Author Jonathan Ferguson has what may be the best job title ever. He is the Keeper of Firearms & Artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum in the United Kingdom. He is responsible for a collection which spans the full history of guns, from medieval times to the latest, most modern designs. He is also a Technical Specialist with Armament Research Services (ARES), a specialist technical intelligence consulting group. So yeah, he knows his stuff.

This book by Ferguson is the second title from Headstamp Publishing, a new publishing firm that seeks to become known for releasing “best-in-class” firearms books. Started by N.R. (Nic) Jenzen-Jones (Director of Armament Research Services), Ian McCollum (of Forgotten Weapons fame), and James Rupley (Photographer and Creative Director of the popular Vickers Guide book series). Their first release, From Chassepot to FAMAS, by Ian McCollum was reviewed in the May 2021 (V25N5) issue of SAR.

Arranged in chronological order, this new book examines the century long route from the earliest bolt-action bullpup prototypes from Thorneycroft and Godsal, to the current issue L85A3 service rifle. While neither the Thorneycroft nor Godsal were adopted, they did earn their spot in history as the first bullpups tested by the British Army. It covers the subject from both a technical aspect, as well as a political approach. Generally, a full chapter is given to each rifle. The SA80 has three chapters, as it has separate chapters for the A2 and A3 upgrades.

Shortly after the end of WWII, Britain again explored the bullpup concept. The relatively well known E.M. 2 (Janson’s Automatic Rifle, .280 inch), as well as lesser-known types such as the Korsak Light Automatic Gun, 7.92 mm, (E.M. 1), and Thorpe’s Automatic Rifle, .280 inch, (E.M. 1 aka ‘Cobra’) are covered in detail. The E.M. 2 and its 280 British (7x43mm) cartridge were actually adopted for British Army service on April 25, 1951. The rifle was given the designation Rifle, 7 mm, No. 9 Mk. I. Exactly six months later, on Oct 25, this decision was put on hold. This was mainly due to the U.S. Army refusing to accept the 7x43mm as a common cartridge, considering it to be underpowered.

Not too many years after firmly stating that the U.S. Army would not accept any round less than .30 caliber (7.62mm), the U.S. military adopted the 5.56mm round.

The SCHV (Small-caliber, high-velocity) concept interested the British as well, so they began to test different designs, finally settling on a 4.85x49mm round. Along with the new cartridge came a new bullpup rifle, the 4.85mm Enfield Weapon System (individual weapon and machine gun). In the end, the 4.85 EWS was not adopted, either. However, it did set the stage for the Small Arms of the 80’s program. (SA80 was the name of the overall program, while the British Army designation was L85A1 for the individual weapon, and L86A1 for the light support weapon.)

The SA80 coverage makes up a little under half of the book. This makes sense as the SA80 family actually saw combat in British service, unlike the previous types. As well, it has been in service since 1985, or 36 years. There is a chapter covering the path leading to the first A1 version, another chapter covering the A2 major upgrade done by HK, and the final chapter that details the current A3 version. 

Ferguson mentions the book The Last Enfield: SA80 – the Reluctant Rifle by Steve Raw (Collector Grade Publications) several times throughout the SA80/L85 portion. I have not read the earlier “Reluctant Rifle” book myself (It is long out of print, and now quite expensive), but the quoted passages indicate that Raw doesn’t think too highly of the SA80 system at all. (To be fair, Raw’s book was released in 2003. The SA80/L85 has been upgraded twice since then.) Ferguson, on the other hand, freely acknowledges that the SA80 had a terrible few years but believes it has now matured into a solid rifle. However, it has been a costly journey. Ferguson factors in the original cost of the A1 and accessories, plus the A2 and A3 upgrades, the unit cost is around US$5200, compared to roughly US$700 for an M4 carbine. This huge cost is especially aggravating considering that a good deal of the issues resulted from bean-counters getting involved in the design process. The quote “engineering by accountants” was mentioned.

