Disadvantages of a bullpup?

Hi guys! I'm new to AirgunNation. I just joined this evening. I currently have a HW95 spring gun. I don't shoot it all that well and want to do better at longer ranges. I have decided to get a PCP and want to get a nice one. As I've researched the air rifles I am finding that it is one big convoluted mess of options and possibilities. This is why I thought I would open a thread and get some real-world opinions.
I think that I would enjoy a Bullpup design like the Wildcat, but I'm not sure what the disadvantages are. From videos, it looks like they are just as accurate. If they are, what could possibly be the downsides?
I want something very accurate from 30-100 yards and very quiet. ( I have some grouchy neighbors) Give me your opinions. (I'll be shooting silhouettes and some varmints mostly)
 
The very characteristics that make bullpups popular, such as lighter weight, shorter and quicker and more maneuverable, are the very features that make them more difficult to shoot accurately. Bullpups also require that the scope be mounted higher above the barrel than on a conventional rifle. This can make a bullpup top-heavy and more easy to cant. None of these features make bullpups best suited for accuracy. It's up to the shooter to take all these characteristics into consideration and to compensate in order to shoot their bullpups accurately. Those who do it well have won the most competitive bench rest competitions over conventional guns designed and purposed to win bench rest competitions. These shooters enjoy the best of both worlds. If you set out with the intention of learning how to shoot a bullpup accurately, then there's no reason to get a conventional style rifle to achieve that accuracy. If you choose a bullpup that is accurate, such as a Wildcat (and many others just as good), and tune it to shoot a certain pellet at a most accurate speed for that pellet/barrel combination, then all you have left to do is to learn how to accurately shoot the gun. Once mastered, you can compete with anybody, even the best bench rest rifles. It's all up to you. I own a Wildcat .22. I'm no competition shooter. My old tired eyes won't permit it anymore. But I know that when I miss the bull, it's MY FAULT, not the gun's. Until my back gave out, I owned and shot only traditional rifles. Now I'm only comfortable with a bullpup. And you know what? I don't miss my long guns. Further, my Wildcat is so small and inconspicuous and quiet that none of my nosey neighbors have even noticed much less complained. That most likely would not be the case, even with a mouse fart quiet long gun. Unless you have a privacy fence that prevents your neighbors from seeing you, I'd choose a bullpup. And if you want the greatest accuracy out to 100 yards, I'd choose .25 or .30 cal. Just be aware that higher caliber means more expensive ammo, and lots more air to shoot them. Be well educated about the costs of shooting before you choose your caliber. I use .177 for 25 yards and under. I use .22 up to 50 yards. I use .25 for 50 to 75 yards. And if I ever decide to try 100 yards or more, I'll use my .25 because I simply can't afford .30 cal ammo and the higher amounts of air it takes to propel them.

Best wishes to you and welcome to the Forum. Let us know what you decide.

BeemanR7
 
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Bullpups (both in the firearm and airgun markets) have flowed and waned in popularity since they hit the commercial market nearly 100 years ago. Personally, I don't like them for several reasons.

As noted above... They are hard to shoot accurately until you get used to them. They may appear lighter in weight, but in the field, the ≈one pound saving is offset as they're difficult to carry in comparison to a regular design. The biggest issue (to me) is the scope mounting position. Perhaps folks get used to the compensation required at shorter than sighted in ranges, but I haven't and I have tried! 

On the other hand, they have an almost fanatic following, and those swear by them. Me? I just swear at them! 
 
Well if shooting your long rifle is giving you problem s you say your not shooting the HW that well... maybe a bullpup is what u need. One of my biggest. Peeves is no places i can go to handle the pcps so i can make better decisions.we look to one another. To make decisions. You came to the best place. This site rocks.i have a couple BPS and a couple long. RIfle s...and have had no issues swiching over ..i do have a 25 wildcat. It kicks ass lots of us have them ..i dont no much of the new wildcat. And if you waited this long I would wait another week and a half for the SHOT show to be over they might be something surprising their that comes out the even like better or maybe an upgraded Wildcat who knows good luck Pat
 
The reason the bullpup design will not wane in the airgun industry is because if you want power in a compact package the bullpup is the way. In airguns you need a longish barrel for the air to have enough time to propel the pellet up to speed. Too short of a barrel and you won't get it there. All disadvantages (I don't think there are any, lol) can be overcome. The pros far outweigh the cons for bullpups in my book. 
 
I started with long guns ,shot them my whole life and now that I have used a bullpup I can’t go back to long guns,I have a .25 wildcat that I shoot from a bench and off hand 25-100 yds and I find it to be extremely accurate,just sold my FX boss.30 and purchased a FX Impact .30 that was the last of my long pcp’s so I am all in with the bullpups,best bet is to try one and see if it’s for you,if not ...sell it ,high end guns hold there value pretty well,sure your gonna lose a little but only you can decide if the bullpup is for you.good luck with search
 
I own a Wildcat .22 and it is somewhat top heavy, but it is also very accurate out to about 40 yards. (the limit in my yard) I also own a Brocock Bantam semi-bullpup and I have to say that it is the most comfortable gun that I own. It's just better balanced for carrying and shooting IMO, but my Bantam is simply not as accurate as my Wildcat at the same distances. Of the two, if was shooting from the bench for competition, I'd pick my Wildcat.
 
