Tag Archives: bullpup

Steyr AUG A3 M2 NATO

May 12, 2025Product review, Shooting hardwareAUG A3 M2 nato, bullpup, steyr, steyr AUGcoldboremiracle

Introduction

Its another one of those iconic gun stories here today folks. Many of us grew up watching the apex of cinema that was the 1980’s, and you couldn’t watch good films back then without seeing iconic firearms. The Steyr AUG became extremely popular in the late 70’s and thereafter with a variety of law enforcement and military adoptions. Much like FN’s P90 and the HK MP5, the AUG (which I will always pronounce AWE-g) was so different and interesting that it demanded attention. As a true bullpup aficionado, I felt required to revisit the AUG with the release of the new Steyr AUG A3 M2 NATO version of the rifle.

There has been other variants of the rifle, like the famous waffle mag AUG, and even a 9mm version. But the A3 M2 NATO version of the rifle seems to have the best features of all. This rifle uses standard NATO Stanag magazines, but also incorporates a bolt release. This makes the AUG a bit more formidable and useful in tactical operations (at least thats what I think as an absolute unit of a civilian). I could spend a lot of time talking about the history of the AUG and all of its accolades, but you can go scroll through Wikipedia for that. All you need to know is that the Alpha-male terrorist guy from 1988’s smashing hit Die Hard chose the AUG because of his tactical prowess. And thats good enough for us today.

Karl would for sure have traded his waffel AUG for my NATO A3 model, sadly he turned to ballet and we lost him in 1995. RIP Karl

The Steyr AUG A3 M2 NATO

The curious looks of the Steyr AUG is matched by an equally interesting operation. The polymer buttstock houses the sear-pack, recoil pad, and magazine well. The receiver is captured by a sliding plastic former after being pushed in from the front. The barrel features external lugs not unlike a the bolt, both of them are inserted to the receiver and rotate to lock in.

Steyr, AUG, AUG A3 M2, AUG A3 M2 NATO, bullpup, steyr aug, primary arms, PLXC, LPVO — stabbing a mag into the AUG A3, you can simply continue sliding your hand up and release the bolt into battery

Operation

The barrel assembly has a spring-loaded locking detent making barrel removal extremely quick and easy. The gas piston is located on the right side of the receiver, and pushes a long operation rod that is attached to the right side of the bolt-carrier.

On the opposite side of the bolt-carrier, there is a near twin operating rod that engages the charging handle on the left side. The charging handle has a polymer folding design, it can be folded in both at the front and rear of its travel. It also features two snap-springs that hold the charging handle in place to the front while shooting to stop reciprocation.

Steyr, AUG, AUG A3 M2, AUG A3 M2 NATO, bullpup, steyr aug, primary arms, PLXC, LPVO, charging handle — left-side detail: note folding charging handle, and safety behind the trigger

The safety is a push-push type, a simple plastic square that goes through the receiver behind the trigger. The trigger itself is also polymer, and attaches to two steel rods that transfer movement to the sear pack in the rear.

Steyr, AUG, AUG A3 M2, AUG A3 M2 NATO, bullpup, steyr aug, primary arms, PLXC, LPVO, charging handle, bolt release

Also on the left-rear-side of the buttstock, you will find the bolt-release that makes this A3 M2 model so much better than previous versions of the rifle. It allows you to seat the magazine and drop the bolt almost in one motion.

Other Features

Up front you will find the down-grip, one of the AUG’s famous features. The grip can be pulled and folded parallel under the barrel for lower profile. Right above the down-grip on the right side, you will find the gas block and gas valve.

Because its not 1988 anymore, and the petulant tyrants who banned the import of this Austrian beauty for years because of its incredibly dangerous features; I choose to shoot the AUG suppressed like my other guns, for sporting purposes and whatever else I see fit. So I have the suppressor gas valve for the rifle, which helps reduce overgassing due to suppressor backpressure.

the AUG A3 M2 made a great suppressor host for my **Anechoic Anechox 35**

On the right side roughly two o’clock position there is an accessory pic rail for adding accessories. And across the top of the receiver you will find another picatinny rail for mounting sights. There is also a factory made 3X optical sight that can be installed in place of the pic rail. But it DEFINITELY came from the 80’s, and there it should stay.

Steyr, AUG, AUG A3 M2, AUG A3 M2 NATO, bullpup, steyr aug, steyr 3x optic, AUG optic, AUG scope, — the factory **Steyr AUG 3X optical sight**

Range Preparation

I was excited to get this rifle on the range, mainly to see how it compared to other bullpups I’ve shot. Which are not few. But before that, I would need to pull the flash-hider that made it so dangerous to import once upon a time. I would try a couple suppressors, first the Yankee Hill Machine Fat Cat because it is super short. Keeping the already compact AUG as short as possible would maintain its designer’s purpose. I’d also use my Anechoic Anechox 35, it too does a great job taming noise. Its flow thru design would hopefully keep me from suffocating in exhAUGst from the ejection port.

For sights, I installed my Primary Arms PLxC 1-8 low power variable optic (LPVO). The impressive clarity and sharpness would come in handy for shooting this rifle.

I grabbed a few different mags to see how they each faired in the AUG. And to fill the magazine, I would use a few different options. Some PMC Xtac 55 grain ammo, as well as some Hornady 62 grain FMJ ammo, and for accuracy I figured I’d try some PMC Match 77 grain.

we tested a variety of different Stanag magazines, and they all worked

Shooting the Steyr AUG A3 M2

I do a lot of my shooting outdoors and in the wild mountains that surround me. But today I took occasion to frequent a local range which I don’t often do. For todays purposes it would be fine. The two-hundred yards available to me were more than enough to test the legs of the AUG.

a wiff of burnt powder is inevitable when shooting suppressed

Shootability

As an ardent bullpup fan, the AUG came to me as very familiar. The balance and weight was like others I’m used to. But since I was used to other rifles like my WLVRN, I did have to reconfigure a few of my muscle memories.

The mag release works great, and makes sense to have it there. But I wouldn’t mind if it was more like my WLVRN or an X95. The balance on this rifle was outstanding, even with a suppressor up front. You could single-hand shoot this rifle all day.

Reliability

The Steyr AUG has been well known for its reliability. Both in law enforcement and military the AUG has seen long-term service on basically every continent. We found the AUG A3 M2 to be perfectly reliable, with no malfunctions experienced during testing.

Ergonomics

You definitely don’t want to shoot the AUG left handed, it’s ejection will likely hit you in the mouth or chin. The seamless back end of the rifle doesn’t offer a great deal of adjustment. So there is no way to adjust the comb-height or length of pull.

The grip has a cutlass style trigger-guard, normally I would say I don’t like them. But the way the trigger is seated within the guard and tucked up I think was well done. The controls in general are simple and no nonsense. The safety is easy to function, though it does feel like a fifty year old design. The charging handle is foldable both at the front and rear of its travel, it can be a little close to optics mounting which can cause occlusions with your knuckles.

Steyr, AUG, AUG A3 M2, AUG A3 M2 NATO, bullpup, steyr aug, primary arms, PLXC, LPVO, YHM fat cat suppresor

Trigger feel is often a concern with bullpup rifles. I have experienced both poor triggers and excellent triggers from some of my favorite bullpup rifles. Previous versions of the AUG were among what I would call ok triggers, but this one seems a little better. Not mushy and more short and crisp than I expected.

Accuracy

I was quite happy with the accuracy of the AUG A3. I wasn’t expecting to be anything fantastic, but 1.5 MOA was decent best groups. Especially considering I was using an LPVO at 8X, I expect I could have done better with a little more scope.