As noted above, Headstamp intends to be a premium quality publisher. They use premium quality paper stock that makes the photographs show beautifully. To quote their website, they use “commercial quality, section sewn style binding which allows the book to lay flat.” Three buying options are offered, a Standard edition for $98, a Signature edition for $128, and $250 for the Collector’s Limited Edition (500 numbered and signed). All three options include a faux leather hard cover binding with gold foil embossing, a sewn-in red ribbon marker, and gilded page edges, making this a fine quality book. Also available for purchase is a reproduction of an original E.M. 2 manual. My only minor complaint is that the size of type is quite small, so difficult to read.

This is a wonderful book, a fine addition to your library. Recommended.

Springfield Armory is at it again. The recent introduction of the Hellion 5.56mm bullpup will catch some by surprise. It should not. The Hellion confirms Springfield Armory is committed to offering its customers the best products in a multitude of categories. CEO Dennis Reese should be given credit as the guiding hand behind these efforts.

Reese has established Springfield Armory as a major player in the U.S. market. Reese has been part of Springfield Armory since its founding in 1974 right through to his role as CEO and owner, today. Most are familiar with Springfield Armory legacy products involving M1A rifles and 1911 handguns. Reese has overseen product-line expansions including the XD series of polymer-framed pistols, the 911 series of pocket pistols, the SAINT series of AR-pattern carbines and pistols, the compact Hellcat 9mm pistol, and the SA35, Springfield’s HiPower rendition. Now, the HS Produkt Croatian connection with the XD line of handguns has further expanded with the Hellion 5.56mm bullpup. Like the way the Croatian XD was imported to the U.S., Springfield Armory “Americanized” the Croatian VHS-2 military bullpup to create the Hellion.

Bullpup Background

Bullpup style rifles have always generated strong opinions. Bullpups are firearm configurations in which the action/magazine is located behind the trigger group in the space normally reserved solely for the stock. Bullpup advocates put forth a litany of reasons supporting their position. For example, bullpups are 7-10 inches shorter compared to traditionally laid-out weapons with equal barrel length, thus improving maneuverability and handling. Compactness is one of the most oft-repeated positive attributes of the bullpup rifle; all the while maintaining a full length barrel to maximize cartridge performance. Shorter overall length, center of gravity toward rear of rifle, and hands being closer together on the rifle makes the bullpup seem lighter and handier than standard profile rifles.

Let’s face it, we live in an AR centric firearms world here in the U.S. Advocates claim that nothing more than pointless moribund American traditionalism is stifling bullpup-style weapons from being adopted widespread. After all, the military forces of many countries, including France, Austria, England, Israel, and China have all adopted and fielded bullpup rifles.

On the other side of the equation, detractors denigrate bullpup effectiveness to the point of challenging the basic raison d’être for the design. This is based on aesthetics and ergonomics. The hesitancy with experienced shooters adapting to the bullpup stems from the bullpup’s foreign manual of arms when compared to traditional rifles. For example, bullpup magazine changes are different and the action isn’t as readily visible as it is on a traditional rifle. Bullpup naysayers like to point out the action on a bullpup is dangerously placed next to the user’s face. Another point raised is that bullpup weapons are not as ambidextrous as other designs.

While bullpup examples exist as far back as the early 1900’s, development started in earnest after WWII with most sources pointing to the British being at the forefront of the platform’s design. The groundbreaking German StG 44, the father of the assault rifle genre of weapons, with its high-capacity detachable magazine, select-fire capability, and 7.92×33 Kurz cartridge prompted this. The British saw opportunity to get rifle-like ballistic performance out of a package that, up to that point, had been reserved for SMGs firing pistol caliber cartridges. The emphasis was to find one platform to replace multiple types of sub-machine guns and battle rifles.

The WWII experience made it obvious that modern warfare would require the infantry to be armed with a light, compact, select-fire weapon with an effective range of fire much farther-reaching than that of a submachine gun, but shorter than that of conventional semi-automatic or bolt action battle rifle due to battles moving from traditional “open field” conflicts to close-quarters engagements. The short overall length of a bullpup was an asset in these new conditions. It was also advantageous when troops were being transported and engaging from fighting vehicles, which aren’t known for their spacious accommodations. The choice of the bullpup design was seen as a necessity to retain ballistic performance while allowing for reducing overall length.

