Forget everything that you’ve learned about conventional firearms.
Bullpup rifles and shotguns break all of the rules.
A “bullpup” is a type of firearm with its action and trigger behind the trigger group.
This setup reduces overall length and weight substantially while not sacrificing barrel length and velocity.
They’re short, compact, and easy to handle, but still have the same accuracy as long-barrel rifles, shotguns, and sub-machine guns.
I’ll cover more exactly what a bullpup gun is, the pros/cons, and the best models out there right now. But if you’re in a hurry, check out our recommended models below.
Summary of Our Top Picks
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What Is a Bullpup Firearm?
Bullpups have the action located behind the firing grip.
In other words, the part of the gun where the magazine, barrel, and bolt meet is positioned behind the trigger instead of in front of it, like with conventional guns.
Because bullpup firearms have a different design than their traditional counterparts, they need to be handled differently.
When shooting a bullpup gun, you’ll need to hold the firearm closer to your body when aiming and shooting.
This, combined with the fact that bullpup guns generally have shorter overall lengths, makes them great for shooting in confined spaces.
Pros and Cons of Bullpup Guns
Bullpups are something many people either love or hate, and it can take a lot of practice before you master shooting one.
They have a lot of benefits in a tactical setting…which is why various bullpup guns have been used by armed forces around the world, including Britain, France, Israel, and Australia.
Pros of Bullpups
Many bullpup versions are more compact than conventional models, increasing their maneuverability.
In addition, the design allows for a longer barrel without sacrificing overall length, accuracy, and muzzle velocity that comes with a shorter barrel.
And since the gun has to be held closer to the body, you’re less likely to experience fatigue from extensive shooting.
Your hand positioning helps you aim and shoot from a lowered position quicker than conventional guns.
While it’s true that bullpup weapons have some benefits that set them apart from traditional firearms…there are still a couple of cons.
Cons of Bullpups
Now for the downsides…
Bullpup guns that aren’t specially designed to eject casings downward are prone to hitting left-handed shooters in the face. Fortunately, most newer bullpup firearms have found a way around this with downward and upward ejection features.
Also, many bullpups are back-heavy, which can affect the gun’s balance and can cause the muzzle to rise significantly when being fired.
Not to mention, the positioning of the magazine can make it more difficult to rapidly reload bullpup guns.
In the rare and unlikely event that your bullpup backfires, the way bullpup guns are held means the explosion happens much closer to your face.
The Bottom Line
The advantage of using a bullpup gun over a conventional firearm is improved maneuverability, which is why bullpups are ideal for shooting in confined spaces.
Additionally, this is also why bullpup shotguns make decent weapons for home defense.
Best Bullpup Rifles & Shotguns
Now that we’ve covered the basics of what a bullpup is and why you might want one, let’s have a look at some popular bullpup models…in no particular order.
1. IWI Tavor X95
Hands down one of the best and most widely adopted bullpups on the market is the Tavor X95 from IWI.
From the sleek styling to the ambi controls, the Tavor series of rifles have been a hit since the start — the X95 being the best of the bunch!
The short version though is that this gun runs. While the Tavor, in general, has always been a great bullpup, the X95 gains the benefit of iterative design and has improved the platform greatly.
Soft shooting, compact, ultra-reliable, if we were going to pick a king of bullpups — it would be this one.
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If you want the whole story, take a look at our hands-on Tavor X95 review!
2. Desert Tech SRS-A2
Don’t let the size fool you this gun is a fantastic rifle.
The Desert Tech Stealth Recon Scout A2 is a bullpup, bolt-action model known for its accuracy and compact nature.
Its bullpup design makes it an effective sharpshooting rifle that’s as compact as a submachine gun.
The SRS-A2 is a multi-caliber design, meaning that it can quickly convert from one chambering to another including .308 Win, 6.5CM, .300 Win Mag, and .338 LM.
Overall, this is a great sniper rifle with an innovative design that allows it to be short and compact without sacrificing accuracy.