Value

The bullpup 5.56 field is getting pretty deep, though the AUG has been in it for longer than most. The IWI X95 is particularly popular with many folks, and while I don’t hate it there are others I prefer. The X95 can be had for about the same price as the AUG A3 M2, and I think I prefer the Steyr. The Springfield Armory Hellion is around the same price on any given day, and it too shares a strong service record like the AUG and X95.

If you want something cheaper, you could go with the Keltec RDB, and if you want something made in the USA the Desert Tech WLVRN is my favorite of all of these bullpup rifles. If you’re curious about that, you can read my article on the WLVRN Here.

The barrel is quickly and easily removed from the rifle, you can also see the gas valve here.

Pros and Cons

I’m not gonna lie, I really like the Steyr AUG A3 M2 more than I expected to. It shoots well, has a nice impulse, and is quite compact. There are really only a few things I suppose I would change; I’d like a mag-release that could be done with your trigger finger, I really like that feature in the other rifles. And I suppose I’d also like one of the different fore ends made for the AUG by the aftermarket. The down-grip is comfortable but I think I might like something a little different. Lastly it would be nice if there was some modularity in the back end of the gun, like for length of pull and such.

Steyr, AUG, AUG A3 M2, AUG A3 M2 NATO, bullpup, steyr aug, bolt carrier, — the AUG bolt carrier

Its no wonder to me that this gun has remained as popular as it has. It is fun to shoot, and with the added capabilities of the NATO mags, and the new bolt release it really brings the AUG to a better place.

Last Words on the AUG A3

Bullpups are my thing, so I suppose you shouldn’t be surprised I liked one of the most popular models out there. But I’ll also say its not just because I’m a bullpup guy. I found the AUG A3 M2 NATO offers a bit more than its predecessors, and all the good features of every other AUG model. So if you are simply looking for a reliable, compact and fun rifle to shoot the AUG could fill that role. And while you do it you can LARP as the 1980’s action hero you watched as a kid.

-CBM

Desert Tech WLVRN 6mm ARC

December 14, 2024Product review, Shooting hardware6 ARC, 6mm ARC, bullpup, conversion kit, Desert tech, DMR, WLVRNcoldboremiracle

Introduction

Many of you are aware of my affinity for Desert Tech rifles, and if you are reading this you’ve likely seen much of my content about the various rifles. Today I am diving down another custom project similar to one I’ve done in the past. I made a custom barrel for my MDRX in 6mm ARC years ago, and today I am bringing you the story on how I went about making another custom, my Desert Tech WLVRN 6mm ARC project.

Because of the extremely satisfying results with my MDRX, I became quite fond of the 6mm ARC cartridge and have since gotten more of them. It was also a natural choice for me when I got my Desert Tech WLVRN, of course this would again require me to make my own. Today I’ll go over how that went.

The Desert Tech WLVRN

The De sert Tech WLVRN is the latest generation semi-auto bullpup, a direct descendant of the MDRX. Both of them being multi-caliber piston operated carbines. They share a great deal of parts and features, but they are also very different. The barrel mounting system is different, as are the barrel extensions, bolts, receiver and more. Perhaps the best difference between the two in my opinion, is the larger clamping-surface that holds the barrel. Part of that is because the trunnion is machined into the aluminum receiver, getting rid of the steel barrel block. Additional other steel parts were also removed, greatly reducing the weight of the rifle. The machined-in trunnion also makes the WLVRN return to zero when switching barrels. This was something aspired to by the MDRX but was never consistent.

I bought my WLVRN initially setup as a 20-inch .223, which was awesome. It shot very well, and even with the longer barrel it felt lighter than my shorter MDRX. But I wanted more, I wanted the 6 ARC performance. Which in my opinion felt kind of like a 5.56 that shoots like a 6.5 Creedmoor.

desert tech WLVRN, bullpup, 6 ARC, — if you look closely you can see my advanced gas block placement

The 6mm ARC

Hornady has put out a bunch of new calibers over the past few years, and the 6mm Advanced Rifle Cartridge (ARC) is one of many. The ARC boasts a very efficient design that gives impressive performance from AR15 platforms or micro bolt-actions like my Howa Mini.

The ARC can push 105 grain bullets at near 2800 FPS, which is still doing over 2000 FPS at a quarter-mile away and still carrying over 1000 lbs of energy. For comparison, thats much faster than a good 77 grain 5.56 load, and double the energy. And at 1000 yards, the disparity is just as impressive, not that I’d like to catch either of them. The 6 ARC can be fired from the same sized actions and magazines as the 5.56, so this ballistic advantage is enticing.

My former experiences with the 6 ARC in my MDRX and Howa Mini were very impressive, both from a target shooting aspect as well as hunting big game. We’ve killed several deer and antelope using the same 105 Hornady BTHP. This led me to be even more enthusiastic about an ARC for my WLVRN. Since my MDRX is a little heavier, and I already have bigger caliber conversion kits for it like 308, 6.5CM, and 450BM, I figured I would keep the WLVRN more of a smaller caliber rifle. The added accuracy benefits of the WLVRN also seemed like a better platform for a DMR type rifle.

desert tech WLVRN, duramag magazine, 6arc — all of my testing was done using Duramag 6.5 Grendel magazines

Down the Rabbit Hole

Baseline

I started this project by contacting my long-time friend and gun-plumber at ES-Tactical. Despite his not wanting to get involved into another oddball project, he agreed to cut me a twenty-two-inch barrel from a K&P blank. It was a totally different profile than a typical WLVRN barrel, aside from a heavier profile I also spec’d a different gas block position further down the barrel.

Once I had the barrel in hand, I wanted to try something before it was even finished. I torqued down the barrel extension with some thread-locker, and headed to the range. With no gas block or piston operation, I wanted to see how accurate the barrel shot. So I fired a couple groups, operating the rifle manually like a straight-pull action. I was astonished to see that shooting my 105 grain handloads at 100 yards, the WLVRN put ten shots into just over 1/2 MOA. Something I wouldn’t have believed had I not shot it myself.

6ARC, desert tech WLVRN — The very first shots from the clean barrel, prior to installing gas block

My reasoning was to see how much the rifle’s accuracy was effected by the gas operation once installed. Which was my next step.

Machining

It was time to make some metal chips of my own. I drilled a gas-port in the barrel and pressed the gas block down snugly. I figured I would just use the same gas-valve that my 20″ 223 barrel used and see if I could get it to work on one of the settings. But before I got that far, I would need a custom piston. Having moved the gas block towards the muzzle of the barrel, would require adjusting the length of the gas piston accordingly.

Desert Tech, WLVRN, bullpup, 6mm ARC — my freshly pressed gas block and custom piston

You might be asking yourself why I moved the gas block at all. The reason is to get a better purchase of the gas flow. By moving the gas block down the barrel towards the muzzle, the operation of the action is delayed slightly. This allows the bullet to exit the barrel long before any action movements, as well as allowing the gas-pressure within the barrel to decompress some. This makes ejection and extraction less stressful on both the rifle and cartridge case. There’s also an argument to made for barrel harmonics and accuracy as well. Timing the piston operation can greatly enhance accuracy by changing the way the barrel whips as the rifle reloads itself.

Once I had my custom piston ready, it was time to see how the rifle would function. This would require some trial and error, going through a variety of malfunctions tuning the gas flow until we found a happy medium. Luckily, my gas valve selection was close enough, which meant it was time to go back to the range. An unfortunate consequence in both the MDRX and the WLVRN was significant damage to cartridge cases when the rifle didn’t eject them properly.

6mm ARC — both the WLVRN and MDRX are hard on cases when they don’t run right

First Range Trip

Accuracy

It was time for the first real range trip, with a fully functioning WLVRN. This trip was actually into the mountains and not the range, but I prefer the mountains over the range anyways. It would allow me to see how the rifle performed at distance as well.