Features

The Hellion’s cousin, the HS Produkt VHS, was adopted by the Croatian Army in 2009. The VHS-2 update appeared in 2013. The Springfield Armory Hellion weighs 8 pounds and measures approximately 28.25 inches with buttstock collapsed and 29.75 inches with the stock extended. The adjustable buttstock is one of the Hellion’s most distinguishing features and separates it from most other bullpups on the market. A full length Picatinny rail runs down much of the upper receiver. The rifle comes with functional iron sights that also serve as back up iron sights since the rail cries out for a red-dot or low-powered optic. The Hellion operates using an adjustable short-stroke piston system firing from a closed bolt position. The gas system has normal and suppressed settings. The rotating bolt has seven radial locking lugs, a spring-powered extractor, and ejector. The Hellion features M-LOK slots on the sides and bottom of the forend, along with numerous sling position options.

Ambidextrous controls are present, including a centrally located non-reciprocating charging handle found under the Picatinny rail. It can be swung out to either side of the receiver for operation. The bolt release is a sliding lever behind the magazine well. Its location is equally accessible with either hand. Sliding this horizontally to the rear will release the bolt when it’s locked back. Manually locking the bolt is awkward with no dedicated control. Manually open the action with charging handle, reach up into the open action with your finger and push the bolt hold lever upward like an empty magazine would. Ejection ports are on each side of the receiver. A trip to an armorer is not needed to change from left- to right-side ejection. Simply field strip and rotate the bolt 180 degrees in the bolt carrier. Move the port cover to the opposite side of Hellion where empty brass in not coming through. As with most bullpups, transitioning between shoulders is not advised as there is a good chance empty brass will strike you in the face. A self-correcting problem, once experienced.

Generally speaking, the triggers of most bullpups are not well thought of. This is due to the linkage required between the forward placed trigger and rear placed action. The Hellion trigger takes approximately 8 pounds of pressure to fire and has a large amount of travel. Our suggestion is to treat the Hellion trigger like a double-action revolver. One should not try to stage the trigger, but rather, work it smoothly.

Compactness, while maintaining a full length barrel to maximize cartridge performance, is one of the most oft-repeated, positive attributes of the bullpup platform. Bullpups are generally the same size of short barrel rifles without having to resort to sub-16-inch barrels, and their slower bullet velocities, to achieve this size. The Hellion features a hammer-forged 16-inch, 1:7 twist Melonite-treated barrel, while still only measuring 28.25 inches in length.

Transport

You can discretely transport the Hellion in Elite Survival System’s SUMMIT backpack. Try that with a 16-inch-barreled AR-style rifle. The SUMMIT backpack offers hide-in-plain sight transport with enhancements that accommodate ancillary gear. Aesthetically, the SUMMIT is designed to look like an inconspicuous hiking pack and is sized to conceal a broken-down or short-barreled rifle with plenty of room for mission-critical gear. The Hellion snuggles in nicely.

A padded panel divides the SUMMIT pack, keeping weapon segregated from prying eyes if the front of pack is unzipped. Internal foam padding at the top and sides, a padded bottom, and integrated weapon retention straps ensure safe, stable, and secure carry at all times. Carry handles on the sides and top are another nice touch. The SUMMIT is constructed of 500 denier nylon.

Optics

A ZeroTech Optics Vengeance 1-6×24 optic was mounted on the Hellion. As an Australian company, ZeroTech is still relatively unknown in the U.S. market. Its U.S. operation is based near Murfreesboro, TN, though the brand carries 50 years of experience producing optics made to withstand the demands of the rugged Australian Outback. The Vengeance features daylight-bright illumination and capped turrets. Its 1-6×24mm power and illuminated, second focal plane RAR reticle allow for quick accurate ranging based on target size inside the unique horseshoe reticle and spaced hash marks. The reticle also provides bullet drop compensation marks, as well.

Combat experiences since 9/11 served as the catalyst for new, low-power variable optics such as the ZeroTech Vengeance compared to non-magnified red dot or fixed powered magnified optics. The Vengeance offers a 1x illuminated reticle setting for quick target acquisition at close range with both eyes open. A quick turn of the knob to 6x enables longer precision shots. The ability to access 6x while still being able to use an illuminated dot at 1x is a force multiplier. The ZeroTech Vengeance 1-6x is loaded with high end features such as a 30mm aircraft-grade aluminum tube with high transmittance glass for outstanding clarity, along with an integrated removable throw lever, ½ MOA windage/elevation adjustments, six levels of illumination with an on/off space between each setting.

