If you could buy a bullpup chassis for your bolt rifle, would you?

[lysanderxiii]

Really depends on the bolt gun....

In .50 BMG a bullpup might be better than conventional.

 

[GBExpat]

well, i've seen some people and wondered if they had prehensile chest hair... so ...

... o-o-o-o-o-o-o-oh, make the disturbing images stop ...

 

[Robert]

100% Nope.

 

[chicharrones]

as for a bullpup bolt action, the only way id consider this is with a straight pull like a K31 that had an oprod extension to relocate the bolt handle somewhere else while still protecting the oprod within the stock and since bolt actions are generally ranged weapons that arent going to be used for room clearing theres generally no purpose to making one shorter

on the other-hand, a manually operated action capable of some speed like say a pump action or a lever action where you could shoot more rapidly where you may like a shorter weapon, so long as you can still free float the barrel to take advantage of all its accuracy, it could be an interesting weapon, im always looking for ways to omit the gas system and on larger caliber weapons where the recoil generally dictates youre not going to have an immediate follow-up shot opportunity, a manual action could be interesting

Both ideas are interesting.

I'm guessing the market for a bullpup manual operated action would be in places that can't shoot autoloaders but can mount a sound suppressor. Keeping the overall length of an assembled rifle at a minimum, etc.

 

[taliv]

you guys should keep in mind the DTA SRS rifle, is a very well respected, well done bullpup that has been pretty financially successful. the trigger is as good as it gets in a bullpup. and it's not the only one as it's a knockoff of the older DSR-1

so yes, they are useful and viable, but they have some tradeoffs

the DTA trigger doesn't completely suck, but if there's another bullpup out there with a trigger that's as good or better, I would like to know. otherwise with only one exception to the rule, i think saying bullpup triggers are horrible is pretty fair

 

[justin22885]

i think the DSR-1 was the rifle i was looking for, just seen it recently but forgot the name and i was going to mention it.. seems like you dont get a bolt in your eye either as the action is underneath the part of the receiver you rest your head on

also, i believe the K&M M17S is the one with a modified AR style trigger group using a "pull" linkage system that leads it to having one of the best feeling bullpup triggers out there

 

[Frostbite]

No, I would not pay $1000 to downgrade an otherwise fine piece of equipment. When I think bolt action, I think precision, which I do not think I would get more of from a bolt action rifle transformed in a bullpup. Many previous posters explained why. The comment about a pump action made me wonder though... But most likely not for so much money.

 

[illinoisburt]

Make a $100 bullpup stock for a Mosin and it will sell. Won't be purdy or practical. I can see the youtube now... the world's best super sniper bullpup ever LOL

Seriously though I cannot see much interest in taking a Model 70, 700, or 110 and putting it into a bullpup just due to how awkward it would be to cycle. Agree with others that the design just doesn't apply well to the action type.

 

[stoky]

I was recently slammed (on another forum) for pointing out the long linkage's affect on a decent trigger pull. It seems that I was just an old duffer, not acknowledging the amazing modern advances in bearings and levers and cranks (oh my). I recently got to try out a Tavor. If I could recall a worse trigger pull, I wouldn't want to.
That, and stretching one's carotid arteries and jugular veins over the back of the receiver........nope.

 

[WYOMan]

The only way to my mind, that this could work, would be to use a straight pull design. BUT, you would have to move the bolt handle to the front of the bolt so it's position is more accessible. As far as the trigger though, a linkage is pretty much going to be required to keep it in a good position. Anyone got a K31 or a straight pull Mauser they want to experiment with? Could be interesting.

 

[Sam1911]

There's always a desire to try new and different things out. The totality of the qualities of a system aren't all apparent until you've got it in your hands and can feel what it does and how it does it. The totality of the drawbacks of a system may not be apparent, either.

But the first question to ask is "why?" What does this gain me? Obviously a bullpup gets you shorter length which translates into easier storage, easier carry, and easier maneuverability in tight spaces. Are those problems you need to solve to improve the utility of your bolt-action rifle?

(For me, no. With all other needs set aside, if this only cost $10, it would be $10 wasted as it doesn't help me to have my bolt action rifles to be shorter.)

Second question: what are the drawbacks? Awkward to cycle. Added complexity in triggers and action design, especially if modified to make it easier to cycle. Cost. Weight. Balance. Others?

We buy a lot of stuff just because it's "cool" and different.

But the bolt-action rifle is a very mature design. Without some completely unforeseen external forces in play, there's just nothing that's going to "change the game" for bolt-action guns.

 

[Tirod]

The whole point of a bullpup is to house a long barrel in as compact a stock as possible.

Why do we need a long barrel? First, accuracy is not controlled by barrel length, right?

I'll wait for those who haven't gotten that memo to go research it. You should have enough to fill your spare time for a few days. To shorten that wait, just take it for fact. It is.

Second, apparently the cartridge needs the long barrel to propel the bullet to it's optimum power and trajectory. That only works if the cartridge needs to do that, however. There are other cartridges that don't - they work just fine from short barrels. And we know that barrel length has no influence on accuracy, therefore if the bullet is getting enough power to do the job, then you don't need a bullpup to compensate for the cartridge's inability to work in a short barrel. You need a different cartridge.

Bullpups are for cartridges that need long barrels. Pick a different one and the problem is solved. Which is why we have so many, and these days, cartridges specifically designed to function from short combat barrels which deliver 50% more power than the one they replace with the same effective range.

But, wait, some will protest, that cartridge may likely be a larger diameter bullet, which could have more bullet drop at the outer limits of it's trajectory. Maybe, but is that really an issue? Then pick another with the better trajectory - Mission drives equipment, What range What target? Even if you don't, the tradeoff is bullet drop vs, in this case, a bolt handle with Rube Goldberg linkage, a chamber still positioned forward of the shoulder to give it working room, and trigger linkage that can best be solved by electric activation.

Weil, that last was a total failure in bolt actions already. The shooting public won't tolerate it, despite it's superiority. So we force ourselves to use bars and links, which overall have a spotty history. Even without them we conjure up triggers with the reputation of the Rem 700.

All in, we are forcing a major compromise on the ergonomic layout of the weapon to house a barrel long enough to fully optimize a cartridge that can't perform out of a shorter barrel. Seems a lot to ask. Consider that old, vintage battle rifle cartridges placed in service over 50 years ago might the problem, and going full jack wagon with the gun to enhance them a poor answer.

 

[jmorris]

Th only bullpup bolt action I have is the 50 big I built, the but pad is actually part of the bolt. Would be a pretty long rifle is it were made conventionally also more complicated and a single shot needs to be.

 

[Sam1911]

the 50 big I built

Yup! There are indeed some rifles for which the overall length is actually a very compelling factor.

 

[justin22885]

id be willing to have a bullpup bolt action if it was done right (pull trigger linkage, barrel has to still be completely free floating).. just no way in hell id spend a grand on a conversion on top of the initial price of the rifle only to gain a little more compactness in return