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A bullpup firearm is one with its firing grip located in front of the breech of the weapon, instead of behind it.[1] This creates a weapon with a shorter overall length for a given barrel length, and one that is often lighter, more compact, concealable and more maneuverable than a conventionally configured firearm. Where it is desirable for troops to be issued a more compact weapon, the use of a bullpup configuration allows for barrel length to be retained, thus preserving muzzle velocity, range and ballistic effectiveness.[2]
The bullpup concept was first tested militarily in 1901 with the British Thorneycroft carbine, but it was not until the Cold War that more successful designs and improvements led to wider adoption. In 1977, the Austrian Army became the first military force in the world to adopt a bullpup rifle, the Steyr AUG, as a principal combat weapon. Since then the militaries in many countries have followed suit with other bullpup designs, such as the Chinese QBZ-95, Israeli IWI Tavor, French FAMAS and British SA80.
- ^ Ferguson, Jonathan (2020). Thorneycroft to SA80: British Bullpup Firearms, 1901–2020. Nashville, Tennessee: Headstamp Publishing. p. 24. ISBN 9781733424622.
- ^ Ferguson, Jonathan (2020). Thorneycroft to SA80: British Bullpup Firearms, 1901–2020. Nashville, Tennessee: Headstamp Publishing. pp. 24, 35 (figure 1.15). ISBN 9781733424622.