On the Range

Ammunition tested with the Springfield Hellion was a combination of Ammo Inc., Black Hills Ammunition, Hornady, American Eagle, Speer, and SIG Sauer loads. The Hellion kept all loads tested at or below 2 inches at 100 yards. Our range time consisted of moving around barricades and simulated cover while engaging an assortment of paper and steel targets at Echo Valley Training Center. The compact nature of the Hellion was appreciated when working around barricades, as was the bullpup’s ability to provide full-length barrel ballistic performance. The Hellion showed its true promise by performing not only within the 100-yard bays at EVTC, engaging multiple target arrays, but also back at the prepared firing line position. The Hellion/Vengeance optic combo produced consistent hits out to 350 yards on steel targets. The Hellion’s compact nature makes one forget it still features a 16-inch barrel. The recoil impulse of any 5.56mm chambered rifle is minimal, however, when working on sending multiple rounds downrange accurately, recoil management is important. The straight line bore axis and large surface area buttstock found on the Hellion dampens recoil better than most other 5.56mm rifles.

The Springfield Hellion bullpup’s center of gravity is toward the rear due to the placement of the action in the buttstock. This, combined with the shooter’s hands being closer together, makes the weapon seem lighter than it is. This contributes to better handling over time thanks to reduced fatigue on the arms and shoulders; an important consideration for CQB operations and structure clearing. Movement with the Hellion bullpup inside of structures is much easier and very similar to the size advantage offered by a SMG, and it comes without the terminal ballistic performance penalty. If you need to open a door, or other similar tasks, the Hellion offers an advantage, as it’s easy to use one-handed. You can effectively treat the Hellion like a big pistol, if the situation demands it.

Another example of the Hellion’s beneficial compactness is working around vehicles. As a driver or passenger, the rifle is short enough that you can have the Hellion pointed muzzle down between your legs with the buttstock resting on the seat cushion. The Hellion’s exterior is rounded with virtually no projections to hang up on straps, lines, vehicle interiors, or anything else. The front of the forend is oval, further limiting the chance of getting the Hellion snagged unintentionally while operating in tight environments.

Conclusion

It didn’t take much time to become familiar with the Hellion and its handling. It’s no different than switching between an AR and an AK, really. The magazine sitting closer to the body took some getting used to during reloads, as well as orientating hands when racking the charging handle during weapon manipulation.

Compared to a traditional action, arms aficionados will find the Springfield Armory Hellion’s differences intriguing and may desire one based on this uniqueness. Many will find the Hellion desirable due to its compactness and reliability. This combination is hard to argue against in terms of utility for any user. The handling advantages of SBR rifles are often touted as the difference-maker in terms of effectiveness. Why not enjoy this advantage while retaining barrel length and maintaining ballistic performance? Too often individuals get overly invested in a weapon platform, thus ignoring what might be a more advantageous system. Diverse experience with various platforms will serve someone far better than unreasoned devotion to only one weapon platform. The individual is the key to effectiveness, not the weapon. An operator with this type of mindset will surely appreciate the Springfield Armory Hellion.

Specifications

Bullpups have been around forever, first as oddities, then as mainstream military rifles. At this time, about half of the world’s armies use them, and one – Poland – splits the difference by providing the Grot rifle that converts from the conventional form to bullpup and back. Bullpups are great for motorized troops, being short. They work well for unsupported firing, being well balanced. They also have a number of issues, from generally poor triggers, to heat retention, to complicated or right-side only ejection arrangements. They also tend to have long length of pull, which partly negates the benefit of their short overall length.

KelTec solved the trigger issue on the excellent .308 RFB by moving the sear next to the trigger, with a long hammer strut to transfer the impact to the firing pin. The ingenious Maxim-like forward ejection chute contributed to the heat retention, so it worked wonderfully as a hunting or home defense rifle but less well as a military gun. To be fair, it was never intended to be a military weapon. The RFB used a fairly heavy barrel as the spine to which the rest of the parts attached, relying on its rigidity to achieve 1-MOA accuracy at the cost of a somewhat hefty, if nicely balanced, rifle. The RFB is also a complex design that requires a highly skilled gunsmith to build. A more mass-producible solution was needed, and thus RDB 5.56 NATO was born.

