Bullpup Domination?

by
posted on March 31, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
2013528103156-iwitavor_m.jpg

Well, not really, but a release I received yesterday indicated that IWI US shipped its 20,000th Tavor carbine chambered in 5.56x45 mm NATO. When you consider that the company was not set up until December 2012, that is quite an accomplishment-and considerably more successful than my friend Michael Kassnar of IWI US had anticipated. My colleague, Senior Associate Editor Brian C. Sheetz, wrote it up for the June 2013 issue in an article called “Decidedly Different.” He posited at the end of the article: “The only question now is whether like its namesake desert sentinel, the Tavor will establish itself with similar significance on the American landscape. We thought so much of the Tavor that we named it the 2014 American Rifleman Golden Bullseye Rifle of the Year.

The road to the bullpup‘s acceptance on the commercial side has been slow and bumpy. Sure, there were would-be military oddities such as the Godsal and Thorneycroft. But the bullpup craze really started in the United States with target, varmint and benchrest guns. It was quite a fad in the 1930s through the 1950s with bolt-actions designed by the likes of John R. Bushmiller and George S. Patton. Yes, that George S. Patton. Before World War II, then Col. Patton thought it would make for a very practicable cavalry carbine.

The first time a bullpup really came to the attention on the world stage was with the then-radical EM2 chambered in a .280 cartridge proposed by the British to arm embryonic NATO forces. Almost comical looking with its wood furniture, the British were on to a good idea for a military rifle in an age of mechanized warfare-with shorter overall lengths, bullpups are easier to get in and out of vehicles than conventional rifles.

But the United States was steadfastly against odd-looking rifles and pipsqueak cartridges. Thus, the United States adopted the T65 (later 7.62x51 mm NATO) cartridge and the M14. The rest of the free world adapted FN FALs or G3s. It wasn’t until the French adopted the FAMAS and the Austrians (and later the Australians) adopted the excellent Steyr AUG that the bullpup design made its mark. The former was briefly available as a semi-automatic-only, and U.S. made AUGs can be had today as well. Too, back when bullpups were on the rise there was a civilian only Valmet Model 82 and the Bushmaster M17S.

Many military forces around the world followed suit, with the British finally adopting the long-awaited bullpup SA80, now the L85A2, and of course, the Israeli Defense Force adopted the Tavor. But why the appeal for civilians? Why such commercial success?

Of course, there are the ergonomic advantages to the bullpup design, but I suspect there is a more popular culture answer that has contributed heavily. “Call of Duty,” likely the most profitable entertainment franchise in history, features all the modern military bullpups listed above-and then some. Some even I had never heard of from the former Eastern Bloc. Virtually every video gaming young person in the United States knows what a Tavor is, what an L85A2 is, and what a FAMAS is.

At the first NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits where Kassnar first displayed a semi-automatic-only Tavor, many of the older guys passing by had no idea what was-but nearly every 16- to 25-year-old sure did. Twenty thousand carbines later, I think George S. Patton would be pleased to know his then-revolutionary ideas have finally been accepted. After all, Patton liked to be right.

Latest

Taurus Expedition Rifleman Review 1
Taurus Expedition Rifleman Review 1

Rifleman Review: Taurus Expedition

Taurus entered the bolt-action rifle market with its Expedition, a Remington 700-pattern design that's built to be versatile and affordable.

New For 2025: Charter Arms Pathfinder II

Charter Arms updated one of the oldest models in its lineup with the new Pathfinder II, which features a lightweight 7075 aluminum frame, making it more well-balanced and easier to carry.

Review: Kimber 2K11

The 2011-style pistol was designed to address the capacity limitations of the single-stack M1911 platform, and Kimber's approach to the concept is its 2K11, a competition-ready offering with several notable features.

Favorite Firearms: A High-Flying Hi-Standard “A-D”

Manufactured in New Haven, Conn., in late 1940, this Hi-Standard pistol was shipped as a Model “A,” but a heavier Model “D” barrel was installed later to replace the original, light barrel, leading one American Rifleman reader to call it a Model “A-D.”

Ruger Helps Families In Need Through The Kids & Clays Foundation

In the effort to help tens of thousands of critically ill children and their families across the nation through local Ronald McDonald Houses, Ruger is among some of the industry’s foremost Platinum-level sponsors of The Kids & Clays Foundation.

Unlocking The Future: Smith & Wesson's "No Lock" Revolvers

The future is shaping up to be a good one for fans of Smith & Wesson revolvers. The iconic American company had released 14 new models thus far in 2025 at the time this was written mid-year. And, with one exception, they have all shared a common feature—no internal lock.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.