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I flirted with bullpups 100 years ago. Mine was the Tavor in .223 and I really didn't know what to make of it. It had the trigger of a Bostich nail gun, and even the new Timney triggers of the time couldn't clean it up much. My impression of these guns is that they are designed from the ground up as war fighters and that's it. If you can hit a man in the chest at 100~200 yards, that is good enough for your average squaddie in close quarters combat. If you want to reach out and smoke someone - that gets handed off to the designated marksman with an appropriate sniper rifle. For the duffer like me shooting at formal paper targets - against the snipers out at Camp Borepatch for example...I dunno if these guns will cut the mustard. I have a match AR and M1A for those guys and even they are seriously challenged by a marksman with a properly tuned and sighted M1 Garand - but that kind of shooting is a different can of worms.
I am not a squaddie so I really can't comment on these ones except to throw out a couple of impressions after having just watched the vid. The claims that these things are handier than standard battle rifles is obviously false. They balance differently, and the boys were fumbling a bit the same way they would with a standard rifle in the awkward positions. At the distances they were shooting at, a chopped AR in .300 Blackout would be every bit as handy. One of the new wave PDW guns would probably be a vast improvement in this kind of extreme close quarters - I'd think and MP7 or maybe the PS90's would be a far better way to go within the confines of a vehicle... but whadda I know? I am a stubfart gun club duffer, and not a 'run n' gunner'. From the vid, it looked like the thing may or may not be compatible with the standard AR mags - I think one a the boys said it takes G36 mags and that would be a deal killer for me right there. AR mags are cheap, plentiful and readily available... and the G36 mags are not. I haven't had a chance to do any reading on it... but I wonder if it is a gas DI gun or a piston gun? I personally prefer the piston guns but there are knowledgeable and qualified gunnies that will contradict me on that.
From what I am seeing I could take it or leave it. I certainly wouldn't sell off a good AR to go out and buy one... but again... whadda I know? What are you guys thinking of it?
As always, your two bits are sincerely appreciated!
Chris Byrne had a good post about bullpups 15 years ago:
ReplyDeletehttps://anarchangel.blogspot.com/2005/03/why-bullpups-are-persistently-bad-idea.html
He points out that there are a limited number of missions where they shine, but do not shine in a general use scenario.
I can't say I agree with him. The Israelis, the Chinese, the fwench and some of these other guys that have gone to them would not have done so if they were a really BAD idea. And to be fair - almost all of the bullpups on his list are serious dogs. That Enfield was a POS from day one, and no matter how much they polish that turd... it will always be one.
ReplyDeleteI *think* those PS90s get a lot of love from the special forces crowd.. and I would far rather have that than say - an M1 carbine. But again, that is just me... and I don't know much.
I guess he's still alive and kicking too. Jeez, that poor kid had some really rotten luck last I had heard...
DeleteThe French are changing to conventional layout. The Chinese are changing to conventional layout.
DeleteAustria, Australia and Israel are sticking with it. Australia is the only nation to adopt a replacement bullpup for its bullpup if you consider the new AUG derivative a new gun.
Belgium is considering a conventional replacement for their FN 2000's.
The UK will likely end up with the same H&K 416 derivative the French are adopting.
tried several bullpups over the decades. thought they were cool, but the manual of arms was like wrestling an amorous octopus.
ReplyDeleteThe only valid complaint I ever heard about the bullpup design is that if you get an explosion in the chamber (overcharge, plugged barrel, whatever) the rifle blows up next to your face.
ReplyDelete