RDB stands for Rifle Downward-ejecting Bullpup. Its development echoes pre-WWI machine gun history: once Vickers produced a modernized Maxim gun, the forward-ejecting chute was replaced with a simple gravity drop from the bottom ejection port. Since then, the Browning, ZB26/Bren, MAG58/M240, and many other machine guns adopted this solution. This approach makes the weapon equally suitable for left and right-hand use and avoids pelting people next to the shooter with hot brass. Removing the ejection chute kicks the spent cases from the gun before they can transfer their heat to the receiver. Uniquely, the RDB’s ejection port is located behind the magazine. The substantial bolt overtravel past the back of the magazine makes for a very long feed cycle, and it’s beneficial in several ways. First, it permits a much lighter bolt and carrier combination than is usual for this caliber: a relatively light recoil spring has more space over which to dampen the recoil. This reduces both the overall weight of the gun and the reciprocating mass, making for more controlled rapid fire. The long bolt travel drops the natural cyclic rate of the select-fire version to a very controllable 500 rpm: at 25 yards I could keep 3- to 4-round bursts in a hand-sized group without relying on a muzzle brake or a compensator. It also gives the magazine spring more time to bring up the next cartridge for feeding. Spread over a longer period, felt recoil is reduced without any special buffers required. Finally, the overtravel means that the bolt going forward develops some speed by the time it picks up the next round, improving feed reliability without having to resort to an extra-heavy recoil spring. The unique U-shaped hammer of this rifle, besides being strongly sprung for a guaranteed impression on the primer, also acts as a recoil retarder. In a genius, space-saving move, the hammer fits around the ejection port when cocked.

Like the AKM series, the RDB receiver is folded steel sheet, although rather more rigid than the Soviet design for better accuracy. The rotating bolt locks into the AR15-like barrel extension. The RDB barrel is free-floated but rigidly attached to the optic rail. A long action rod protruding from the bolt carrier is actuated by a short tappet piston with its own return spring, a refinement of the reliable SU16 series solution. An adjustable gas block permits the use of sound suppressors, while opened up allows a dirty rifle to run reliably under adverse conditions with poor quality or weak ammunition. The magazine release is a slider. The RDB’s magazine release may be activated by the back of the strong hand, but it’s easier to press it with one or two fingers of the support hand while grasping the magazine with the rest for retention.

The first RDB concept was based on the early RFB prototype predating the forward ejection. In them, the magazine and the ejection port were side-by side, about 30 degrees apart. The M43, a classic looking prototype done in several calibers had wooden furniture and an AK74 muzzle brake. The brake proved too effective for the already-balanced RDB, actually depressing the muzzle during rapid fire. The ubiquitous AR-15 influenced a version with a machined aluminum receiver and 90-degree safety lever. Eventually, all of these concepts were combined with a non-reciprocating, swappable charging handle and a bolt lock latch, ambidextrous 30-degree safety lever and bolt release, modular plastic furniture, and a threaded muzzle. The first RDB came in two barrel lengths, 20 and 17.3 inches, the odd number due to the regulatory requirement of having the overall lengths exceed 26 inches.

The rifle was an immediate success. The original RDB17 has a 17.3-inch barrel with a flash hider, polymer forend, weighs in at only 7 pounds, yet its medium weight 1:7-inch twist barrel can achieve 1-MOA accuracy with 75- to 77-grain  match ammunition. The RDB is capable of 1.5- to 2-MOA with several defensive and hunting loads. The 4-pound trigger is crisp enough for good marksmanship, but marksmen must be careful when firing from a bipod or a sandbag: placing the support hand under the buttstock puts it directly in the path of hot brass. It’s safer to wrap the support hand around the magazine well. Combine this with mild recoil, easy field-stripping and reassembly, and a modest price compared to other bullpups, and you can see why the sales were strong.