My initial accuracy test were okay at best, mainly because I hadn’t anticipated for the weather. It was cold and snowing with some blustery wind thrown in, and to add some pressure it was getting late so I rushed it more than I’d have liked.

Even so, the WLVRN printed some barely sub MOA five shot groups. Later testing would prove even better. Most of my testing was done using a suppressor, my Anechoic Anechox 35 which made the rifle very tame and pleasant to shoot. I also shot it using the Yankee Hill Machine Turbo T3 which was better in some aspects I’ll detail below.

You can see from my additional testing, typical groups from the 6 ARC WLVRN average around 3/4 MOA. While the better groups would shrink as small as 1/2MOA. I am fairly confident this had more to do with me than it did with the WLVRN.

Long-Range

Just because I am incapable of not trying, I stretched the 6ARC out a ways to see how it did at some longer distances. We shot at 715 yards, and 430 yards in some pretty gusty wind. At 715 yards I held about 1.2 MIL into the quarter value wind and was very impressed with the impacts. Not only were they very consistent, but they really hit with some authority.

Desert Tech WLVRN, 6 ARC, 6mm ARC — shooting long-range with the **Primary arms GLX 3-18 scope**

While shooting at the 430 yard-line, I aimed at a small patch of snow in some dirt. I can’t imagine the snow patch was much bigger than a can of tuna, and every shot from the WLVRN would have sent Starkist fish everywhere. I was really getting excited about this rifle’s potential.

Shooting this same load in my MDRX has proven to be very effective at distances as far as 1000 yards away. Taking varmints that far away is a fun and challenging venture, and with the same load my wife took down an antelope at just shy of 500 yards.

desert tech WLVRN, 6mm ARC, accuracy, groups — More testing: the WLVRN seemed to prefer my handloaded **58gr Barnes Varmintor** over the factory **Hornady 108 ELDM match ammunition**

Additional Testing

Long Op-rod (pending)

Because I’m a bit of a tinkerer, I figured I would also try something else. My longer piston worked fine, but I also explored another option. Using a standard length piston, and an extended op-rod (the stainless rod that goes between the bolt-carrier and piston) was another option. By adding additional length to the op-rod, I would get the same effect as the longer custom piston. But in addition it would add more weight to the reciprocating mass of the bolt carrier. This would also help buffer the operation some, which I wanted to proof out. That way I could see which of the two approaches was more effective for reliability and accuracy. Come back for more on this development later…

Desert Tech, WLVRN, bullpup, custom conversion kit, 6mm ARC

I have no doubt that moving the gas block further down the barrel definitely helped with the function of the rifle. It likely reduced chamber pressures during extraction, and helped counter some of the barrel movement that has made accuracy a challenge with other similar variants. It also made it impossible to adjust the gas valve without removing the handguard, but I never cared about that feature anyways. I always shoot suppressed, so I set the valve and forget it.

That said, I think the significant increase in accuracy over a factory conversion kit has as much to do with the barrel contour as it does the gas block perch. The thick barrel is much stiffer, it actually barely fits in the chassis, I had to shorten the two handguard screws to prevent them from pressing against the barrel.

hornady, 6mm ARC, 6 ARC, dies, handloading — big thanks to **Starline Brass** for the 6.5 Grendel brass that I resized into 6 ARC using **Hornady dies**. This was on top of all the **Hornady 6 ARC brass** I’d gathered up over a few years

I also like the additional two inches of barrel, this surely helps me get as much velocity as possible out of the 6 ARC. And still gives me the compact handling bullpups are famous for. The only downside of course is weight, the added barrel diameter and length adds a fair amount. But this too is something I don’t mind dealing with, I like the accuracy over the light weight.

Suppressor Compatibility

Much of my shooting was done with the Anechoic Anechox 35 suppressor, which worked great. But since I didn’t have quite the precise ability to drill gas-holes in the thousandths of an inch, it seemed a little more challenging to get the gas flow just right. I did find that by using a different suppressor with a little more backpressure helped get just the right amount of gas volume.

desert tech, WLVRN, bullpup, 6ARC, us optics, txh, yhm — the **US Optics** TXH and YHM T3 made perfect companions to the WLVRN

I installed my YHM Turbo T3, which is a 5.56 suppressor. The tighter bore of the T3 added some backpressure, I assume that the traditional baffle construction of the T3 also had something to do with it as well. Disclaimer: I cannot recommend using a 5.56 suppressor on a 6mm cartridge, do so at your own risk.

That said, the addition of the T3 seemed to get me to the perfect operation for the rifle and the 6mm ARC cartridge. It greatly enhanced reliability and consistency of the operation, and it sounds great too! I think its safe to assume that any similar suppressor would have provided a similar outcome. Changing suppressors to get the optimal performance from a rifle is nothing new.

Ejection

Ejection of the 6 ARC case was predictable, the port is plenty big since it can accommodate 308 sized cases. I did switch out the polymer ejection port to the older MDRX style aluminum model, as they are a little tougher. I still occasionally will get a stovepipe malfunction, but it is very minimal.

desert tech , bullpup, WLVRN, MDRX, 6mm ARC — Top: The WLVRN 6 ARC with **US Optics TXH 3-18** Bottom: MDRX and **YHM Turbo T3**

Lessons Learned

There is always something to learn with these projects. I for sure still like the 6mm ARC, perhaps even more so now because of my WLVRN. It has turned my little green wolverine into something quite a bit more mean. I still have the low recoil and efficiency of small cartridges, but significantly more downrange energy. Though if I did it again, I think I would have gone with a slightly lighter contour on the barrel. And probably fluted it as well, just to keep the WLVRN as light as possible. The accuracy from this combination makes the rifle more than suitable for my hunting purposes, both big game and varmints will soon succumb to the WLVRN and its 100 grain bullets in the next few weeks.

desert tech, WLVRN, 6 ARC, mule deer, hunting — Since finishing the 6 ARC, I used it on a successful cull hunt for mule deer. This doe was taken at 300 yards shooting the Hornady 105 BTHP handloads

I’m sure I’m not the only one imagining the possibilities with this rifle; An accurate (sub-MOA) semi-auto rifle fed by 20-round magazines, with a kill envelope arguably to 1000yds, that weighs in under 11 pounds and 36.5-inches long with a suppressor…

[1000yard stare intensifies…]

That is not to say that these projects are for everyone. You absolutely must be some kind of a tinkerer, with a mechanical inclination. There is plenty of headache and challenge involved in a project like this. And theres always the possibility that your result isn’t as reliable or great as you’d hoped after spending a good amount of money. So temper your enthusiasm and expectations before considering a project like this. As always, I will update this with more information as it develops so make sure to follow me for.

-CBM

2026 Update:

This custom kit continues to impress me. I swapped the conversion kit into a different rifle to do some testing. Due to the necessity to run a different suppressor for said testing, I needed to adjust the gas flow with a different valve to make it work properly. Additionally I found that the extractor wasn’t working as good as I wanted it to, so I also did some alterations there to guarantee 100% cycling with the Huxwrx Flow. With reliability greatly increased, I did some additional accuracy testing.

For the accuracy test I used some factory Hornady 108 Match ammuntion, as well as my favorite handload using Hornady 105 BTHP. The barrel was pulled from the chassis between every shot; four barrel resets between four shots of the 108 ammo, and three barrel resets between three shots from my handloads. The resulting groups measured 1.24 MOA and .357 MOA respectively. Not too shabby for breaking both the shooting position and barrel between every shot.

target, wlvrn, desert tech, 6 arc, hornady, 6mm, advanced rifle cartridge — Excellent show of the rifle’s ability to return to zero, with the barrel being pulled completely out of the rifle between every shot.

