Bullpup

Welcome everyone to the 239th edition of ‘Hot Gat or Fudd Crap?’, one of our many series here on TFB. If you’re new to the series, this is where we look at the most obscure firearms that are actually for sale and ask the question – is this Gat a sweet deal or only have Fudd appeal?  Each week the TFB staff weighs in with their thoughts, but readers get the final say in the poll at the bottom of each article.

The Photo Of The Day can be chosen for a variety of reasons, and bullpups are always popular. This baby is now 47 years into service, which is quite remarkable in itself. The StG 77 (Sturmgewehr 77) denotes the Austrian Armed Forces’ adoption of the Steyr AUG in 1977.

At IWA 2024, James Reeves gives us a closer look at the Dentler DR21, a masterpiece in rifle innovation from the German company Dentler. Emphasizing German craftsmanship, this rifle merges traditional gunsmithing with modern technology, offering features like an intuitive safety hand clamping system, a removable internal magazine, and an adjustable cheekpiece, making it a hunter’s dream. Discover more about the DR21’s design and capabilities, especially its adaptability for left-handed shooters, in this insightful video. Stay updated with our IWA/Enforce Tac 2024 playlist for more firearm innovations.

Discover the future of tactical performance with Corvus Defensio’s revolutionary integral suppressor for the Steyr AUG. Engineered with precision, this user-installable, 3D-printed marvel is designed to elevate your bullpup shooting experience to unprecedented levels of stealth. Initially crafted in robust Inconel steel for its prototypes, Corvus Defensio is set to release the final versions in ultra-lightweight Titanium and possibly steel, offering durability and performance. This video showcases the seamless integration that makes your AUG integrally suppressed. Whether you’re a professional operator or a firearms enthusiast, this upgrade is a game-changer. Dive into the world of silent precision with Corvus Defensio’s integral suppressor – a must-have for any Steyr AUG aficionado.

Barrett is a single name that’s synonymous with large caliber rifles and being the self-proclaimed leader in long-range. Since the company was born, they’ve resided in a small factory roughly an hour south of Nashville, TN. The name might be known the world over, but the story comes from humble beginnings. Recently I had a chance to attend Barrett’s M82/M017A1 armorers course and was allowed to see behind the scenes.  Here’s what I found inside the headquarters of Barrett Firearms MFG.

At the SHOT Show 2024, Desert Tech presented a new addition to their line of firearms – the WLVRN, a bullpup rifle that builds on the foundations of their MDRx model. The company’s innovation has resulted in a rifle comprised of 49 fewer parts compared to its predecessor. This streamlined design not only achieves a 19% reduction in weight but also enhances accuracy by up to 30%, as per Desert Tech’s reports.

At SHOT Show 2024, Air Force Arms has unveiled its innovative LeMay Bullpup Conversion for AR-15 and AR-10 rifles. The LeMay, named after the celebrated USAF General Curtis LeMay, is an intricately designed chassis capable of converting conventional AR-15 or AR-10 into a bullpup.

New for 2024, Desert Tech is replacing the MDRX Bullpup! The new rifle is called the WLVRN, and is based on the existing MDR and MDRX models but with substantially redesigned internals. The new bullpup will still be available in multiple calibers and barrel lengths, but Desert Tech dropped the forward ejection option and improved the receiver design. The result is a much lighter rifle that is also capable of better accuracy than the MDRX. Desert Tech will still continue to support the MDR and MDRX, but going forward the WLVRN will replace it in the catalog entirely.

Palmetto State Armory (PSA) had a ton of new things in their main booth at SHOT Show 2024. Some are in production now, while others are merely concepts at this time. Let’s take a little virtual tour through those items.

At SHOT Show 2024, Senex Arms introduced their Modular Bullpup Light Rifle 15 (MBLR-15). Developed by engineer Brandon Makowski, the company’s unique offering in the bullpup rifle category garnered attention for its versatility and use of familiar components.

Palmetto State Armory brought a ton of prototype projects to SHOT Show this year, and @Hoplopfheil dropped by to check out the new versions of the JAKL. The three new JAKL prototypes are a bullpup conversion lower, a large frame .308 variant, and a JAKL/AK hybrid. PSA is relying on customer feedback to decide which projects to focus on, so cast your votes in the comments.

In this episode of TFBTV, James Reeves tests the accuracy of the Springfield Hellion, also known as the Croatian HS Produkt VHS-2. James noticed in his earlier review that the VHS-2 was incredibly accurate, so James and Ryan put the Hellion to the test today to see if they can squeeze sub-MOA groups from a combat rifle.

Heresy Design has come out offering upgrades for the Steyr AUG. The most notable of these upgrades are their AUG conversion kits. They offer 5.56 barrels of different lengths but it is their .300BLK barrel and 9mm caliber conversion getting the most interest from AUG enthusiasts.

Manticore Arms recently moved from Indiana to South Carolina. But that did not stop Sven of Manticore from designing and coming out with more upgrades for the Springfield Hellion. His Manticore Hellion curved buttpad helps alleviate a common complaint by some online critics and it was just released on Manticore’s website.