Soon, additional variants of RDB were offered. Unlike the RDB17, the later Hunter and Survival versions use a button magazine release. The RDB Hunter is a very clever, non-pistol grip rifle weighing just under seven pounds despite the longer 20.5-inch barrel. The unusual-looking stock is very comfortable for  deliberate, aimed fire because the strong hand goes right around the bore.  The RDB Survival version is even lighter at 5.8 pounds, with a lighter-weight 16.1-inch barrel topped with some of the most unusual folding iron sights ever. The rear sight is a range-adjustable peep, the front is an extensively hooded folding post of a very unusual appearance. Unfortunately, the front sight tower uses barrel threads, so adding any muzzle devices requires a thread extender or sacrificing the long iron sight radius. To reach the 26 inches required by federal regulations for non-NFA rifles, the RDB Survival uses a variable-length stock. A simple pull on the buttstock extends it by 1.75 inches and locks the extension in place. The pivoting release paddle is underneath the buttplate, pressing it lets the stock collapse back to its transport mode with 14.25-inch length of pull. Since the buttstock is integral with the cheek rest, this works very well with red dot sights but can require a head position adjustment when aiming with magnified scopes, putting the cheek close to uninsulated receiver top near the chamber. A non-issue for slow fire but a concern for high volume shooting.

After taking in user feedback and the results of internal testing, KelTec rolled out the most current variant, the version we’re covering, the Defender. It comes with the adjustable-length stock taken from the Survivor model: for supported positions, the extra length of pull comes in handy, but it can be minimized for shooting in body armor. The muzzle of the lightweight 16.1-inch barrel is threaded and comes with an A2 flash hider. The folding charging handle has been replaced with an easier-to-deploy low-profile part. The more ambidextrous paddle magazine release is back. The most visually prominent feature is the 270-degree M-Lok aluminum forend that extends almost up the muzzle. Together with the Picatinny top rail, it gives many options for placing lights, lasers, bipods, and other accessories. The first obligatory accessory must be a sling swivel or a QD socket to replace what the RDB17 polymer forend used to provide. At only 6.7 pounds, the RDB Defender is light, accurate, reliable, and handy. It can be effectively shot with one hand. Even with a sound suppressor attached, the rifle remains well balanced. Accuracy is slightly below that of the RDB17, but the difference is minimal: still favoring heavy match loads, the Defender gets up to 1.5-MOA in competent hands. Magazine changes speed up nicely with an add-on competition magwell funnel from the KelTec store. A 20-round Magpul magazine is included.

Does this rifle have disadvantages? Sure. The bottom ejection puts hot brass right next to the strong-side elbow of a prone shooter or in the lap of a sitting shooter. Annoying, true, but less so than having side-ejected brass bounce into your face from a range partition. Wear long sleeves and pants when shooting the RDB from supported positions! All RDB models are highly reliable, but the bolt overtravel produces a very unusual malfunction if the rifle short cycles due to a weak round or gas regulator set too low. The bolt goes back past the magazine but not far enough back to operate the dual spring-loaded ejectors. The spent case returns forward with the bolt and picks up a live cartridge from the magazine. The boltface then grabs a second live round and you have a triple-feed. It clears instantly by removing the magazine and manually running the charging handle, but people unused to the rifle first try to clear it with the charging handle alone. That’s about it for the gun’s negatives – the rest of the experience is all-positive. Having run the RDB in high round count training courses, I’ve come to appreciate its mild recoil, high accuracy, and ambidextrous controls. It’s an easy gun to clean, with all furniture kept in place with three captured push pins. Shooting suppressed is pleasant, as gas blowback is minimal and channeled away from the face. The RDB can be operated from either shoulder, one-handed if necessary. It’s one of the least expensive 5.56mm bullpup rifles on the market but one of the most fun to shoot.

SPECIFICATIONS
Make: KelTec Weapons
Model: RDB Defender
Caliber: .223 REM
Overall Length: 27in
Weight (unloaded, w/mag): 6.7lb
Mag Capacity: 30
MSRP:  $1300
URL: keltec.com

By Jonathan Ferguson

A True Forgotten Weapon

The world’s first bullpup rifle emerged from the Victorian twilight. It predates the term “bullpup” itself, which first appeared in print in 1940, by several decades; it predates the current crop of military bullpup firearms by several more. Although named for industrialist James Baird Thorneycroft, the lion’s share of the actual design and development work would have fallen to Moubray Gore Farquhar, of Farquhar-Hill automatic rifle fame.

