Bullpup Rifles vs Traditional Rifles

Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy want to go over bullpup and traditional rifles. These two types of rifles are popular and in common use with shooters of all types. Both designs have been utilized for everything from military use, competition, plinking, and even hunting. For the purposes of this blog, we are specifically going to be focusing on the semi-automatic versions of these designs. Our goal with this blog post is to go over these different designs while comparing their pros, cons, and other features and traits. Without further ado, let’s cover these two distinct rifle types.

What is a Bullpup Rifle?

A bullpup rifle is one which features a magazine which sits at the rear of a rifle behind the trigger. Simply put, the action is at the rear of the weapon. These types of firearms have seen adoption and use by a wide variety of military and law enforcement entities. Notably, the first bullpup to see mass issuance was the Steyr AUG in 1977 when the Austrian Army adopted it. Many other countries have utilized and developed bullpups throughout the 20^th and 21^st century, allowing these designs to make a name for themselves. Examples following military designs and completely commercial offerings have been prevalent on the market for decades, allowing shooters to acquire bullpup rifles of all types. Many bullpup rifles will be piston operated in nature, often stemming from the AR-18 design. Bullpup rifles can easily be identified due to their unconventional designs. They can usually be spotted quite easily due to their rearward magazine location. While not as traveled and tested as traditional rifles, these designs deviate from the norm and have certainly proven themselves over time.

What is a Traditional Rifle?

A traditional rifle is one which features an action that rests behind the magazine of the firearm. These are some of the most common types of rifles one will find on the market. The most common example of a traditional semi-automatic rifle in America has to be an AR-15 variant. These rifles can be configured in a variety of forms and are in common use with users of all types. Beyond the AR-15, these rifles can be found in a variety of forms. Everything from the Ruger Mini-14, FAL offerings, AK offerings, and many other designs are covered by these types of rifles. These rifles will generally range from direct impingement, piston operated, and even roller-delayed blowback systems. These types of rifles have existed for a considerable amount of time and have been utilized by military, law enforcement agencies, and civilians ever since. Simply put, if you think of a rifle and what they look like, you are likely thinking of something that looks like a traditional rifle. Traditional styled rifle designs have stood the test of time and aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

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Pros and Cons: Bullpup Rifle

Pros:

Bullpup rifles are very compact and efficient for their size. Most bullpups with a 16” barrel are about the size of a Mk18 SBR with a 10.3” barrel.
Bullpup rifles allow an end user to utilize a full-size barrel in a compact package. This means that a bullpup user is not compromising their rifle’s effective range with a short barrel. This is particularly important with cartridges such as 56x45mm NATO that excel in longer barrels.
These short rifles allow an end user to avoid an NFA tax or having to deal with the ever-changing legal landscape of pistol braces.
Unique designs beget unique features. Many bullpups can be easily configured to be used with a left-handed or right-handed shooter quite easily. There are also bullpups, such as the Steyr AUG and IWI Tavor, that feature innate abilities to quickly remove and replace barrels.
Bullpups tend to be more balanced than most traditional rifles. This is mainly due to the fact that they are inherently back heavy as opposed to front heavy. As optics and other accessories are placed on a bullpup, they tend to level out as far as weight distribution goes, making them very handy and balanced.

Cons:

Unconventional designs may come with non-standard methods of operation. Controls may be placed in unfamiliar areas and feature different methods of actuation. For example, the Steyr AUG features a crossbolt style safety, a departure from the AR-15 and other types of firearms. Simply put, one should be prepared to potentially deal with the reality of learning a new manual of arms.
Proprietary designs may make getting replacement parts and upkeep a bit more difficult.
Typically, bullpup rifles feature a stout and heavy trigger pull. Depending on the specific rifle in question, there may be a considerable amount of creep as well. This is mainly due to the fact that the trigger pulled by a shooter is actually pulling another trigger at the rear of the rifle in the fire control group. This action typically relies on trigger bars which connect the trigger at the front to the action at the rear. Simply put, more moving parts and tolerances means that there is typically more creep and a heavier-feeling pull.
Typically, no means to adjust the length of pull on a bullpup. Most popular models of bullpups like Steyr AUGs and IWI Tavors simply lack this feature. To accomplish this task, and end user must either purchase a new buttplate or get something like a Springfield Hellion which uniquely features an adjustable length of pull.
When it comes to price, most bullpups are going to be more expensive than many traditional rifle offerings.