FN FS2000 Bullpup Review

June 15, 2023Product review, Shooting hardwarebullpup, fh herstal, fn, fs2000coldboremiracle

The world of bullpups is a unique one, and pretty much everybody knows each other there. There are several popular bullpups available on the market, and today we are reviewing one of the popular bullpups from the recent past. The FN Herstal FS2000 bullpup was produced for almost twenty years, and it has seen service by various military services across the world. If you don’t know what a bullpup is, lets get that out of the way first.

A bullpup firearm is one where the action is located behind the trigger versus in front of. The idea is to reduce the overall footprint of the weapon, but they are often looked down upon due to inherent designs that typically complicate some basic functions.

The FS2000

The FS2000 is a 5.56 NATO carbine designed for military and police use. The rifle utilizes a 17.5 barrel that is tucked deep into its bullpup chassis to shorten the platform. The gun utilizes Stanag pattern magazines but as far as I can tell only works with the metal GI type. The action uses a short-stroke gas piston, a rotating bolt and an interesting forward ejecting system to overcome the ambidextrousness of a bullpup, with the action being next to the face it would be very unpleasant to have brass ejecting out the side into your face should you be left-handed.

The FS2000 has a very unique look, and one that has earned it several nicknames such as the ‘tactical tuna’. Similar to the other FN bullpup the P90, the FS2000 borrowed a similar safety that is also ambidextrous. A small disc located at the bottom of the trigger-guard can be rotated from either side with the trigger finger to engage or disengage the safety. The trigger itself like many other bullpup designs is a little more mushy than most would care for. The other controls include the magazine release located just in front of the magazine itself, the magazine release can be pressed with the upper side of your hand while stripping the mag from the rifle. The charging handle is located on the front-left side of the rifle, and uses a claw detent to keep it in place. The bolt does not lock-back on the last round, so there isn’t a bolt-release.

Perhaps the most interesting feature of the rifle is at the breech. Since the chamber end of the barrel is deeply covered inside the rifle, there is a spring loaded trap door just in front of the cheek-rest that the operator can open to see the breech and clear any malfunctions.

The rifle features a great deal of sealing designs to prevent the ingress of debris into the rifle. All points of ingress have their own way of closing off, such as gaskets in the magwell, and a closed ejection port. The rifle weighs in just shy of eight pounds at seven-point-nine pounds, and the overall length of the rifle is twenty-nine and a quarter inches. The compact size of the rifle promises to give the user more maneuverability and mobility in action.

Lets see it!

When I opened the box containing the FS2000, I was surprised to find that it had been shipped with both the original foregrip panels, as well as a picatinny railed foregrip to utilize other accessories. The downgrip gave better purchase for me than the traditional smooth forearm panels, so I left it installed for the purposes of the review.

The gun seemed lighter than I expected, but I think thats because it appears bigger and bulkier than it should be. It felt lighter than expected because there seems to be a lot of empty space inside. As I lifted the gun to my shoulder, I was surprised by two things; first, I didn’t dislike the feel of the rifle as I expected I would based on my experience with the FN PS90. And second; it felt rather bulky compared to similar firearms whether bullpup or conventionally configured.

The FS2000 compared to the **Springfield Armory Hellion**

I ran the charging handle a few times to get a feel for the rifle, while it may offend some of the older crowd I have grown to like the feel of metal and polymers functioning in unison. The FS2000 felt smooth and locked up tight, I gave the trigger a few squeezes to see how it felt. I’ve felt a few bullpup triggers in my day, and this one was not too shabby to be fair. There are certainly better triggers but this one was certainly serviceable.

I gave the remaining controls a once over, I didn’t care for the safety much which again was no surprise. The mag release is another curious design, its a button just in front of the magazine well that you can depress with the edge of your hand while gripping the magazine. It is actually quite pleasant to use if you are stripping the mag with intent to retain it, but if you are reloading a fresh magazine it will definitely slow you down. It requires you to strip the mag with your support hand, then grabbing a fresh mag to insert.

Note mag release in front of magazine well

The muzzle of the 17.5 inch barrel is pinned (eye roll) with a muzzle brake, something I don’t care for. The gas block has two settings which I would have loved to tried with a suppressor, but I guess that’ll only happen in my dreams.

It was time to install a red dot, and get this thing to the range. Once upon a time the FS2000 was available with a 1.6X sight attached, the pictures alone made me shudder so I’m glad I had my own. I dropped a simple little Vortex red dot onto the rifle, and after gathering up some ammunition I was on my way to the range.

It had been a minute since I’d loaded some old metal GI mags, but it felt nostalgic. I loaded the magazines with some PMC Bronze 55 grain ammo, and began firing my first magazine. A handful of rounds in, the rifle stopped. That old familiar feeling of the bolt not going into battery told me something was up. The cunning mechanical device that grabs the spent case and pushes it into the long ejection chute had jammed. The spent case managed to get turned around inside the receiver and bound up, causing quite a disturbance in my shooting. After clearing the case, I finished out the mag and loaded another.

While shooting the rifle I actually enjoyed the feeling of it. I had no trouble hitting an IPSC target with every round in the magazine at two hundred yards, something every battle rifle should be able to do.

Keeping rapid shots on target at 200 yards seemed easy

Through the rest of my range time that day, the gun ran almost flawlessly. I had one more malfunction as a round got bit going into the chamber, though I’m not sure if I could blame that one on the gun. I must admit that I enjoyed the gun much more than I expected too, and I’m even a bullpup fan.

Pros and Cons

One of my biggest gripes with so many gun owners is when they discount certain firearms or types of firearms based solely on negligent testing and arbitrary opinions. It’s easy to throw smoke at bullpups, they already get shamed for their looks so if they aren’t 100% perfect in their function they are quickly discarded.

As a bullpup fan, even I found myself quick to dismiss the FS2000. But I was quickly turned around by its smooth impulses and pleasant shooting. Though despite my positive experience with the rifle I must be fair to its critics. There are several awkward things about this gun, the bulk and controls seems to be the most of it for me. I didn’t care for the safety, mag release process, magazine compatibility, failure to lock back on empty and such.

In its favor, the rifle was accurate enough to be useful, completely ambidextrous for those lefties out there, and despite the awkward controls I still enjoyed the rifle quite a bit.

Conclusion

Yes I enjoyed the FS200, and though I’m already a bullpup fan I found something new by playing with the FS200. I’ve heard many people of the opinion that military service is some kind of indicator of a firearms suitability for severe duty, and the FN FS2000 certainly has seen much service across the world. And yet I felt a smidge let down because I’ve gotten to experience better suited rifles that those same people would call insufficient for service.

The FS2000 is a fun rifle, but I don’t think I could see myself paying the money for one with so many other good options available today.

-CBM

IWI Tavor X95 5.56 Bullpup

November 5, 2022Product review, Shooting hardware5.56, bullpup, IWI, tavor, x95coldboremiracle

Introduction

Your first reaction to the IWI Tavor X95 might be wrinkling your nose and wincing at the word bullpup. After all, the short and stubby design is not as common in America and is typically frowned upon by many.

But those that look down their nose at these rifles do so at their own loss, as there are many benefits and even superior features to some bullpup designs.

Today we will look at one of the flagship rifles from the Israeli arms giant IWI, the Tavor X95 bullpup. Like all bullpups, the X95’s breech and firing mechanisms are behind the trigger. This shortens the overall size of the weapon by utilizing the space in the butt of the firearm that is normally vacant.

The X95

I’m no stranger to bullpups, so prepare yourself for some perspective as we go over this very popular and robust little rifle.

The first trip to the range with the X95 included a hundred or so rounds. I’d brought a few magazines to run through the rifle of various types. I had only installed a red dot as a sighting device with plans to shoot with a riflescope at a later date.

