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DPMS Kitty Kat Review w/ Problems - A Gun Just for Fun?

Nightwood Guns
Published on October 5, 2025
Category: Reviews
Duration: 12:29

This review of the DPMS Kitty Kat AR-15 pistol highlights its retro aesthetics and affordability as key pros. However, significant cons include extreme muzzle blast and concussion in 5.56, rapid handguard heating, a highly uncomfortable pistol brace, and substantial reliability issues requiring extensive factory warranty service. The reviewer, Brett from Nightwood Guns, emphasizes that while it's a fun novelty, its performance limitations and initial quality control problems make it a budget-focused purchase.

Tags

DPMS Kitty Kat
AR-15 Pistol
5.56x45mm NATO
Retro AR
Short Barrel Rifle
Firearm Review
Gunsmithing
Reliability Testing
Ballistics
Handguard Heat
Pistol Brace
Warranty Service

Quick Summary

The DPMS Kitty Kat AR-15 pistol offers retro aesthetics and affordability but suffers from significant drawbacks including extreme muzzle blast, rapid handguard heating, an uncomfortable pistol brace, and initial reliability issues. Its 7.5-inch 5.56 barrel produces velocities below optimal fragmentation thresholds.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction: DPMS Kitty Kat Review
  2. 00:04DPMS Kitty Kat Chambered in 5.56
  3. 00:08Journey with Warranty Service
  4. 00:19Kitty Cat Outside
  5. 00:25Putting the Kitty Kat Through Its Paces
  6. 00:31Unmodified Semi-Automatic Firearm
  7. 00:3620 Round Magazine
  8. 00:41Features, Pros, and Cons
  9. 00:47Warranty Service Trips
  10. 00:50Shooting Suppressed
  11. 00:53Questions About the Kitty Cat Setup
  12. 01:01Subscribe and Like
  13. 01:13Thanks to Patreon Supporters
  14. 01:19Kitty Cat Not Sent to Channel
  15. 01:22Thanks to Optics
  16. 01:42DPMS Kitty Kat Overview
  17. 01:48Fan of Snubbies and Compact Classics
  18. 01:58DPMS Comeback and Retro Shorty
  19. 02:06Early 90s/2000s AR Drip
  20. 02:13DPMS Reputation
  21. 02:17Surface Level Features
  22. 02:22Milspec Components
  23. 02:30Affordability as a Pro
  24. 02:34Pros of Other ARs
  25. 02:40Chambered in 5.56
  26. 02:41Comes in 300 Blackout
  27. 02:48Seven and a Half Inch Barrel
  28. 02:53A1 Upper and Fixed Carry Handle
  29. 03:00Four Inch Aluminum Knurled Handguard
  30. 03:02Pistol Brace
  31. 03:04Classic Retro AR Stock Look
  32. 03:10Build Inspiration
  33. 03:14Dead Air Sierra
  34. 03:21Blackhawk Down Gordy Inspired Look
  35. 03:28Positives Summary
  36. 03:39Negatives of the Gun
  37. 03:43Seven and a Half Inch AR in 5.56
  38. 03:53Concussion and Muzzle Blast
  39. 04:00Pro for Some: Fireballs and Loud Noises
  40. 04:08Impact on Range Neighbors
  41. 04:11Knocked Out Electronic Hearing Protection
  42. 04:18Shooting Suppressed Recommended
  43. 04:23Not Hearing Safe with a Can
  44. 04:28Handguard Heat
  45. 04:31Gets Really Hot Really Fast
  46. 04:34Three Mag Dumps
  47. 04:38Two Mag Dumps with a Can
  48. 04:42Had to Glove Up
  49. 04:57Shame on My Family Name
  50. 05:01Knurled Handguard Mounting Challenges
  51. 05:06Mounted Light to Front Sight Block
  52. 05:08Gets So Hot
  53. 05:11Exclusively Use Rockset
  54. 05:14Red Loctite Melted
  55. 05:22Retro Drip Sacrifices
  56. 05:24Mounting a Red Dot
  57. 05:26Mount to the Carry Handle
  58. 05:27Height Over Bore Substantial
  59. 05:31Know Your Holdovers
  60. 05:32Optic on Carry Handle Experience
  61. 05:39Pretty Fast, Pretty Intuitive
  62. 05:43Muzzle Velocity Loss
  63. 05:45Seven and a Half Inch Barrel
  64. 05:49Typical 16-inch AR Velocity
  65. 05:56Approximate Magical Minimum Number
  66. 06:02Proper Fragmentation
  67. 06:04Chronograph Readings
  68. 06:062300 FPS with Can
  69. 06:092200 FPS without Can
  70. 06:11Ten Shot Averages
  71. 06:13Poking Holes
  72. 06:15Still Lethal
  73. 06:17Losing Some Firepower
  74. 06:20Super Serious Purpose
  75. 06:21Best Ballistic Performance
  76. 06:25Get it in 300 Blackout
  77. 06:27Fun Novelty Gun
  78. 06:32Can Still Do Jobs
  79. 06:355.56 Cheaper
  80. 06:36So Many Rounds
  81. 06:40Accuracy Concerns
  82. 06:42Confident Out to 250 Yards
  83. 06:46Need to Go Longer
  84. 06:48Wrong Tool for the Job
  85. 06:53Not the Best Tool for the Job
  86. 06:56Pistol Brace Discussion
  87. 06:59Least Favorite Part
  88. 07:02Classic Look
  89. 07:07Most Important Thing
  90. 07:08Pistol Brace vs. Stock
  91. 07:12Most Uncomfortable Torture Device
  92. 07:15Hard, Thin Plastic
  93. 07:18Sharp Point