Pros and Cons: Traditional Rifle

Pros:

Familiar and standardized manual of arms. Many traditional style rifles follow an established manual of arms and feature similar controls, making them easy to learn and use.
Many traditional rifles utilize common parts and components, making them easy to maintain and work on. For example, most AR-15s, regardless of the manufacturer, will utilize the same major parts and components.
These types of rifles utilize standard and common trigger designs, meaning that triggers usually feel superior to those found in bullpup rifles.
Rifles of this style can typically be configured with components such as collapsible stocks and folding stocks. These features allow an end user to adjust the length of pull for the rifle or fold it for storage purposes.
A shooter can acquire a traditional rifle like an AR-15 for less money than most bullpups. Simply put, a prospective customer can get into one of these rifles for much less than one of their bullpup counterparts.

Cons:

Traditional rifles will almost always be larger and less handy than their bullpup counterparts.
Smaller sized rifles will typically feature shorter barrels. This means that the maximum effective range of a rifle is compromised when paired with a short barrel.
If you want an SBR, you will need to go through the process and pay for a tax stamp or be prepared to deal with the ever-changing legal landscape of “pistols.”
Some traditional rifles may be pretty barebones as far as features go. More and more AR-15 type rifles are beginning to feature ambidextrous controls and other modern creature comforts, but this is far from the norm at this point in time. Most traditional rifles will require tools to remove important components such as barrels while Steyr AUGs and IWI Tavors.
Most traditional rifles tend to be inherently front heavy, a trait which is only amplified as more attachments and accessories are added.

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Who Makes Bullpup Rifles?

Presently, bullpup rifles are produced by a number of companies. These companies include Steyr, IWI, Kel-Tec, and Desert Tech. There are fewer bullpup options on the market than there are traditional rifle options. Even though there are fewer options available to a prospective buyer, the current offerings are distinct enough to allow a shooter to find something that works best for them. These rifles tend to be on the more expensive side and may not be easily found on shelves like traditional rifles. That being said, many options can be found by looking online and browsing various sources. Simply put, if one wants to acquire a bullpup rifle, they will have no problem doing so.

Who Makes Traditional Rifles?

Traditional rifles of this type can be found from a variety of manufacturers. There are countless AR-15 manufacturers alone. The market also has a variety of manufacturers who produce non-AR type rifles such as Aks, HK type rifles, and other designs. There are traditional rifles in every price point, meaning that shooters can easily find a rifle to fit their budget. The most commonly encountered rifles of this type will be AR-15s followed by AK type rifles. Other traditional designs such as those derived from the FAL and HK rifle designs may be a bit more elusive at gun counters. That being said, one can generally find what they are looking for if they look online and broaden their searches. At the end of the day, one will be able to find a traditional rifle that fits their preferences if they truly want to.

Conclusion

All in all, both bullpup rifles and traditional rifles exist in common use among shooters in the United States. Both designs have served users of all kinds well for a variety of use cases. The diverse array of firearms available means that prospective customers can truly find something to best fit their preferences and desires. Whether you are a bullpup enthusiast or prefer a traditional rifle layout, you will inevitably need ammunition. We here at True Shot Ammo carry a wide variety of ammunition to help you get stocked up for your shooting needs. As always, happy shooting. Need bulk ammo? At True Shot Ammo, we have a wide variety of handgun ammo and rifle ammo available to purchase. Please visit our website trueshotammo.com, call us at (888) 736-6587, or you can email us at sales@trueshotammo.com for more ammo options. View more posts about firearms:

Bullpup Rifles vs Traditional Rifles