Bullpups - What Are They?
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Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy are going to go over bullpups today. These unique firearms deviate from the norm and set themselves apart from conventional weapons designs. Our goal with this blog post is to go over what makes these firearms unique while delving into their traits and other information. Without further ado, let’s go over bullpups.
What Is a Bullpup?
Simply put, the term “bullpup” refers to a firearm that has its main firing grip ahead of its action. The most notable and recognizable trait of a bullpup rifle is the presence of a magazine behind the trigger. Some of these firearms will take proprietary magazines while others accept common STANAG type magazines. Some companies, such as Steyr, will manufacture rifles which are of the NATO variety and of the standard waffle mag variety. These firearms will typically be found in rifle calibers but can also be converted to shoot handgun calibers such as
9mm Luger. Typically, one will find that Steyr AUGs and IWI Tavor type rifles in
5.56x45mm NATO are compatible with
9mm Luger conversion kits.
Where Did the Name Come From?
The origin of the name “bullpup” was researched by firearms historian Jonathan Ferguson. The British historian found examples in 1930’s firearms advertising and marketing which implied that the term stemmed from comparisons between rifles of this type and bulldog puppies. The implication was like bulldog puppies in the sense that they were “squat” and “ugly” while also being “aggressive and powerful.” This is, practically speaking, a reference to the fact that while these rifles appear unconventional, they are still effective and capable rifles.
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How Long Have Bullpups Been Around?
The early 20
th century saw the dawn of the bullpup concept. In 1901, the British military tested the Thorneycroft carbine, one of the earliest designed bullpup rifles to be produced. This early design featured a bolt action mechanism and was chambered in the
.303 British cartridge. The Thorneycroft carbine was notably shorter and lighter than the longer, standard issue Lee Enfield rifles in service at the time. Ultimately, the Thorneycroft carbine did not see adoption and the bullpup concept saw limited military development until later on in the 20
th century.
By the second half of the 20
th century, many European nations began to develop and adopt a number of bullpup service rifle designs. Notable adopters of bullpup rifles are England, Austria, France, and even Israel. The first major military to adopt a bullpup rifle was Austria in 1977 with the StG 77, or Steyr AUG. These designs have undergone many changes since their introduction. Many of the rifles have become adopted by other countries and seen use beyond their native land. For example, the Steyr AUG has seen use by countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland.
Who Makes Bullpup Rifles?
Currently, bullpup firearms are produced by a number of companies. Companies such as Steyr, IWI, FN Herstal, and Desert Tech produce bullpup rifles for commercial use. IWI produces options in both
5.56x45mm NATO and in
.308 Winchester, providing potential customers with intermediate and full power rifle cartridges. FN Herstal’s current offering comes in the form of the PS90, a commercialized version of their iconic P90 submachinegun in
5.7x28mm. Simply put, bullpup rifles are available in many calibers and configurations. Prospective buyers will be able to peruse many potential offerings and find the bullpup most suited to their needs.
What Are Bullpups Good For?
Bullpup rifles essentially provide a shooter with a means to compromise between a short overall length and having an effective barrel length. For example, a Steyr AUG A3 M1 with a 16” barrel is nearly the same length as a Mk18 type rifle with a 10.3” barrel. When comparing these two firearms, one will benefit from superior ballistic performance with the bullpup while also having the handling of a shorter firearm.
The short nature of bullpups will also allow an end user to have a shorter firearm without being subjected to NFA regulations and avoiding SBR registration. Most commercially available bullpups will have an overall length that complies with national requirements. This makes them an effective alternative to an NFA item like an SBR if one wishes to avoid paying for the tax stamp and federally registering a firearm.
Bullpups tend to be incredibly balanced as far as firearms go. Many bullpups can easily be fired with one hand with little strain to the shooter. Due to their weight distribution, they can comfortably be slung and even “tucked” like a football when moving and shooting.
Bullpups are also well-suited to suppressor use too due to their short overall length. Suppressors will generally add to the overall length of a firearm. A 14.5” or 16” barreled firearm can easily become a 20” rifle with the addition of a suppressor.
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Common Complaints
Two of the largest complaints lodged against bullpup firearms by shooters will typically revolve around their triggers and differing manual of arms.
When considering how bullpup rifles work and how they are laid out, it makes sense why the triggers on these firearms tend to be stout and creepy at times. Essentially, the standard trigger that is pulled by a shooter to fire the rifle actually is pulling a second trigger at the rear of the rifle near the action to achieve ignition. This explains the presence of trigger bars on rifles like the Steyr AUG and IWI X95 which connect the forward trigger to the firing mechanism at the rear of the firearm. These mechanisms are more complex than traditional trigger designs and tend to be a bit stouter and potentially exhibit creep.
Complaints regarding a bullpup’s manual of arms are also quite common. With designs that depart from standard methods of use and operation, it is inevitable that a different manual of arms will be required. Many shooters are used to firearms of traditional designs with magazines forward of the action, meaning that many must get used to the rearward magazines on these firearms. The rear placement of the action also means that these rifles will typically have nonstandard magazine release placement and often feature some unique bolt catch and release mechanisms.
Many companies offer replacement components and parts to improve the trigger pull on these bullpup firearms. There are also many shooters who simply live with the stock triggers and become proficient with them, choosing to invest money in practice rather than replacing the trigger. As far as the manual of arms goes, a shooter can become familiar with the method of operation over time. Many companies also sell accessories to augment many of the controls on these types of firearms, making them more ergonomic and easier to use for some shooters.
Essentially, like every firearm, bullpups have their pros, cons, and quirks. They can be overcome by familiarizing oneself with a firearm of this type or completely avoided by selecting another firearm for your purposes.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, bullpups are iconic and unique takes on firearms design. Many bullpup rifles have military roots and have become vetted and proven among professionals and casual shooters alike. We here at True Shot Ammo have a variety of loadings which will be great for use in bullpup rifles. Whether you are looking to feed a bullpup rifle or something else, we have got you covered. 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.
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