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3. Desert Tech MDRX
Another innovative bullpup rifle coming from the people over at Desert Tech is the Micro Dynamic Rifle, or MDRX.
The MDRX is a one-of-a-kind gun that is lightweight, compact, and has an incredibly futuristic look to it.
What makes the MDRX an incredible gun is a forward ejection mechanism, meaning the rifle is fully ambidextrous.
It’s a favorite among left-handed shooters who’re frustrated with bullpup designs that send casings flying in their faces.
Like its SRS sibling, the MDRX is multi-caliber and comes in .223 Wylde, .308 Winchester, and .300 Blackout in the 16-inch and 20-inch with the 20-inch also offered in 6.5 Creedmoor.
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4. FN FS2000
Do you want a battle-tested rifle that’s trusted by the Belgium Special Forces and Spanish National Police?
The FS2000 by Belgian company, FN Herstal, is the gun for you. This bullpup assault rifle fires 5.56 NATO rounds with amazing accuracy.
You might have seen the FS2000 feature in popular video games, like the Call of Duty Modern Warfare series, but did you know that weapons by FNH are often used by the Secret Service because of their excellent accuracy, dependability, and functionality?
In this regard, the FS2000 is no exception!
It’s fully ambidextrous, so left-handed shooters don’t have to worry about experiencing the discomfort that comes with other bullpup guns.
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Also, it comes with a 1.6x telescopic sight. And forward cartridge casing ejection protects the faces of left-handed shooters.
The FN FS2000 might be discontinued but you can sometimes find them on the used market.
5. FN PS90
Another reliable bullpup gun manufactured by FN Herstal is the PS90.
This firearm, classified as a personal defense weapon (PDW), is often lumped into the category of submachine guns.
Even if you didn’t know the PS90 by name, you’ve probably seen it feature in various forms of media, like the game Counter Strike and movies, including James Bond, Hunger Games, and X-Men series.
Although its unorthodox design does make it seem a bit far-fetched!
However, the PS90’s reputation for excellence has made it a popular choice among LEOs in the United States on a local and national level, as well as the Taiwanese Armed Forces and various militaries in the EU.
It brings a fully ambidextrous design so righties or lefties can use it.
And it ejects casings downwards, protecting the face of left-handed shooters.
And the magazine sits on the top of the barrel, rather than underneath.
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What’s your take on the PS90?
6. Kel-Tec KSG
Do you want a bullpup weapon that’s perfect for home defense?
The KSG 12-gauge shotgun by Kel-Tec is your best bet. It’s smaller than your average 12-gauge but it still packs the same punch.
It doesn’t have a long barrel, which means that it’s perfect for shooting in narrow and tight spaces.
This pump-action shotgun is ambidextrous and can be easily fitted with red-dot sights, making it optimal for tactical scenarios.
Its reputation for reliability in the field has made the shotgun a popular choice among certain French and South Korean battalions.
Additionally, since the KSG utilizes downward cartridge ejection technology, left-handed shooters don’t have to worry about shells hitting them in the face.
With a retail price under $1,000, the Kel-Tec KSG is a great weapon home defense weapon to have.
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7. Steyr AUG
You didn’t think I’d write a review of bullpups and leave off the Steyr AUG, did you?
This Austrian bullpup rifle is one of the most recognizable and popular weapons in its field.
It shoots the 5.56 NATO cartridges and is used by a number of countries across the world, including the United States, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
The Steyr AUG might be one of the most recognizable bullpup rifle.
This gun offers an easy-to-use safety mechanism located above the grip.
And the gun can be configured for right or left-handed shooters by changing the bolt to a right or left-side model and sealing the ejection port on the side closest to the shooter’s face.
Standard models come with a 1.5x optical sight and carrying handle.
Overall, the Steyr AUG accommodates right-handed and southpaw shooters and is easy to operate. This has helped make the gun a successful tactical piece for nearly 40 years.
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Need a hands-on review of the AUG? We got you covered! Steyr AUG Hands-On Review!
