this post was submitted on 28 Apr 2025
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NonCredibleDefense
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So from a mechanics standpoint what are the pros/cons of a bullpup design? off the top of my head I'm guessing more barrel length but less space for any kind of recoil supression?
Pros: Longer barrel in the same overall size, or a shorter total length for the same barrel. A longer barrel means more exit velocity, while a shorter weapon means more agility in small spaces (indoors, for example).
Cons: the ejection port is close to the shooter's face, making ambidextrous weapons nearly impossible. The chamber is also closer, making it more dangerous in the (relatively rare) case of a catastrophic failure.
B-but the FN P90 is ambidextrous and ejects the casings downwards.
The FN P90 is weird no matter how you look at it.
It's safer to look at it from the rear I believe.
Hard to scale that particular design up to longer cartridges, unfortunately. A 5.56 P90 would be so cool, though.
The Keltec RDB has bottom eject and fires 5.56
Ckr even more noncredibility, the Keltec RFB is a bullpup with forward eject.
Two projectiles for the price of one?! Count me in.
Keltec just can't stop making cool shit
This is how the RDB rendered on my mobile browser:
we need wide zelensky with stout rdb rofl
Also generally a more complex mechanism, with the associated negative effects on reliability, cost, or both
Kel-tec calls bullshit
Angry FAMAS noises
well, it's not strictly ambidextrous but it's allegedly pretty easy to change the side of the ejection
Also weird ergonomic issues and a different manual of arms. Those can both be trained around, but that's a big ask for most militaries.
Hot brass bukkake is the price you have to pay.
Keltec RDB
Keltec RFB
Springfield Hellion
DesertTech WLVRN
... I probably missed some, but there are many bullpup rifles that are swappable between left sided and right sided ejection ports, and swappable mag release, charging handle, bolt catch, safety selectors... or have some other solution to this problem.
Not exactly nearly impossible.
I would add in as a detriment of bullpups... that their internals are generally more complex, and properly identifying the cause of a failure to fire, and fixing it, while under stress, is often more difficult, and general maintenance tends toward being more time consuming as well.
Also: generally notorious for requiring a lot more foot lbs of force to pull the trigger, and that trigger pull is 'crunchier'.