What are the pros and cons of bullpup airguns?

Gun shops and shooting magazines seem to be awash with bullpup air rifles. I think these stubby guns look great and I’m tempted to add one to my collection, but is there any real advantage to their scaled-down proportions?

Bullpup airguns are very popular at present, and really are the Marmite of the airgun world — some people love them and some people hate them.

I think most bullpup fans are seduced by the appearance of these super-stubby guns, but they do offer advantages in terms of balance and handling. There is no denying that such a short airgun is advantageous when shooting in a very small hide, or in the confines of farm buildings at night, when it is all too easy to bash the barrel of a longer rifle. 54 • SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRY MAGAZINE

Bullpups do have their disadvantages, though. The design configuration often results in a very high-sided rifle with the scope mounted much higher above the barrel than it would be on a conventional airgun. Consequently, extra hold-over and hold-under is required to keep shots on target, and canting can cause a serious loss of accuracy unless you are extremely careful about keeping the gun dead upright to ensure good alignment between the scope and the pellet’s flightpath.

Bullpup design also pushes the action much further back than usual, so a longer trigger linkage is required to maintain a suitable length of pull. This can result in poor trigger performance on cheaper bullpups.

My advice would be stick to the better-quality brands, such as Air Arms, FX and Daystate, and try a bullpup airgun on the range to make sure it is right for you before you part with your money. MM

Go for a quality brand and try before you buy if you are considering buying a bullpup airgun