Rootmechanic - 
"I want something very accurate from 30-100 yards and very quiet. ( I have some grouchy neighbors) " 
Any high end .25 PCP shooting about 50 FPE should produce sub MOA out to a 100 yards. But, very quiet? 
You will need to add length (LDC) to your choice because a stock .25 is a loud report at the target and muzzle. 
That makes a rifle too long. For me anyway. 
Scope mount heights on my 4 - BP's are fine.
I think a friends wildcat scope feels too high for me. Not for him. 
Think about barrel types in these guns. You can't shoot slugs out of a smooth twist barrel. Pellet gun only. 
At 30-100 yards you may not want them right now. Just one more small thing to be aware of though. 

 
I was Leary of the BP design as I shoot left shoulder and most powder burners are right side ejection - I am not a fan of brass in the shirt!.

Air gun BP design removed that issue. Comfort in the shooting position is hard to guage without a scope in place. My Kral bull pup is more comfortable than the pistol marauder, even with a custom made cheek riser on the P-rod. Those two guns are nearly the same length, but the bull pup is twice as heavy. For that increase in weight I get :
12 (Kral) vs. 8 (P-rod) pellets in the magazine, 
I get 36 FPE vs. 13 FPE, 
I get 36 shots vs. 20 shots
I get 100 yards vs. 60 yards 

i find shooting either from bench or rested or unrested is just easy as shooting my long guns. No mental issues for me.

Yes, that bull pup is heavier than the pistol/carbine ....but it is twice the gun, at least.

Opinion are like Belly buttons. Mine probably stinks.
 
It's been said above but put your hands on one to hold/test if you can.

Personal experience.... With bags or a hard front rest, they can be difficult. Whether is the small (or oddly shaped for the purpose) fore stock or the shear overall 'shortness' of these, traditional long guns will tend to be easier to use.

From a 'bench'... I shoot off good quality front bipods with the rear shouldered. The small footprint actually helps me shoot better than with a rifle commonly considered 'better' on front and rear bags. Maybe just a personal style fluke but it's true on my range... and my shooting is purely casual, not trying to equate my 'bench' shooting to more than me having a place to rest my rifle.... Standing/offhand, smaller and potentially lighter is an advantage sometimes, or not, depends, but mostly (for me) the shorter the bullpup the odder my forward handhold gets and the worse my shooting gets.... I do fine with the 'standard' size. (in between the short and long versions) some offer. But then again... the shorts tend to be more fun sometimes....
 
I have a maurder with a plastic silencer form ebay its pretty quiet. I bought a wildcat 22 a few days ago and of course the wrong air fitting so I am patiently waiting it did come with about 1600 or 1700 psi in the gun so I popped 2 off wow it was way louder than the maurder without the silencer so I ordered a donnfl sumo still have a few pounds of air so I crack off a couple with my wife standing about 4 feet from me and she said the wildcat with the sumo silencer was way quieter than my maurder with the silencer so it was a big sigh of relief. I am realy impressed with the donnfl sumo .
 
"JimNM"I was Leary of the BP design as I shoot left shoulder and most powder burners are right side ejection - I am not a fan of brass in the shirt!.


I know how you feel. I shot a 10/22 and the brass hit my check and I got one hot brass in my ear.
The one thing I've noticed is the action is usually at the rear of the riffle, almost on your armpit. 
Have you considered a carbine? You get a smaller more compact riffle. Very maneuverable, and you get a more traditional feel. I found I feel cramped, or crowded when shooting Bpups.
Personally if I had to choose between a mid to short length barreled riffle I'd go with a carbine. When I see a bullpup working for me, it would have to have a very long barrel. As long or longer than a traditional riffle, but that's me
 
I shoot a class 3, carbine M4 for my daily carry at work. I have my choice Collapsible stock, holo sights etc. All the toys installed or plain Jane. I have a selection of long barrel powder burners from .22 to .243 to 410, 20 and 12 guage in my safe. I have a fair amount of experience with different platforms in both air and powder. (Edit:. Forgot about the Muzzleloaders... Pistol and rifles. Have a lot in common with airgunning)

I like the solid feel of the Kral Bull Pup, where the weight is an advantage in stability. All things being equal, the Bull Pup is easier to hold steady than the carbine. I have shot the Marauder rifle, but do not like it for field carry due to length and weight distribution. From a bench, the M-Rod rifle.is fine. For working the field on foot and from truck/ATV, I prefer the BP design.

I do not have a bipod I stalled yet. I do have a yolk on top of a small tripod. I am not totally comfortable with that, yet. I am more stable in unsupported positions most of the time. I have more learning to do with the tripod.
 
What Matt said.
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