Bullpup Butts(tocks) – Cut Them Off! – Why Are They Not Shorter?
OK, I’m being serious here – WHY are the buttstocks of bullpups often so long?
Disclaimer: Please, if you don’t like bullpups, that’s quite all right, but reading this thread probably is going to be a waste of your precious time. And sorry my Canadian friends if your country thinks that bullpups are dangerous and must be outlawed, that’s just another helicopter-government – and I feel for you.
The Reason Bullpups Exist
I tend to agree with Wikipedia on this – the reason bullpups exist is to deliver the same power and precision – but in a much shorter and lighter package. So, with the same barrel length, the goal is to go as short and light as feasible.
First Surprise
But to some size does NOT seem important...? That must be Airgun Depot’s stance. In their (otherwise very helpful) series Head to Head they compare different airguns with each other, and assign points to each to arrive at a ranking. Well, size is not among the criteria that earns any points...! Go figure.
For instance, in the article below, a 27% difference in size was not important to the reviewers.... (7.8" = 19.8cm). ?!?
https://www.airgundepot.com/head-to-head-kral-puncher-breaker-silent-vs-hatsan-bullboss-article.html
Second Surprise
I liked the performance/price ratio of the Artemis P15.* But I liked the looks of Diana’s version of the P15, with the Minelli stock, so that’s what Santa brought me in April (yes, shipping to Peru takes a WHILE).
Now, look with me at the Skyhawk:** There is a long and heavy part of woodstock after the action that extends far beyond the action. There are well over 3 inches to this gun that do little if anything to improve the shooting of this gun (unless I’m missing something here...). If I wanted a gun that long, then please, don’t give me 3" of dead wood, instead give me 3" of extra barrel that will translate directly into more power or more shots per fill....
And the argument that these extra 3" are needed to increase length of pull (“so that my trigger hand and my forehand will be positioned farther away from my body”) – well, I suggest to design the trigger and the forestock 3" forward, instead of the buttstock 3" further back – and voilà!
* 26.6" (68cm) OAL = P15
**29.0" (74cm) OAL = Skyhawk
.... [... text continued in the next post, I don't understand why I can't continue typing, I get error after error...] ....
OK, I’m being serious here – WHY are the buttstocks of bullpups often so long?
Disclaimer: Please, if you don’t like bullpups, that’s quite all right, but reading this thread probably is going to be a waste of your precious time. And sorry my Canadian friends if your country thinks that bullpups are dangerous and must be outlawed, that’s just another helicopter-government – and I feel for you.
The Reason Bullpups Exist
I tend to agree with Wikipedia on this – the reason bullpups exist is to deliver the same power and precision – but in a much shorter and lighter package. So, with the same barrel length, the goal is to go as short and light as feasible.
First Surprise
But to some size does NOT seem important...? That must be Airgun Depot’s stance. In their (otherwise very helpful) series Head to Head they compare different airguns with each other, and assign points to each to arrive at a ranking. Well, size is not among the criteria that earns any points...! Go figure.
For instance, in the article below, a 27% difference in size was not important to the reviewers.... (7.8" = 19.8cm). ?!?
https://www.airgundepot.com/head-to-head-kral-puncher-breaker-silent-vs-hatsan-bullboss-article.html
Second Surprise
I liked the performance/price ratio of the Artemis P15.* But I liked the looks of Diana’s version of the P15, with the Minelli stock, so that’s what Santa brought me in April (yes, shipping to Peru takes a WHILE).
Now, look with me at the Skyhawk:** There is a long and heavy part of woodstock after the action that extends far beyond the action. There are well over 3 inches to this gun that do little if anything to improve the shooting of this gun (unless I’m missing something here...). If I wanted a gun that long, then please, don’t give me 3" of dead wood, instead give me 3" of extra barrel that will translate directly into more power or more shots per fill....
And the argument that these extra 3" are needed to increase length of pull (“so that my trigger hand and my forehand will be positioned farther away from my body”) – well, I suggest to design the trigger and the forestock 3" forward, instead of the buttstock 3" further back – and voilà!
* 26.6" (68cm) OAL = P15
**29.0" (74cm) OAL = Skyhawk
.... [... text continued in the next post, I don't understand why I can't continue typing, I get error after error...] ....
(Then again, I don't want to be a hypocrite, so in the spirit of full disclosure..., I worship FPE.)
Very cool that you are able to do something like that! 