After loading a few magazines and a quick preflight inspection of the rifle, it was time to go hot. Charging the rifle is a very familiar process, seating the magazine and running the charging handle to chamber a cartridge. The safety selector is easily operated with the thumb, making the rifle ready to fire.

I fired a few magazines through the rifle, adjusting my sight a few times for a better point of impact. My initial impressions of the rifle were better than expected. The rifle shot smoothly and reliably. The trigger was a bit mushy for my taste, something common with some bullpups. But I could still shoot properly and get hits where I wanted them.

Reloading the rifle is different than a typical modern sporting rifle. Stabbing the magazine into the rear of the rifle can take some getting used to if you are new to bullpups. The bolt release is centrally located behind the magwell, allowing you to actuate it with your thumb upon seating the magazine. I would have liked to see a more flared magwell, but it could have just been my familiarity with this particular model.

The controls and ergonomics of the rifle seemed to fit me well. The charging handle does have a claw to capture it under recoil. I would have liked a slightly different configuration that offered just a smidge more purchase but again, this is just my preference.

One thing I did find a little annoying was during a reload motion; my trigger finger would often migrate behind the trigger. This made for an awkward transition back to shooting, but again it is likely just a lack of practice with the rifle that could be overcome with some training. Continue reading here

ACCURACY

Once my sight was zeroed, I found it easy to hit my targets inside one-hundred yards. But this is by no means a precision shooting rifle, as I confirmed in later range trips using a better scope. Using fifty-five-grain ball ammunition, the best groups I could produce with the rifle hovered around 2.5 MOA. I suppose you could tighten that up a bit with match-grade ammo, and perhaps the upgraded trigger might also help.

ERGONOMICS AND FUNCTION

The overall feel of the rifle was not bad, though the significant amount of polymer on the rifle does give it a bit of a Nerf gun feel. But technology being what it is these days, polymer is making its way into everything in the firearms market, so I suppose we should just embrace it.

I did take the opportunity to shoot the rifle suppressed. For that, I used the Yankee Hill Machine Turbo T2, a baffled can that mounts to a ratcheting muzzle device. I lowered the gas setting to the lowest setting, which seemed to work just fine.

The suppressed rifle did continue to function flawlessly, though I did notice a bit more gas coming from the ejection port near my face. Perhaps a slightly lower gas setting would have been ideal, but even as the gun heated up significantly, it continued to pump through magazine after magazine.

FEATURES

PICATINNY SIGHT RAIL

The sight rail allows for a plethora of options; whether you prefer iron sights or optical sight devices, you can mount it here.

IWI Tavor X95 side view barrel grip scope — The X95 with a **US Optics TS6X riflescope**

½-28 THREADED MUZZLE

The threaded muzzle allows the user to install suppressors or other muzzle devices to enhance performance or shooting experience.

AMBIDEXTROUS EJECTION

The X95 can be configured to eject out of either side of the receiver, a significant feature if you have a left-handed shooter in your midst.

ADJUSTABLE GAS SETTINGS

This is very convenient when using a suppressor and helps the user tune the rifle’s performance.

HANDGUARD ACCESSORY PIC RAIL

Conveniently located under handguard covers at three, six, and nine o’clock, giving you a solid place to mount accessories like weapon lights or a bipod.

SLING ATTACHMENTS

The sling attachments are centrally located, which allows the weapon to be suspended at a center balance point on a single-point sling if desired. Additional options can be added to the accessory rails.

INTEGRATED SIGHTS

The built-in flip-up sights come as part of the rifle allowing for a backup option should you need it.

TESTING PARAMETERS

During the duration of our time with the gun, the majority of the ammunition fired was PMC Bronze 55 grain. I had no malfunctions that weren’t operator initiated, leading me to believe that the rifle liked this particular ammo selection. I did shoot a small amount of Speer LE 75 grain SP ammunition which also worked flawlessly.

I performed no maintenance on the rifle during the test period; only the lubrication previously applied to the internals of the rifle was present. And there were some long strings of fire shooting several thirty-round magazines one after another looking for malfunctions.

Get your own IWI bullpup, even if it makes Eugene cry a tear…

At one point, I did get filthy by disassembling the rifle to switch it to left-hand eject, just to see how it went. While not difficult, I would prefer not to do such a thing outside of a bench.

CONCLUSION

The Tavor X95 has a strong record both as a civilian defense and sporting rifle, as well as a rugged service record with military groups all over the world.

I believe it’s the most fielded modern bullpup since the SA80, and has seen hard service in all kinds of conditions. All this work has surely taught the good folks at IWI how to improve the rifle, making current revisions of the rifle some of the best.

The fact that it is a bullpup rifle can be a turnoff to many, but the X95 does share a good deal of handling properties with the prolific M4 type rifles most are familiar with. I like the rifle, but there are others I like better. But I certainly would feel comfortable fielding the X95 as a second choice.

Overall it is a great rifle. My only major deterrent is the factory trigger. This is certainly subjective, as you may find it to be just fine. There is also a fine replacement trigger available for the rifle from Geissele. If you are looking for a hardened battle rifle with a big bark but the stance of a bullpup, then the Tavor X95 is just your gun.

-CBM

Keltec RDB 5.56 Bullpup

September 29, 2022Product review, Shooting hardware5.56, bullpup, keltec, rdbcoldboremiracle

Preface

I’ve had a bit of experience with bullpups, some more than others. But if you’re interested enough in them to be reading this, you may want to read my last piece “Ode to bullpups” where we discussed bullpups in general. Today we will be speaking specifically about the Keltec RDB bullpup, a sixteen inch barreled 5.56 bullpup semi-auto.

Keltec Firearms

Keltec Firearms has been around since the early nineties, with a motto of creating original and innovative firearms in the state of Florida. An overview of Keltec firearms gives the impression that affordability, alternative designs and materials are all part of their operation. My personal experience with Keltec has been modest at best until this RDB came to me, so this review will represent a fresh look at the rifle.

keltec, rdb, bullpup, disassembly, — the stripped down RDB

The Keltec RDB

The RDB is a 5.56 nato chambered bullpup rifle, the action and magazine are located behind the pistol grip. This allows the rifle to present with a much shorter and well balanced platform than a traditionally configured rifle such as an AR-15. The RDB is fed by standard AR type magazines, and those cartridges are loaded by a piston driven bolt-carrier. The sixteen-inch one in seven twist barrel features a 1/2-28 threaded muzzle that came with a birdcage style muzzle device, as well as an adjustable gas block to meter pressure into the operating system. The cunning ejection system that sets the RDB apart from its competition is it downward ejection, the spent cases are pulled behind the magazine and ejected out the bottom of the rifle. The controls of the rifle are pretty standard, but not like you are used to for sure. There is a reversible charging handle that can be placed on either side of the fore-grip after disassembling the rifle. The safety is ambidextrous and located in the right position, right where your thumb would expect it to be. The magazine release and bolt catch are both located behind the pistol grip. The mag release is a stamped piece of metal that reaches around both sides of the lower-rear receiver, there is a push-pad at the front of this horseshoe shaped piece just behind the pistol grip to release the magazine. The rifles locks open upon emptying the magazine, and the bolt release is located on either side of the lower receiver, but uses a captured lever on the right side of the rifle to aid in leverage to easily release the bolt after loading a fresh magazine. There is a picatinny rail across the top of the rifle for sight mounting, and there are several points on the rifle for attaching slings with a hook or other attachment. The Defender handguard features M-Lok slots at three, six, and nine o’clock for attaching additional accessories.