8. KelTec KS7
The KelTec KS7 provides a simplified variant of the KSG and is also one of the lightest, shortest NFA-free shotguns on the market.
At only 26.1 inches long, it’s just above the overall length requirements for a shotgun. With a weight of less than 6 pounds, the little 5.9-pound shotgun is short and sweet.
KelTec trimmed the KS7 to one tube, and it holds seven rounds of 2.75-inch shells. The barrel is predictably a trim 18.5 inches, and the length of pull is a pleasant 13 inches. This gun looks like a weird one but handles well.
You get a short pump that’s easy to grip, an ambidextrous pump release, a big block safety, and a setup that keeps the lefties happy.
The shells eject from the bottom of the gun, not from the left or right-hand sides. This ensures no one gets a shell to the face.
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That big carry handle acts as your sight and accessory mounting platform. While awkward-looking, it makes attaching lights and accessories more fairly easy to accomplish.
The sight is a big green triangle that’s eye-catching and perfect for close-range shooting.
I was pleasantly surprised by the KelTec KS7 and how reliable, fun, and easy to use it is. I like the simple, lightweight design, and it’s become one of my favorite bullpups.
Read our full review of the KS7 here.
9. Smith & Wesson M&P 12
I was pleasantly surprised when Smith & Wesson announced their first new shotgun in decades. It’s been some time since this classic American gunmaker delved into the world of scatterguns.
What was even more surprising, at least to me, was the fact it’s clearly inspired by the KSG.
This unusual bullpup layout incorporates dual magazine tubes to double the capacity without doubling the weapon’s size. The S&W M&P 12-gauge provides shooters with 14 rounds of 2.75-inch shells. It’s a ton of firepower in a pump-action shotgun and provides an often low-capacity platform with a few more options.
While S&W might have been influenced by KelTec, they certainly made the M&P 12 a very different gun.
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S&W built the M&P 12 with outstanding ergonomics, including a tube switch button on the pump of the weapon and ambidextrous controls that make it easy to operate.
Plus, the rear of the gun can expand and open to allow the user to clear malfunctions, but malfunctions aren’t a real issue with this gun. It’s very reliable and easy to operate with an included vertical foregrip that makes it easy to run the gun.
Along the top, we get a full-length optic rail and a barrel shroud that is also an M-LOK attachment point for lights, lasers, and more.
The overall length is 27.8 inches with a 19-inch barrel.
One downside is the long length of pull which is over 14 inches overall — crazy long for a bullpup shotgun.
Read our full review here!
10. Armscor VRBP-100
The Armscor/Rock Island Armory VR series of shotguns have become favorites in the marketplace of affordable, magazine-fed, semi-auto shotguns.
BP in VRBP stands for bullpup, and it takes the same internals of the VR series and refits them into a bullpup shotgun.
The VRBP-100 utilizes VR series magazines that immediately offer the gun 5, 9, and 19-round capacity magazines. Its 19-round magazines are absurdly long and downright silly, but hey, it’s a lot of ammo, right? Nine-round magazines offer substantial firepower for the short little gun.
This gun measures out to 32 inches total with a barrel length of 20 inches. It’s one of the rare bullpup guns that come with a set of spacers that can be removed with ease to adjust the length of pull.
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The VRBP-100 still clings to AR-like controls with an ambidextrous safety and magazine release.
Heck, even the bolt release is all AR-like, which makes it easy for shooters to adapt from one gun to the other.
It’s a solid little gun that’s outfitted with excellent ergonomics and tons of room for optics, lights, and accessories as well.
The VRBP-100 hits hard in the recoil department. Gas-operated semi-autos are often overgassed, and the VRBP-100 likely isn’t any different. When you reduce it to a bullpup-sized platform, the recoil gets a little extra oomph.
Even so, it’s easy to control, cycles rapidly and makes it easy to dump buckshot quickly.
Do we have a review of this? You betcha! Check it out here!
