New Product Highlight: SNT Motiv K2S
Want a seriously cool foreign military service rifle? The SNT Motiv K2S will be our civilian-friendly version of South Korea's Daewoo K2.
PPT Editor. Marine vet, hunter, and long-range shooter. Articles in 10+ major publications
We review products independently. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission to help support our testing. Learn more.
Those of you who are steeped in foreign military small arms will be delighted to learn that the Daewoo Precision Industries K2 is finally coming to the U.S. civilian market as the SNT Motiv K2S. Hooray!
If your response is, “Day-who?” – don’t worry, I’ll fill you in.
SNT Motiv K2S Specs & Features
Specs
- Caliber: 5.56 NATO
- Action: Semi-automatic
- Barrel Length: 18.3”
- Overall Length: 38.6”
- Weight: 7.5 lbs
- MSRP: TBD (likely around $1,500)
Features
- Gas piston system
- U.S. assembly
- Likely to ship in late 2025
Daewoo finished developing the K2 for the South Korean military in 1983. It was a quirky mashup of the era’s service rifles. The long-stroke piston system was very Kalashnikov-esque but the lower receiver, bolt, magazines, and 5.56 NATO cartridge came straight from the M16.
The result was a solid service rifle that earned a cult following in the states, aided by pop culture appearances. If you keep your eyes peeled, you can spot the K2 in “Squid Game,” old episodes of “The A-Team,” and the 2000 video game “Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear.”
The federal assault weapons ban of 1994 put a stop to the importation of the K2. The bill expired in 2004, and SNT Motiv plans to bring the rifle back to the U.S. as the K2S later this year.
Right now, the company is crossing T’s and dotting I’s with the ATF. An assembly facility is already locked down in Las Vegas. The SNT Motiv reps we talked to at SHOT Show were confident that the rifle would make it to commercial sale by the end of 2025.
SNT Motiv doesn’t have an MSRP for us just yet, but reps at SHOT Show told us to expect it to be in the $1,500 ballpark for the K2S.
What do you think of the new SNT Motiv K2S? Let us know below. For more upcoming releases, check out our guide to the Best Guns of SHOT Show 2025!