Q: Over the years I’ve read about bullpup-style rifles, and am amazed they never achieved more popularity. Having extremely short overall length allows a compact rifle with no reduction in barrel length, and other than muzzle blast being a bit closer to a shooter’s ears I see more advantages then disadvantages in the design. Why hasn’t the bullpup become more popular with hunters and shooters?
Ben Thompson
A: The bullpup rifle never caught on for a very good reason. I was always uncomfortable when asked to test one –

shouldered in the firing position, its action is right alongside the shooter’s face. If a primer happened to blow or a case head ruptured during firing, the shooter is likely to get injured by escaping propellant gas and brass fragments. If you like living dangerously, by all means get a bullpup.
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