  94. 07:21Cannot Overstate Discomfort
  95. 07:23Pressed Up Against Shoulder
  96. 07:27Spend Any Amount of Time Shooting
  97. 07:30Form One into an SPR
  98. 07:33Slap an Actual CAR-15 Stock
  99. 07:35Uncomfortable to Shoot
  100. 07:37Super Overgassed from Factory
  101. 07:39Stabbed by Polymer Gun Show Knife
  102. 07:43Recoil Harder Than It Should
  103. 07:47Double Whammy
  104. 07:48Shooting Suppressed While Overgassed
  105. 07:51Very Unpleasant Gas Situation
  106. 07:58Ejection Patterns All Over the Place
  107. 08:01Playing Around with Buffer Weights
  108. 08:03Buffer Springs
  109. 08:04Grabbing Footage
  110. 08:04H3 Buffer
  111. 08:07Blue Springco
  112. 08:11Best Setup Found So Far
  113. 08:12Still Things to Test
  114. 08:14Tune it Up Non-Invasively
  115. 08:16Tuning with Buffer Weight and Spring
  116. 08:18Recoil Significantly Noticeably Softer
  117. 08:21Got All Gas Out of Face
  118. 08:25Reliability of the Kitty Cat
  119. 08:26Go Back to the Factory Twice
  120. 08:30Palmetto State Armory Bought DPMS
  121. 08:32Warranty Service for DPMS
  122. 08:37At the Range
  123. 08:39Would Not Cycle Jacketed Hollowpoint
  124. 08:41Out of Any Metal Magazine
  125. 08:42Aluminum or Steel
  126. 08:44Magpul Mags Ran 100%
  127. 08:46Bad Magpul Magazine Look
  128. 08:48Only Reason to Buy This Gun
  129. 08:50Not About to Shove a Pag In There
  130. 08:53Sent to Palmetto State Armory
  131. 08:54Gone for About a Month
  132. 08:56Sent Back with Polished Feed Ramps
  133. 09:01Nothing Changed
  134. 09:03Functioned Poorly
  135. 09:04Took a Video of Malfunctions
  136. 09:06Sent to Palmetto State Armory Second Time
  137. 09:08Replicate the Malfunction
  138. 09:11Weren't Able to Fix It
  139. 09:11Thought HK Magazine Was Causing Malfunctions
  140. 09:16Sent Them Five More Metal Magazines
  141. 09:19Couldn't Figure Out Problem
  142. 09:20Suggested Another Kitty Cat
  143. 09:25Tried the New Kitty Cat
  144. 09:26Still Had Same Problems
  145. 09:28Decided to Just Say
  146. 09:30Not Going to Function With These Magazines
  147. 09:33Jacketed Hollowpoint Ammunition
  148. 09:35Put a Lot of Rounds Through My Kitty Cat
  149. 09:36Grab the Upper Off of the New One
  150. 09:41Move All My Accessories Over
  151. 09:43So Nice and Thoughtful
  152. 09:45Generous
  153. 09:47Perfectly Locked It
  154. 09:49Rockset Everything
  155. 09:50Polished Feed Ramps on New Upper
  156. 09:52Sent It Back My Way
  157. 09:55Ran 100%
  158. 09:57Metal Magazines and Hollowpoint Ammo
  159. 10:00All in All
  160. 10:01Second Trip Spent 4 Months
  161. 10:04Palmetto State Armory
  162. 10:05Trying to Figure It Out
  163. 10:08Grabbed a New Upper
  164. 10:09Polished Feed Ramps
  165. 10:11It Worked
  166. 10:13Other Plus Side
  167. 10:15Carry Handle Was Bent
  168. 10:17Pick Rail on Carry Handle
  169. 10:19Little Peephole
  170. 10:22See Your Iron Sights
  171. 10:23As a Backup
  172. 10:25Carry Handle Was Crooked
  173. 10:28Couldn't See Irons Through Peephole
  174. 10:30New Kitty Cat Upper
  175. 10:32Completely Straight Carry Handle
  176. 10:33Can Actually Use Peephole
  177. 10:34See My Sights
  178. 10:36While It Was Gone
  179. 10:38Drive Home How Nice They Were
  180. 10:40Courteous and Generous
  181. 10:42Troubleshooting
  182. 10:44Older DPMS Rifles
  183. 10:46Probably Isn't Too Surprised
  184. 10:52Bent Carry Handle
  185. 10:55Ammo and Magazine Picky
  186. 10:57At the End of the Day
  187. 10:59You Get What You Pay For
  188. 11:02Base Milspec AR-15
  189. 11:05Retro Skin
  190. 11:07Now That It's Working
  191. 11:08Super Thrilled
  192. 11:10Favorite Looking Guns
  193. 11:13Lot of Fun to Have
  194. 11:15Lot of Fun to Play With
  195. 11:17Not for Too Long at the Range
  196. 11:19Okay to Buy a Fun Gun
  197. 11:22Not Everything Needs to Be Serious
  198. 11:25Really Cool Retro Shorty
  199. 11:29Budget Level Gun
  200. 11:31Get That DPMS Panther Arms
  201. 11:34Dirty Panthers Making Sex
  202. 11:38Did You Enjoy the Video?
  203. 11:40Hit That Subscribe Button
  204. 11:41Hit the Like, Thumbs Up Button
  205. 11:42Drop a Comment
  206. 11:44Helps YouTube Know
  207. 11:47Support the Channel Further
  208. 11:51Find Me on Patreon
  209. 11:56Thrilling Novels on Amazon
  210. 11:58Merch
  211. 12:00Gun Movie Inspired Shirts
  212. 12:02Hope You Enjoyed Today's Video
  213. 12:05Great Seeing You Again
  214. 12:07See You in the Next Video
  215. 12:07Brett, Nightwood Guns
  216. 12:10Nightwood Out

