What Is A Bullpup?

What Is A Bullpup?

Since their first introduction, bullpup air rifles have been rapidly growing in popularity, and today most of the top airgun manufacturers have at least one bullpup in their range. This means all of the best air rifle technology has been incorporated into the manufacture of the best possible bullpup air rifles. But what actually constitutes a bullpup gun?

In this article we are going to go over exactly what a bullpup is and give a brief introduction into the history of Bullpups. So without further ado, let’s jump right in…

What Is A Bullpup?

The term Bullpup describes a gun with the magazine and the action located behind the trigger. Bullpups have a shorter stock than a conventional rifle but the same length barrel. This gives all the advantages of a regular rifle including the accuracy and velocity – with the added benefit of a lighter gun with more maneuverability.

Where Did The Bullpup Originate?

The original idea for a bullpup was patented in 1901 in England as the Thorneycroft carbine. It was seven and a half inches shorter and weighed ten percent less than the standard Lee-Enfield rifle, which was the standard issue weapon of the British army at that time. Sadly under test conditions it was found unsuitable due to inefficiency and far too much recoil.

It wasn’t until the late 1960s that the Austrian company Steyr-Daimler-Puch developed the first successful bullpup. This model was first used by the Austrian army in 1978 and is known as the StG 77. It has been in continuous production since then and is the standard small arm of the Austrian armed forces and many other armed forces across the world, including the UK, Australia, China, Israel, India, plus many national police units as well.

What Are The Benefits Of The Bullpup?

bullpup benefits

The main benefit of the bullpup is how much shorter the overall length of the weapon is without losing any barrel length. This means there is no loss of shot velocity or accuracy, but allows for use in much tighter spaces than rifles with the same barrel length.

The bullpup can also be carried easier and is of course easier to hide. In many cases the reduction in stock length also equates to a lighter weight than a rifle with the same barrel length.

There is also the argument that as it’s an overall shorter weapon, the bullpup can reach the shoulder quicker making the users reaction time shorter. Plus the shorter design means it is generally held closer to the body, which leads to less fatigue. It can also be fired from inside a vehicle, which can be very handy when hunting on cold, wet days.

What Are The Disadvantages Of The Bullpup?

Due to the design of the bullpup, the shooters’ face is much nearer to the action, which can cause issues with noise. It is also claimed that due to the necessary trigger linkage, bullpups tend to have less accurate triggers. Another criticism is that Bullpups are awkward for left-handed shooters, because the side lever is in their way. With that being said, the above points might have been true in the old days, and for military grade weapons – but all modern bullpup air rifles now have very accurate triggers, ambidextrous stocks, no recoil, and due to PCP technology are also pretty much silent.

Why Buy A Bullpup Air Rifle?

Bullpup guns are trusted by many military powers throughout the world because they are lighter, shorter, easier to carry, and easy to use in tight spaces. With the added advantage of no loss in accuracy or velocity. When you buy a Bullpup air rifle, you are getting all of the aforementioned benefits as well as a gun that truly stands head and shoulders above anything else on the market.

Popular Bullpup Air Rifles

Daystate Delta Wolf Bronze PCP Air Rifle

Stylish on the outside; ahead of the game on the inside. The Daystate Delta Wolf Tactical is the air rifle of the future, here today… and future-proofed for tomorrow. Delta Wolf is the first Daystate to adopt an advanced tactical form factor that has proven popular with shooters across multiple disciplines. Delta Wolf is the first ‘Smart’ airgun that can automatically adjust to suit the shooter needs. Building on 2 decades of electronic expertise, Daystate…

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Weihrauch HW100 Bul-Pup PCP Air Rifle

Our latest HW 100 pre-charged version out of the famous HW production. Technical configuration and function according to our HW 100 series NEW: Weaver-type scope mount with integrated new cocking-lever (also available left-handed) • ambidextrous stock design with soft-touch-finish and adjustable buttplate • Weavertype mount on the fore-end.

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Air Arms Galahad R Walnut PCP Air Rifle

The Galahad is a bull pup based rifle thats designed with a unique, forward mounted cocking lever placed at the centre of the action, it’s easier than ever to cock the rifle. The forward motion cocking, encourages the shooter to stay on target, reduces body movement and helps maintain stealth.The Galahad’s stock has a multi axis adjustable butt pad fitted as standard and Air Arms regulator and valve system

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About Our Air Rifle Store

Air Rifle Store

Here at The Airgun Centre we stock bullpups from all the top airgun manufacturers including BSA, Daystate, Weihrauch, FX, Air Arms and more. All of our Bullpup air rifles are personally tested by us in store before being made available for sale and come with our unique lifetime guarantee which ensures your gun will stay shooting as good as new for as long as you own it.

We are always happy to discuss your needs and help you make the right decision for you. If you would like any free help or advice call us today on 01268 780 730 to talk to one of our experts.