs before you start shooting. We recommend running a Kali Key rifle “wet” – particularly if you are running a new Kali Key/BCG combo in your rifle. Remember, all new parts still need to break-in to your rifle.

2. Rather than trying to muscle through every charge in a single pull, try pulling, then releasing the handle fully, and then pulling again. This simple (1)tug-(2)fully release-(3)tug is often enough to loosen things up.

3. Try pulling the handle from the opposite side (i.e. left vs right side or vice-versa).

4. Try pulling straight-and-even from both sides of the handle using both hands (i.e. buttstock on your chest or shoulder, muzzle safely downrange, and a normal pull with both hands). You may find that each rifle in your collection is “happier” being charged from one side instead of the other – particularly if it was broken in already as a semi-automatic. This is due to manufacturing differences between each rifle and/or how it broke-in as a semi-automatic.