11. IWI TS12
I had a few issues I talked about with the IWI TS12. My gun didn’t run well and often failed to cycle with the most powerful shotgun ammunition. I couldn’t break it in, and it just never worked reliably for me.
It seems like IWI figured out the TS12 and got it up and running.
I have several friends who’ve purchased the weapons and had zero issues with the gun. I got a hold of a friend’s TS12 and found myself surprised and pleased that it ran like an absolute clock.
It would feed cheap Walmart special birdshot, reduced recoil buckshot, standard buckshot, and whatever else we put through it. I’ve even followed up with friends in the gun industry who got TS12s that are completely reliable.
The TS12 uses an ingenious design that implements the famed tube magazine platform with a bullpup configuration.
Instead of using a single tube, the TS12 uses three rotating tubes that each hold five rounds. The tubes can be topped off on the fly, unlike other bullpup shotguns.
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You can reload both spare tubes while keeping a loaded tube in position to fire. It’s a smart design. To unlock the rotating tubes, you press a device forward of the trigger, and it unlocks the tubes for easy rotating.
If you run the gun dry, the bolt locks to the rear, and when you rotate a fresh tube into place, the gun will automatically load a round into the chamber and close the bolt. It’s a simple but smart design that makes it fast and easy to keep your shotgun running and gunning.
I’m glad IWI fixed the TS12, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a newer model.
The downside will be the fact it’s not lefty friendly, and you can’t exactly swap it for right or left-handed use.
You can more about the TS12 in our review.
12. SRM 1216
My all-time favorite bullpup shotgun is the SRM 1216. This is a weird gun, but I love it.
The SRM 1216 originated the concept of rotating tubular magazines joined together. They use four 4-round tubes for a total of 16 rounds.
Not only that, but the entire magazine setup is removable for a quick reload of another 16-round set of tubular magazines. Not a bad way to reload and keep shooting.
It uses a roller delayed blowback system much like an MP5. This keeps the gun thin and light without the need for a gas or inertia system.
The SRM 1216 can be set up ergonomically for righties or lefties at home and certainly stands out as one of the more unique shotgun designs.
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It delivers an unbeatable experience and a rock-solid design that’s quite reliable and a ton of fun to shoot. Recoil can be sharp for a semi-auto shotgun, but it’s still softer than any pump-action design.
Across the top, a nice long rail provides some space to fit plenty of optics, lights, or whatever on.
The gun is short at 33 inches overall and packs 16 rounds of punch. It’s a really neat design that looks like it took a time machine to 2022.
13. Conversion Kits
If you have something like a Mossberg 500 or even a CZ Scorpion and you want to bullpup…there are ways.
Specifically, conversion kits that can take these and bullpup them.
For the Mossberg, Bullpup Unlimited has a kit that you can DIY.
As for the CZ Scorpion, Manticore Arms is your best bet to bullpup perfection. Luckily, we have the deets on the Manticore build as fellow PPT writer Travis took it for a test. Read his full review here!
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If you own a Ruger 10/22, converting it into a bullpup rifle is cheap and relatively easy. For less than $250, you can order a bullpup conversion kit from High Tower Armory that turns your Ruger 10/22 into a tactical rifle.
The kit even comes with an attachable shell deflector, making it easier and more comfortable for left-handed shooters to handle.
The Ruger 10/22 bullpup is a favorite for a lot of hobbyists who enjoy modifying their guns.
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Conclusion
Bullpups are cool little firearms that offer the advantage of navigating in smaller, confined spaces.
Whether you chose to buy a complete firearm or revamp a model you currently own, these guns won’t disappoint.
What are your favorite bullpup models? Tell us in the comments! Also, be sure to read up on our recommendations for Best PCCs if subverting the regular AR is your thing.
56 Leave a Reply
For someone who knows little about the subject, I found this article to be informative and interesting.
I have an original IWI Tavor. For stand up shooting, it's my favorite rifle. It's pretty terrible on a bench though. So the conventional rifles go to the range and the Tavor is best when plinking on a friend's property.