Thorneycroft’s involvement was probably limited to finance and promotion. This was a truly British effort, Thorneycroft being an Englishman living in Scotland, and Farquhar a native Scot who had relocated to Birmingham to pursue his career. Unlike Thorneycroft, Farquhar was a military man and had served as an officer in Thorneycroft’s brother’s Mounted Infantry unit in South Africa. This is an important, if poorly documented connection with the rifle at hand, because the Thorneycroft was fundamentally an arm intended for mounted soldiers and cavalry. Although ill-timed in terms of the military needs of the day, the basic concept that the Thornycroft embodied would eventually gain widespread acceptance and remains in use today.

The Rifle

The British combat experience in the Second Boer War led to a modernisation programme for the service Lee rifle. At the same time, a much more radical response was being developed. Whereas the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) was conceived as a universal short rifle, Farquhar and Thorneycroft intended their scratch-designed equivalent to be “… more suitable for use by mounted troops” (from the patent). Mounted Infantry were an important unit type for British colonial warfare, able to quickly get to where they were needed, dismount and fight as conventional riflemen. Even more so than regular troops, they had a need for a compact and lightweight yet long-ranged personal weapon. Although they did not typically fight from the saddle, handling the 1902 rifle strongly suggests that one-handed firing may have been a secondary purpose—or at least a happy fringe benefit—of the unusual layout and rearward point of balance. As with a modern bullpup, it is possible to roughly aim the weapon whilst it is braced against the shoulder with only one hand on the stock.

If the designers converted any existing rifles to prove their concept, none survive today. The 10 Thorneycroft rifles in the National Firearms Centre collection are all scratch-built. Several are marked with their designation (“Thorneycroft Pattern Rifle, Model 1902,” etc.). As military requirements demanded, all (bar one, the Model 1907) are chambered for the standard .303 service cartridge and are fitted with bayonet lugs. The example picture also has dial sights fitted; no doubt another attempt to please the British military establishment.

The original British patent, No. 14,622 (June 18, 1901, duplicated as U.S. patent 713254) describes the rifle much as we would a bullpup weapon today:

“As in the use of the improved rifle the distance from the shoulder to the trigger should remain as in ordinary rifles, the trigger is placed forward of the magazine, and connection between the trigger and the firing mechanism is made by providing a connecting rod or lever …”

This was followed by British patent Nos. 13073 (9.6.02), which covers improvements to the magazine and safety, and 26135 (1.12.04), detailing the revised bolt and plunger type bolt catch as used in the “Model 1906.”

Military Trials

The Thorneycroft was never formally trialled as a serious candidate to replace the service Lee. By the time it came to the attention of the Small Arms Committee, development of the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) was well advanced. However, it was subject to several informal trials between 1902 and 1903, conducted by NCOs of the School of Musketry at the Hythe in Kent, England. The new weapon went head-to-head with the SMLE in realistic combat-style tests including falling and moving targets at 200 yards. The Commandant at Hythe commented that the rifle was “light and handles well” and was impressed by the bullpup concept, but otherwise impressions were not very favourable throughout the trials. Excessive recoil, a defective charger design, consistent failures to extract, failures to eject, double-feeds and misfires plagued the design. It was found to be slower to load and fire than the SMLE and was for the most part less accurate. One test compared the two rifles in terms of the number of accurate shots fired in one minute under the same range conditions (so no, not the mythical “mad minute”). The SMLE managed an average of 24.5 rounds fired with one stoppage—the only one experienced in all three trials—whereas the Thorneycroft achieved only 15.5 rounds, with four stoppages and a lower accuracy score to boot. This may be a function of the heavy and inconsistent trigger pull which came in for specific criticism. This latter point, of course, will not surprise detractors of today’s bullpup weapons.

The Model 1906

In October 1903, Thorneycroft requested feedback on the failed trial, which was declined. He was also denied a supply of SMLE barrels to build improved rifles. Undeterred, he submitted a final attempt in 1905 which was politely but firmly dismissed with a single sentence: “The Committee inspected the rifle and ask that Mr. Farquhar be thanked for exhibiting it.”