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main pros of the DPMS Kitty Kat?

The primary advantages of the DPMS Kitty Kat are its attractive retro aesthetics, reminiscent of early AR-15 designs, and its generally affordable price point, making it an accessible option for those seeking a unique-looking firearm.

What are the significant cons of the DPMS Kitty Kat?

Key drawbacks include extreme muzzle blast and concussion in 5.56, rapid handguard heating, a very uncomfortable pistol brace, and notable reliability issues with certain ammunition and magazines that required extensive factory service.

How does the DPMS Kitty Kat perform ballistically in 5.56?

The 7.5-inch barrel in 5.56 yields muzzle velocities around 2,200-2,300 ft/s, which is below the 2,500 ft/s often considered optimal for 5.56 fragmentation, suggesting it's primarily for 'poking holes' rather than maximum terminal performance.

What issues did the DPMS Kitty Kat have with reliability?

The firearm struggled to cycle jacketed hollowpoint ammunition when using metal magazines (aluminum or steel). Magpul magazines functioned without issue, but the reviewer found them aesthetically incompatible with the retro design.

Was the DPMS Kitty Kat's warranty service effective?

The initial warranty service for reliability issues was ineffective. It took a second trip to the factory, involving the replacement of the upper receiver and polishing of feed ramps, to resolve the cycling problems.

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