No mention of Kel Tec RFB, RDB, or especially the RDB Survival with its 5lb weight and a better trigger than everything shown? Strange and disappointing.
Agreed. I like my RDB, and its trigger, and its price.
where VHS-2 / Springfield Hellion as the best all rounder?
Keltec KSG is far from reliable. Mine malfunctioned every other round. Thought about trying the S&W bullpup but trust is low.
I've had my KSG25 for over a year I've cycled everything I can put through it including one and a 1/2 inch slugs and have only experienced 3 malfunctions and those where found to be the ammo I was using . I absolutely love KEL-TEC.
Where’s the dp-12 love?
I have a DP-12 and love it. Never had a problem with it after many rounds and is amazingly accurate with slugs and a red dot scope.
I have a DP-12 and put many rounds thru it and not any problems, and is amazingly accurate with slugs and a red dot scope.
DP-12 - Solid and reliable
Fyi, OP, the photo near the bottom of the article with the caption "IWI’s TAVOR 7" actually is showing an X95.
How do you mention the P90 without mentioning General Jack O'Neill or Stargate SG-1?! A guy literally got his Form 1 approved because he "wanted to LARP as Jack O'Neill." Such disrespect, Pew Pew Tactical.
I was thinking the same thing!!!!
You totally forgot about the Keltec RFB!
I bought the K&M Arms M17S in 5.56 Nato for HD and urban combat (hopefully it won't become necessary). Out of all the bullpups out there, it has the best trigger of all the BPs out there.
While it isn't designed for combat, I would feel pretty confident in protecting myself and my family with it.
When these are fired do they seem noisier since the discharge appears to be closer to the ears?
Sad not to see the 1) KelTec RDB mentioned. It's less than $1000, and works very well, also with adjustable gas for suppressed shooting, and 2) Standard MFG DP-12 shotgun, that has the same or greater magazine capacity as the comparable KelTec, but has 2 barrels that fire sequentially with the trigger, i.e. one pump: two trigger pulls/rounds fired (also ~$1000).
I've trained on the AR platform and honestly picked up a bullpup so much easier. I'm built smaller so ars are difficult for me to run effectively. One of my favorite benefits of the bullpup is the side charging handle that they usually have. I'm waiting to get an mdrx someday.
I'm a bit surprised that I haven't seen anything on this site about the new S&W M&P 12. I tried for a year and a half to find a Kel-Tec KSG with no luck, but managed to find the S&W enhanced clone of it last month with no difficulties. Even though it was not by choice, I'm glad I waited! I think you'll need to update your lists of best bullpups and best tactical shotguns once you get your hands on one for evaluation.
I have recently purchased a Keltec KS7 and basically it's a KSG with one tub instead two. It is very reliable and handles fairly well for a bullpup 12 gage. It holds 7 -2 3/4" shells and one in the chamber or six 3" shells. There are after market items that can be purchased on line. It is around the same price as the KSG or a little cheaper depending on where you purchase it from. I thought you might be interested
I wonder why people don't talk about the Standard Manufacturing DP-12? It's one of the best out there. Never had one malfunction in 4 years and it can hold 16 rounds.
Please consider updating this article with the inclusion of the K&M M17S bullpups.
I'm surprised you did not menton K&M Arms's M17S (available in 223, 308 and 300 Blackout); American made; simple design; very robust and proven plateform. Its basically a bullpup AR10 when in the 308 configuration, I owned one for two years and really liked it.
I know it isn't exactly marketed as such, but could the MDR be used for hunting?
I'm considering getting it in 6.5 Creedmoor.
Sure, no reason why not. Depending on local laws -- some states require straight wall cartridges, some states require no more than X rounds in the magazine -- etc.
The text says the bullpup Mossberg reduces weight significantly compared to a standard Mossberg. But the accompanying pictures show the bullpup as being the heavier of the two, TWICE. Y'all must have the weights transposed in the pics.
The AUG is the best in the rifle bull pups. I will continue researching the shottys
OK? why is it best?