First Impressions

I have seen Keltec firearms for years and had many opportunities to handle them. So when the RDB case arrived I wasn’t particularly surprised by its contents. I picked the RDB up from its case, and cleared it for inspection. I shouldered the rifle to give it a feel, it was then that I noticed it was lighter than I had anticipated, six-point-seven pounds according to Keltec. This was a pleasant discovery.

keltec, rdb, bullpup, suppressed, yhm r9, — shooting the RDM suppressed by the YHM R9 was a blast

I played with the rifle for a few minutes to get a full understanding of its operation and features, and then I stared at it for a bit. At first I thought it appeared like a high school or college engineering class had drawn this thing in Solid Works, but the more I looked the more I could see what they were working at. The bullpup balance was like most others I’ve held, balanced right at the grip area. I again ran the charging handle a few times, the handle can be pulled to the rear and lifted into a locked position to leave the action open. But the ejection port being on the bottom, there isn’t really a place to inspect. I wanted to try out the trigger, which for many bullpups is famously terrible. To my surprise the trigger was not bad, the first stage gave way to a solid wall that broke clean and firmly. So firmly in fact I almost immediately felt the desire to open up the rifle and see what was making such a significant strike when I pulled the trigger. Internal inspection showed a very curious design, both the hammer and trigger mechanisms were far from what I’d imagined.

The hammer itself is not unlike a turkey wishbone, with two legs coming together at the top to form a hammer anvil. The hammer splits around the magazine well, and the sear/connecting linkage travel all the way up to the trigger group itself. The whole thing is quite interesting, and explains why the trigger feels so good compared to other bullpups. While inside I noticed the very short bolt carrier. The bottom ejection requires the bolt-face to travel far enough behind the magazine as to allow spent cases to clear the magazine and trigger parts. The short bolt and firing pin are similar to most other semi-auto bolt designs, with a rotating bolt guided by a cam-pin that also locks into the receiver guide rails as it goes into battery. With fresh perspective, I reassembled the rifle and went to work preparing it for a range session. The rifle had come with set of Magpul flip up sights, but I also added a Sig Sauer Romeo RDS. I was surely going to try the rifle suppressed as well, to see how the adjustable gas system could accommodate the difference.

On the Range

Once on the firing line, with some thirty-round magazines I loaded the RDB and prepared to fire. Initial ergonomics were not bad, the rifle fit me well. The charging handle on the left side of the rifle was easy to find blindly and provided plenty of purchase. With an easy click of the safety I was in business. Recoil was just what I expected from a 5.56 caliber bullpup, not bad at all. The spent shells began to pile up neatly on the ground in front of me. When my first magazine went empty, it was time to try out the reloading controls of the rifle. Stuffing magazines through the rifle and doing lots of reload drills taught me a couple things about the RDB. It could use a more flared magwell, as it seemed a little bit of a stickler to get the magazine stabbed in properly. The magazine release worked better than I had anticipated, almost too good. I have long heard of people complaining that the mag release is too easy to inadvertently drop the magazine while maneuvering the rifle. And it proved to be so for me as well, a slight miscalculated move of the shooting hand can drop your magazine from the rifle. The bolt release took some time to get used to as well, reaching back and hitting it with my right thumb seemed to be the best option. I’m sure with some training it could become second nature. Cross training on different rifle platforms doesn’t hurt anyone, and its a bit of a pet peeve of mine when bullpup haters act as though a slight retraining in operation somehow renders a gun “useless” in their opinion.

Continue Reading Here…

Ode To The Bullpup

September 27, 2022blogaug, bullpup, hti, mdrx, rdb, srs, x95coldboremiracle

Introduction

I’ve been called many things in my life, some of those titles I earned and others not so much. There is one label that some would consider an insult but its a badge I wear stress-free, that title is Bullpup enthusiast. Today I’ll share my Ode To The Bullpup.

My experience with bullpups is not unlike many others, the first time I was exposed to them was back in the 90’s when a friend showed me a hideous Mini-14 in a bullpup chassis. I was appalled by what had been done to the poor unsuspecting Mini-14. Then I went back to gazing at the more conventional weapons like AR-15’s.

desert tech mdr and mdrx configurations — My MDRX collection

Buying my own Bullpup

Years would pass before I would again dabble in the occult realm of the bullpup, a friend of mine invited me to go shooting after work and he presented me with a Desert Tech SRS Covert to shoot. Within minutes I was absolutely addicted to the rifle and its impressive accuracy. Before we had even left that dry Montana hillside I swore I would get one of my own.

desert tech srs a1 covert — My original Desert Tech SRS A1 Covert

A man of my word, I kept that promise to myself. And it was the beginning of my trip down the bullpup rabbit hole. I am a gun nut in every sense of the word, I like them all as long as they serve a purpose. So having become a bullpup owner myself, my eyes were opened to the rest of this stubby bullpup community. After years of enjoying my SRS bolt-action precision rifle I jumped into the Desert Tech MDRX with both feet, this only deepened my affinity for these short and effective rifles.
In the term of a short few years, I had gone from a typical anti-bullpup traditionalist into a pure bullpup enthusiast. Having successfully navigated the rabbit hole I began shooting bullpups of all kinds. Mainly to see what I liked or disliked about the different rifles.

An Odd Bunch

There are bullpups from every corner of the firearms market. Both big names and shops you’ve never heard of seem to have a bullpup model hidden somewhere in their lineup. FN has their FS-2000 which looks like it hit every branch falling from the space-gun tree. I guess there are plenty of people out there who like it but their reasons are known only to them. Perhaps the most well-known bullpups come from Steyr. Their AUG rifle has been a stalwart movie prop and service weapon with its unique look for decades.

Low Key Popular

They continue to be popular with even those who mostly dislike the bullpup genre. But for me their mushy pushy trigger and unique magazine still keep them at arms length. You certainly couldn’t talk about bullpups in America without mentioning the lineup from IWI.

They have become so popular that many gun owners are under the impression that “Tavor” is some kind of all-inclusive term for bullpups. I’ve been able to shoot several of IWI’s rifles and they are probably my first choice in autoloading bullpups after my MDRX. The X95 has an incredible amount of aftermarket support and accessories, caliber conversion kits, and triggers (a much-needed improvement in my opinion).

The Tavor 7 308 caliber rifle brings similar operation and design to a bigger bullpup. The battle-hardened reputation of the IWI bullpups can be seen in militaries from Jerusalem to Bogotá where I last saw them.

Bullpups in Combat

Bullpup rifles can be found in military service all over the world, the Desert Tech HTI is a 50 BMG sniper rifle used in service in the jungle climate of the south China sea and in the current war in Ukraine.
Not all of these bullpup rifles are popular or serve in militaries of the world. But just because a rifle is put into service doesn’t make it superior. The SA80 family of British bullpups has been despised for decades by her Majesty’s finest soldiers.

Many bullpup rifles enjoy a life free of military service but still filled with action. The Keltec RDB has been a very popular 5.56 bullpup with American gun owners, it is used for everything from hunting to home defense. And its larger caliber sibling offers 308 power to those looking for a bullpup.

Bullpup rifles like the FS 2000 and Springfield Hellion (VHS) have been used in European forces in great numbers.

So why the Hate for Bullpups?

What is it exactly that most gun owners have against bullpups? I think there is a two-sided explanation, and I’ll start with the first half. The engineering required to position the magazine and the action of a rifle behind the trigger tends to get complicated. While this feat does greatly reduce the overall size of the firearm, there are many complications that come as baggage.

Bullpups often have complicated linkages to operate controls. These systems can be messy depending on the dedication of those who design and build them. These linkage systems frequently add weight and play to controls reducing the quality feel and performance. And there is also the obvious problem of ejection systems that either hit you in the mouth as a lefty. Or add even more weight and complexity to circumvent the redecoration of your lips.