Thorneycroft and Farquhar should probably have taken the hint at this point. Instead they kept at it, and the less radical Model 1906 illustrated here (museum no. PR.10280) was the result. Together with the final Model 1907, it represents the more-or-less fully developed form of the weapon. It is less of a bullpup than the original Model 1902 “inclined bolt” version, which was intended to bring the sights up to eye level, instead featuring a trigger located substantially further to the rear in order to approximate the length of pull of a Lee-Enfield. However, like the earlier design it lacks a conventional stock wrist or semi-pistol grip. Instead, only the front lower portion of the stock is shaped for the firing hand, leaving no accommodation for the thumb; an arrangement not unlike a U.S. California-legal rifle stock. This made for substantial felt recoil and muzzle rise, something that had been picked up in military trials of the Model 1902: “The recoil is greater than that of the Shortened Enfield Modified Rifle. The blow given by the cheek-piece to the cheek-bone at short distances, and to the jaw-bone at long ranges is very severe.”

Many of the original unique features were dropped for the Model 1906 in favour of more conventional Mauser-like equivalents, including a large straight bolt handle, front bolt lugs and a cock-on-open (although not on rotation) bolt. The rifle is hammer-fired rather than striker-fired, the hammer being located directly behind the magazine and acting on the rear of the firing pin by means of a corresponding slot cut on the underside of the bolt. There is a roller on the upper edge of the hammer to act as a bearing for the bolt, presumably in an effort to smooth cycling.

Importantly for actual practical military service, a safety lever was provided on top of the weapon, acting forwards for fire, backwards for safe. This does not act internally, but instead engages with a steel pin on the underside of the bolt handle, such that when the latter is in the vertical position, a slot on the safety lever engages with the pin and prevents the bolt from being rotated into the fully locked position. This has the effect of making the trigger safe and also locks the bolt in a convenient storage position for carriage in a cavalry-style “boot” (scabbard). To make ready, the safety is pushed forward and the bolt turned down, engaging trigger and sear and fully chambering the cartridge. The ejector is of plunger type and is, on 100-year-old surviving examples at any rate, very weak. One notable feature given modern complaints over “rimlock” or “rim-jam” issues with rimmed .303 cartridges is the Thorneycroft’s magazine, designed with a follower acting on an angle that places each rim positively one in front of the other. This was made possible by the space available at the rear of the stock (normally the trigger mechanism would have to engage with the bolt and so would be in the way). However, this may have been an unintended consequence, since the front lower portion of the stock had to be cut at an angle in order to give the shooter something to grasp, creating a raked magazine design by default. Testing with drill rounds shows that rimlock is indeed impossible to induce with this system (although this example is incorrectly headspaced and will not chamber a drill round).

As for sights, various different patterns were fitted to this series of rifles, including an unknown pattern of optical sight on the Model 1902 that is now lost. In contrast to the design philosophy of the SMLE, the tangent aperture type, as found on this model, seems to have been preferred. The rear aperture is drilled into a large rectangular vertical flat plate that is adjustable for elevation. Overall, it is fair to say that the 1906 design had been watered down in an attempt to meet market expectations. This met with limited success. The Cavalry Journal of 1906 (Vol. 1, pp. 224-225) remarked that it was “ … strong and handy … lighter, better balanced, and has a longer bayonet reach.” It praised the inclusion of front locking lugs and, completely counter to the official trials, claimed that the Thorneycroft could be “loaded more rapidly.” By 1907 it was clear that the British government had no interest in any Thorneycroft design, no matter how compromised. No other potential user seems to have expressed an interest, although intriguingly, the last known Thorneycroft rifle, dated 1907, is chambered in 7x57mm Mauser.

Legacy

The Thorneycroft was a failure; a true “forgotten weapon.” But it is interesting that the original rationale for the invention of the bullpup is also the reason that we still have the current generation of bullpup rifles on sale and in service today. These too were created to arm mobile infantry; this time operating from Cold War vintage armoured vehicles and helicopters rather than horses. Despite its failure, the Thorneycroft still has a legacy. Bullpup rifles may be out of fashion in some quarters, but they remain in military, police and sporting use worldwide. Whereas the debate over their merits relative to the conventional layout continues, modern proponents would no doubt agree with the Commandant of the School of Musketry, who remarked in 1903 that “ … the principle of curtailing the length of the rifle whilst securing the full length of barrel has much to recommend it.”