What's an 'assault' rifle? I've assaulted lots of paper targets with various tools. I've also assaulted many bags of chips with nothing but my bare hands :)
There's really no reason to be intentionally obtuse.
I am a little surprised you selected the IWI Tavor SAR over the Tavor X95. I, personally only have the X95 in 5.56 (and LOVE this weapon) but I chose it over the SAR only after reading dozens of reviews and watching many videos of highly respected reviewers. People lived their SAR until they tried the X95 and they fell hard for the updated Tavor and all it had to offer. Any reason you chose the SAR?
Richard Miller, I thought the exact same thing. I'm looking into getting an iwi Tavor, and with all the research I have done it shows the x95 is the better rifle. Also there really isn't much price difference between the two so I'm really not sure why they picked the sar.
If you all update this list, please review the Panzer Arms BP-12. It's a bullpup-style, 12-ga. shotty that is magazine-fed. Has been out for less than a year, but I'd like to see some testing or running it through the paces before purchasing.
There are some reviews on YouTube. Didn't perform flawlessly.
Did you try the Kel-Tec RDB? 5.56 NATO, downward ejecting, really astonishingly good trigger for a Bullpup rifle; overall a very clever yet practical design.
We're publishing a complete review of the Kel-Tec RDB sometime next month!
Where is the DP-12?
Completely anbidextrious and destroys the KSG and ever other 12ga. Bull pup made!
After watching many reviews on the KSG, I could see where you'd think that. I own two since i liked the first one so much. Most times is the user or the crappy ammo that is the cause of the problems. The dp12 has it's own set of problems.
I have shot the KSG and now own the DP-12
The DP's slight weight increase is it's only drawback, a direct result of its bullet proof design and build quality. There is also it's flawless operation at more than double the speed of the KSG.
Look to the reputation of the company behind each to know which unit will take the most abuse without fail long term.
Tanfoglio Appeal comes in 22lr and is cheaper than buying a 10/22 and the conversion kit. Of course, its also not a 10/22, so there's that. Plus, I think they only make 10 round magazines for the appeal, which is a crying shame.
Where's the L85?
On the list for "Worst Bullpup Rifles [Ever]"
The A2 version fixed almost all of the issues with the L85A1 but it won't ever live down its reputation for being one of the worst designed and fielded military rifles in history.
The British also don't make any of them or any version of them for civilian export and by US law even if they did make one for export, it couldn't be exported to the USA.
Pros of Bullpups
Many bullpup versions are more compact than conventional models, increasing their maneuverability.
The design allows for a ---shorter barrel length ---without sacrificing accuracy and muzzle velocity.
^
I believe that should read "allows for a longer barrel without sacrificing overal length of the weapon"
Thanks for catching that, Kevin!
Also, its nonsensical to say the following:
1. "you have to hold the bullpup closer"
The distance from the trigger to the butt stock is exactly the same whether bullpup or not. Many have adjustable butt plates to suit any shooter.
The entire rifle is closer to the body only because the rifle is shorter for any given barrel length so the muzzle (hence entire rifle) is always nearer to the body as a result.
This is related to the next point.
2. Bullpup allows "shorter barrels" without sacrificing range/power/muzzle velocity.
That is plain wrong!
Range/power/muzzle velocity is determined by barrel length! It's just that bullpups at any given barrel length will always be shorter since you ELIMINATE the useless/redundant butt stock - the bolt action group & firing chamber & any other mechanisms behind the trigger CONSTITUTES the butt stock!
*NB - .Since the whole rifle is nearer to the body, the centre of gravity of the bullpup is closer to the body.
This is because the heaviest part of any rifle is the bolt action group and the barrel. If the former is right against the butt stock behind the trigger instead of in front of the trigger, plus the whole rifle (including barrel is nearer the body, any bullpup will require less effort to hold horizontally. Again it's elementary physics.
Correction: *This eliminates (2)(b).
Shame that this factual inaccuracy keeps getting repeated ad nauseum.