The Brand New Steyr AUG A3 M2 promises to bring new life into an older design. You can read more about it here.

Appearance

The second half of the anti-bullpup phenomenon is based almost entirely on appearance. Most gun owners see an AR-15 or AK-47 type rifle and see a near-perfect visage of what an autoloading rifle should be. The same thing could be said about a bolt-action M-24 clone, it has nearly everything a bolt-action guy could want. And when these people see a bullpup, with its weird configuration and often goofy controls they are just immediately turned off.

The complaints about performance and design can be validated against some bullpup models. But there are others that work as good as any conventional rifle. The looks of some of these rifles is a more subjective topic. If a gun looks goofy, then no matter how functional it is many people wont want it. And for that there is no excuse, some bullpup designs are just hideous and can only be mocked from a safe distance. Continue Reading Here…

BUT ARE THEY WRONG?

Yes, they are wrong. Depending on the bullpup. For the most part, I can understand some of the complaints. Yes, many of the triggers are terrible, some of the ergonomics are awful. And let’s not speak of accuracy for some of them. But some bullpups are fantastic rifles, particularly when specialized to a specific purpose.

KelTec RDB Rifle in the mountains — Shooting the RDB suppressed with a YHM R9

My Desert Tech SRS will shoot on par with almost any precision rifle out there, and it does it with a better balance and shorter package. Many of the other perceived problems can either be overcome with training or some ingenious alterations. Obviously, not all bullpups are great, just like not all firearms are great. But with the proper amount of research, you can probably find a bullpup that will exceed your expectations.

Just as good?

Haters might say why bother? My AR works just as well with no change in the manual of arms or alterations. To them, I say this. The future will be bullpupped. Until energy weapons replace kinetic projectiles. The militaries of the world that drive much of the innovation continue pushing for more compact and powerful firearms.

The longer barrels that bullpups can carry compared to conventional rifles are exactly the edge they are looking for. The huge popularity of the Tavor and X95 with military forces shows that. And the U.S. military was also playing footsie with bullpups in the Next Generation Squad Weapon program. I think it’s only a matter of time until one of these manufacturers nails the perfect design and turns the tables on what we consider conventional rifles

Final Thoughts

You can love them or hate them, but bullpups aren’t going anywhere. There are models for every purpose. Whether it’s a sniper rifle or an incredibly short SBR for close-quarters fighting. Bullpups can do everything conventional rifles do, and they can do them just as well with more compact and powerful platforms. Bullpups are no longer the fantasy gun of space movies. They are a valuable tool you can add to your collection.

-CBM

The Tanfoglio Appeal 22 Magnum

March 28, 2022Product review, Shooting hardware22magnum, appeal, bullpup, tanfogliocoldboremiracle

There have been countless disputes between gun owners since their invention, one of the larger disputes among gun owners in recent decades has been about bullpups. There seems to be a staunch hostility towards the diminutive stature of these firearms by a majority of gun owners. I myself am a convert to the cult of bullpups, and a decade later my safe is full of them. I only bring this up because today’s subject is another bullpup, the Appeal by Tanfoglio. I would like to preface my analysis with the disclaimer that my name is Jeff and I too am a bullpup fan.

The Bullpup
The Appeal is a polymer framed bullpup rimfire carbine. For those that are new to bullpups, and what the name means, we’ll go over it quickly. Bullpup configurations mean that the magazine and action are behind the trigger, and as you might imagine the hatred many have for the bullpup design is typically due to several differences resulting from that key feature. Magazines placed behind the trigger require different muscle memory for reloading, as well as often awkward controls due to their placement. And perhaps the most frequent complaint is the triggers, most of which are connected to the sear pack with some kind of linkage.

The Appeal
The Appeal utilizes a upper and lower clamshell-type frame, with the fire controls, magazine, barrel and such located in the lower part of the housing. The upper and smaller half of the frame carries the charging handle and a Famas-like elevated optics rail that doubles as a carry handle. The model I received was chambered in 22 Magnum, but it is also available in 22LR. The rimfire cartridges are fed from detachable magazines that hold ten rounds, and are very reminiscent of pistol magazines. The rifle is ambidextrous, which with bullpups can be a big deal. Spent brass ejects from the rifle along the same longitude as your face, and you don’t want to catch a mouthful of brass because of an unfortunate cerebral development in your formative years. (easy, that was a joke)
The Appeal features a reversible ejection cover to swap from right to left, and the charging handle can also be pulled from the carrier and installed on the opposite side. The Appeal uses a thumbhole like chassis, and the magazine release is centrally located at the bottom rear of the thumbhole. The bolt-lock is located on the left side of the rifle just above the grip area, and the safety is a push-push type located at the front of the trigger guard. At the hazardous end of the rifle there is a curious muzzle brake that is attached not to the barrel but the chassis itself. The muzzle is hidden a few inches behind, cradled inside the polymer chassis.

Did you say Tanfoglio?
When I saw Tanfoglio on the paperwork, I must admit I was very excited. And yet as I opened the box I found myself somewhat confused, I didn’t even know Tanfoglio made such a thing. And despite my proclivity for bullpups, the Appeal looked like a naked mole-rat in my nest instead of an ugly duckling. If I’m honest, I was expecting something a little more zesty Italian and less Kirkland Signature ranch if you know what I mean.
I shouldered the rifle immediately, and started to feel it out. The balance was good, which most bullpups are. The thumbhole stock wasn’t uncomfortable, but it did seem a bit minimalist. The thing that surprised me the most was the mag release, it was located such that you sorta pinch it with thumb and forefinger and the mag drops into the palm of your hand. Despite having to relearn the task typical to bullpups, I found it a decent one. The trigger feels about like most bullpup triggers, which isn’t exactly praise. But I guess I could say it was better than many other bullpup triggers I’ve felt. The action is smooth and short, which also is pretty typical of a polymer framed gun. Perhaps the most awkward part of the rifle is the elevated optics mounting rail, which I found almost too tall to be useful. It does have integrated iron sights as part of the rail, which are plenty tall for my facial structure. But as soon as you install nearly any kind of red dot or other optical sight, I found myself nearly putting my chin on the cheekrest.
I removed the polymer muzzle brake in hopes of at least finding a threaded muzzle underneath, but that was another unfortunate miss for me. Continue Reading Here…

The Desert Tech MDRX

April 6, 2020Product review, Shooting hardware223, 300blk, 308, 556, 6.5creedmoor, 762, bullpup, Desert tech, MDR, mdrxcoldboremiracle

Modern Bullpups

Advancing technologies have made every part of the firearm and shooting industry better, with new materials, better production equipment, and a growing competitive market all driving forward it is no wonder that so many new and exciting products are available today. Desert Tech has been pushing those limits since its inception in 2007, and this year they have released another great product that follows the Desert Tech adage Tomorrow’s Weapons.

The MDRX is the next generation rifle from Desert Tech, it builds on the already popular MDR rifle they released in 2016. The MDRX is a short-stroke piston operated semi-automatic bullpup, for those who don’t know already, a bullpup is a rifle configured such that the action, magazine, and firing mechanics are all located behind the trigger. The purpose of this design gives the MDRX a shorter overall length than conventional rifles of the same barrel length. When you add in the other additional features of the MDRX the difference becomes even more apparent.

Features

All Desert Tech rifles are designed with modularity in mind, and as such, they are all available as multi-caliber chassis and barrel combinations. The MDRX shares that same heritage, as it stands at the moment it is available in four different calibers from the factory; 223 Wylde, 308 Win, 300 BLK, and 6.5CM. All four of these barrel conversion kits can be interchanged in the same chassis, making the MDRX one of the few modern sporting rifles to accept both large and small frame calibers. All this from an SBR sized weapon without the stamp.
But if you are a stamp collector like many of us are, you can also get the SBR conversion kit for the MDRX. The 11.5 inch barreled Micron conversion kit makes any MDRX into one of the shortest and compact rifles available. All these conversion kits make the MDRX an extremely adaptable rifle, to whatever mission specific purpose you need.