Welcome back to Part 2 of my Springfield Armory Hellion 20-inch review. Part 1 was more of a first look at this gun than a full review. It was a quick-turn piece timed for the announcement date of the new Hellion rather than an in-depth piece. Now that I have spent more time with the Hellion, it is time to share my thoughts with the benefit of some recollection and range time.

The Springfield Armory Hellion is the cream of the crop when it comes to bullpup rifles centered around the 5.56 NATO/.223 Rem cartridges. You can use common Magpul PMAGs, it’s ambi everything, and it boasts looks that could kill. Now, that curb appeal is getting kicked up even higher with color options of Desert FDE (Flat Dark Earth), OD Green (Olive Drab Green), and Gray.

Third-party accessories for the Springfield Hellion are slowly trickling out. Lunartech Designs made some Hellion upgrades. Specifically, a flared magwell and extended bolt release.

France has donated several hundred FAMAS bullpup rifles to Suriname’s armed forces. Suriname borders French Guiana and has a military partnership with France. The press release from the French embassy in Paramaribo, Suriname’s capital, noted that 55 cubic meters of equipment ‘mostly FAMAS rifles and their ammunition’ had been delivered. Press reports note that this equates to around 300 rifles.

Standard Manufacturing introduced the second generation of their DP-12 double-barrel pump-action bullpup shotgun. The differences between the DP-12 Gen II and the first-generation DP-12 shotguns are in the new contour of the barrels and the new patented polymer/aluminum frame. Let’s take a look at the specs and features of the Standard Manufacturing DP-12 Gen II shotgun.

In this episode of TFBTV, James Reeves talks to Brian Marshall, head of the Steyr Academy, about the upcoming Steyr AUG in .300 Blackout. Already in service in Europe, the .300 Blackout Steyr AUG is going to be coming soon to the USA. Watch this video for the full details.

In this episode of TFBTV, James Reeves compares three of the most popular bullpup rifles on the market today: the Austrian Steyr AUG, the Israeli IWI Tavor X95, and the Croatian HS Produkt VHS-2 (aka the Springfield Hellion). Which of these guns is the best bullpup? Check out this vid for the answer.

Top of the morning and welcome to our Photo Of The Day! Today it’s time for the FN 2000S 5.56×45mm NATO bullpup rifle. This is Slovenia’s specialized bullpup, and they are fairly alone on the planet to use this rifle, which makes it interesting for photos. As you can see, they have a top Picatinny rail for mounting a variety of optics.

BLK LBL handguards with integrated bipods are really cool upgrade parts allowing you to have a bipod that when stowed completely disappears into the handguard. The company started by offering their bipod handguards for AR-pattern rifles and bolt guns. Later, they ventured into the bullpup market and designed handguards with integrated bipods for the Desert Tech MDR family of rifles. Well, BLK LBL keeps exploring the bullpup territory and has introduced a version of their bipod-integrated handguard for the IWI Tavor X95 rifles. Let’s take a look at the BLK LBL Tavor X95 bipod handguard.

With the new Springfield Armory long-barrel Hellion rifle release, it has increased my fervor for the platform even more. Daniel Y. is reviewing the 20″ barreled Hellion for TFB while I am reviewing it for our sister site, AllOutdoor.com. Playing with the long barrel Hellion got me thinking “What If?” with regards to alternate Hellion carry handle options? So I whipped up some Photoshop mock-ups to see what could be possible if someone was to make a new carry handle for the Hellion platform. In this article, I photoshopped my ideas and in some cases crudely placed handles on guns as a rough draft.

If you own a Steyr AUG and want your 55 gr 5.56 mm rounds to fly out with speeds upwards of one thousand meters per second (3280 fps), then turn to Steyr Arms USA as they now have the 24″ HBAR barrel available again. The price for the 24″ HBAR with Bipod is $725. Preferably pair it with the 42-round waffle magazine you most likely already own. Just beware that the barrel is not free-floating, so don’t put a lot of pressure on the bipod.

Photo Of The Day, and today there’s just one image to look at. Founded in 2015, MK Machining is a company that specializes in precision machining and manufacturing. Over the years I’ve met the founder in several exhibitions, and they always make a great impression. They are known for producing high-quality shooting accessories, throw levers, scope mounts and reloading equipment for the firearms industry. The company is based in the United States (Hallsville, MO) and has gained a reputation for their innovative and reliable products.

Sven of Manticore Arms announced they were working on a new safety selector for the Springfield Hellion. The Manticore Hellion Enhanced Safety System changes the geometry of the safety selector for a more ergonomic throw more akin to an AR-15.

Springfield Armory’s Hellion made a big splash when it launched last year. This import-friendly HS Produkt VHS-2 is an excellent addition to the world of bullpup military rifles. In addition to the standard 16-inch guns, Springfield now offers 18- and 20-inch models. They kindly sent me a pre-release Hellion 20-inch model for review.

The Springfield Hellion has been rather popular. I am a little biased as I have one. Well, Springfield Armory is making some long barrel Hellion rifles now with 18″ and 20″ barrels. Here is what we know so far.

Israel’s Ministry of Defense has contracted with Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) for an unspecified number of X95 bullpup rifles. The announcement from IWI explains that the contract will see ‘additional thousands’ of Micro Tavors supplied for the Israeli Defense Force’s infantry brigades.