There is no such thing as muzzle rise due to the weight of the gun being in front or in the rear of a gun
(1) Newton's laws of physics already shows that an item that stays at rest tends to stay at rest. When you aim a rifle and steady your breathing, the rifle is already in equilibrium. All the forces acting on the rifle are cancelling each other out, i.e. Gravity has been cancelled out by the upward forces produced by your arms/hands.
(2) Newton's other two laws says that an object that stays at rest tends to stay at rest. It only moves only when there is a force acting on it, and that there is an equal and opposite reaction when forces act on it.
Based on the above, muzzle rise has nothing to do with the centre of gravity of the gun (front heavy or rear heavy). It occurs only if the recoil of the gun causes:
(a) your upper body/spine to bend or move backwards therefore causing the gun that you are holding in your arm to point upwards.
Think of this as a stationary rocking chair with a horizontal broom stick attached to it. When you rock it backwards, the stick starts to rotate and point upwards.
Solution: Better standing stance, which will reduce but probably cannot eliminate it.
(b) a rotational force caused by the rifle butt contact point with the shoulder being LOWER than the horizontal line of the barrel.
It is amazing that so many people still fail to understand this. The legendary Eugene Stoner addressed this in the 1960s Vietnam war era when he designed the M16 to be a straight-line recoil design constructed so that it is a straight line from muzzle to the rifle butt.
All rifles prior to the M16 had the rifle butt designed to be lower than the muzzle tip for eye relief, including the AK-47. Of course they rotated at the pivot (which is where the rifle butt touches the shoulder). This is elementary grade school physics called "moment (or torque) of a force about a turning point is the force multiplied by the perpendicular distance to the force from the turning point" - wikipedia.
All modern rifles (including bullpups) now use this straight line recoil design. This eliminates (2).
Modern extremely high speed video has long since confirmed a lot of things about recoil. Please understand this before you write nonsense like bullpup-muzzle-rise-due-to-heavy-rear. No such thing.
Wow, thanks for the knowledge drop!
Apollo: that all sounds reasonable and authoritative, but that does NOT make it completely factually correct. Straight line designs HELP, but do NOT eliminate muzzle rise. Not with long arms and certainly not with subguns or pistols.
Full auto weapons (most of them) tend to have muzzle climb and goto the left (ejection is to the right).
You are correct that stance and hand position can be usd to counter this, but they still do it.
WHY they do it is not as important as the fact that they do and you need to counter for it to control them.
Signed: Former Recon Marine/SAW/M-60 gunner.
I have to disagree as you didn't consider the effect of gravity on the position of the mass of the weapon. The farther it is from the fulcrum of the arc, the more effect it has on the level of the muzzle rise. You actually sound like a Google physicist that has never fired a shotgun.
Are there 12ga semi automatic bull pup shotguns?
Hey Ty, only pump ones are readily available but I remember Uzkon (Turkish manufacturer) is coming out with one soon.
No one mentioned that on most bullpups the trigger is awful and cannot be adjusted or smoothed out. This is due to the linkage between the trigger and the action Which is far behind the position of the trigger.
Normally that is true but there have been exceptions which solved this problem through creative solutions.
The early British E-2 designed immediately after WWII being an excellent example where the striker style firing pin was released by a shear built into the very front bottom of it's bolt activated by a very short linkage that was a mere inch or two behind the trigger and pushed up against the bottom of the very front of the bolt where the shear is built into the bolt.
For designs that are hammer fired or striker fired but require a longer linkage a rotary torque rod can solve the problem and transfers crisply over a much longer distance but to my knowledge have only been used in a very few prototype designs and or custom builds/conversions.
Long story short there are solutions that can provide bullpup guns with excellent trigger feel just as good as conventional firearms BUT doing so requires actually outside of the box creativity and/or old school quality engineering and actually "giving a $#*&" which unfortunately is not so common in firearms design anymore.
May be the reason there’s no “take up” or “travel” lengths discussed. I also noticed no one @ ppt has a trigger pull gauge either. Luv the sight but bp triggers suk…