Being a semi-auto bullpup adds some challenges when it comes to universality, these challenges were overcome with ingenuity. The MDRX is completely ambidextrous, all of its controls are mirrored on both sides of the rifle for both right and left-handed shooters. In addition to the ambi controls, the rifle has a forward ejecting system that sends spent brass casing forward away from the shooter. Previous bullpup designs eject brass to the right side, which in a bullpup is a bad thing if you are left-handed. The MDRX can be fired from the right or left side with no concern of catching hot brass to your face. And if you are a dedicated left-hand shooter, you can swap ejection from forward right to forward left in just a few seconds.
The MDRX comes standard with a compensator made by Desert Tech called The Ratchet, the compensators are caliber specific to provide the best performance in recoil reduction and to stop muzzle rise.

Various MDRX accessories make it an extremely versatile platform

One of the major challenges with bullpups is creating a good clean trigger pull, this is due to the linkage required to connect trigger shoe to the sear pack. This is another challenge that was overcome with design ingenuity, and the resulting trigger feel of the MDRX is widely accepted as great. Of the many people who have pulled the trigger on an MDRX, the common consensus is that it is a good trigger, not just for a bullpup, but a good trigger period.
The MDRX has a six-position adjustable gas valve allowing the operator to tune the rifle to whatever ammunition they might use, as well as use the rifle with a suppressor and a lower gas setting.
The MDRX’s aluminum/polymer chassis construction features full-length upper Picatinny rail, M-LOK slots for accessories and flush-mounted QD sling cups on the rear of the receiver. It is also designed to accept most AR-15 style magazines, and for large frame calibers, it uses SR-25 pattern mags. The rifle ships with caliber appropriate P-mags from Magpul.
The various caliber conversions for the MDRX feature popular twist rates, and standard barrel thread for adding muzzle accouterments. There are also both sixteen-inch, and twenty-inch barrels available in several of the assorted calibers, giving shooters different performance options. And with different barrel lengths, there are two different handguard lengths to go along.
The ambidextrous charging handles of the MDRX are non-reciprocating, they are normally locked to the front in a spring-loaded detent. They can also be locked to the rear by pulling them back and up, the release is as simple as slapping either of the handles down, and the bolt carrier closes into battery. The gun locks open upon firing the last shot from the magazine, the bolt release is centrally located right behind the magwell. This allows for very quick reloads by simply extending the thumb when seating a fresh magazine, thus closing the bolt on a fresh round. This actually can make reloading faster than most AR-style rifles due to fewer steps in the reload process.
The forward ejection system is perhaps the most curious of all the MDRX’s features. The open-faced bolt extracts the spent case and carries it to the rear, as the carrier travels it engages the ejector with a dovetail lug on either side. The momentum of the carrier then pulls the scissor-like ejector out, and it swipes across the open bolt face pushing the spent case off and into the ejection chute opposite. There it is retained by a spring-loaded pawl until the bolt carrier again travels forward where a protruding lug pushes the spent case forward and out the ejection chute. It’s a very interesting system, the only flaw I found with it is that when unloading an unspent cartridge from the rifle, it does require a firm stroke of the charging handles to get the cartridge seated firmly in the ejection chute. This is not so much a flaw as much as it is a training practice needed to be followed. The ejection system is designed to be used on either side of the rifle, both the ejector and chute can be swapped from one side to the other in seconds.

The MDRX SE utilizes a standard side ejection system

Also new for 2020 is a new side ejecting MDRX, for those who prefer a simpler, more traditional ejection pattern. The side eject is available in. 223 Wylde only, and can also be swapped from right to left side ejection. There is also the added benefit of a lighter overall weight, and a less expensive price tag.

On the Range

With several barrels in hand, I took the MDRX into my mountain hide to test its function. I started out shooting with the sixteen-inch 308 Win barrel, and loaded with Fiocchi 150 Grain FMJ ammunition at one hundred yards. After zeroing the sights, I fired a few five-shot groups, which ended up being around two MOA in size.
I continued firing the rifle at several additional targets to see how it ran. I found the recoil to be much softer than the previous similar rifles I had shot, this surely had much to do with the Ratchet compensator. The trigger was very clean and crisp, the reset is quite audible, I attribute that to the highly conductive poly receiver who’s hollow construction makes a very resonant chamber. I fired several additional groups using additional ammunition types as well, American Eagle XM80 as well as some 168 Grain match ammo from both Hornady and Federal. The match grade ammo certainly provided better groups, they averaged right around one MOA.

The MDRX seen with 20 inch 6.5CM barrel and longer handguard

So with several hundred rounds through the rifle, and a respectable shooting and zeroed rifle, I figured it was time to test the metamorphosis of this multi-caliber gifted rifle. The barrel is removed from the MDRX using a five-millimeter hex wrench, the rifle comes with one, but I prefer to use the suggested eighty-inch-pound torque limiter. After removing the handguard via two loosened screws and one take-down pin, the barrel is released by loosening the two barrel clamp screws by about one turn, and then disengaging the barrel lock 180 degrees to allow the barrel to slide out the front of the chassis. The bolt must be locked open to the rear to complete this operation. I then installed the twenty-inch 6.5 Creedmoor barrel, seating it firmly towards the breach. The process is then reversed, turning the barrel lock 180 degrees, and then torquing the two barrel clamp screws to 80 inch-pounds with a torque limiter. Followed by re-installing the handguard, which I had swapped out for the longer one. The rifle had just transformed from a sixteen-inch 308 Winchester into a twenty-inch 6.5 Creedmoor, and I was excited to see the increased performance. The point of impact would not be the same from one barrel to the next, but it was on paper at one-hundred yards, so it only took some minor corrections.
The 6.5 Creedmoor shot very well, with 140 Grain ammunition from both Hornady and Desert Tech, the groups averaged much better, in the sub to half MOA realm. With this kind of accuracy, I couldn’t wait to take the MDRX out to more significant distances.

For several hours the rifle neatly piled up brass right in front of my shooting mat, the rifle never malfunctioned, and just kept eating magazine after magazine of ammunition. I also fired some S&B 140 grain ammo through the rifle without any problems, I would have liked to try some lighter loads like a 120 grain, but I didn’t get the chance.

A typical 5 shot group from the MDRX 223 Wylde 40 Grain Fiocchi (100 Yards)

The rifle is easily swapped to smaller caliber barrels as well, the 223 Wylde and 300 Blackout do require a little more though.
A change of the bolt, a magwell spacer, and a swap of the ejection chute are required in addition to the barrel change.
The 223 Wylde shot just as good as the 6.5 Creedmoor, sub MOA groups were easy when shooting good ammo.

The great performance of the MDRX was hard to deny, it is a very compact rifle, with incredible reach, and good accuracy. Desert Tech has upped the game with this rifle, and they stand behind all their rifles with a lifetime warranty. It would be a great rifle whether you are hiding in a tree stand, need a behind the seat truck gun, or anywhere you’d need heavy firepower in a compact package. Its larger calibers are certainly useful for big game hunting and some distant shooting, while the smaller calibers are great for quick target shooting in a 3-gun style competition or varmint hunting. The MDRX carries a higher than average price tag, but that is because it brings so much more to the table. The multicaliber option alone actually saves money by consolidating your training, and less money spent on optics and accessories. You literally could do almost every American shooting activity with this one rifle. Whether it is a home defense rifle or a suppressed ranch rifle, the MDRX is a do-all rifle if ever there was one.

-CBM