[SaneMembrane]

Thank you; someone else who didn't drink the Koolaid.



They have been trying to make a bullpup that actually works for as long as I can remember. Bottom line; the design is just flawed. It's like trying to polish a turd; you can rub on it all day long but it'll never shine.

That is absolutely ridiculous. There are plenty of perfectly acceptable bullpups out there. Just because your precious country didn't adopt them doesn't make them irrelevant.

 

[hardluk1]

Want one ?? Buy one . Just another variation of something that's been around for some 60 years . Is it going to be the next big thang? Nope . Just one of many pups out there .

 

[robocop10mm]

The bullpup design has many attributes. It also has some draw backs. In my experience, trigger pulls are just plain creepy and heavy in the bull pups. it is the nature of the beast. One that not many folks think of is the gasses escaping from the ejection port are right below your eye. The smoke will water your eye up in a hurry. I went with dry lubes to reduce the smoke, but still after a magazine full, your dominant eye is all but useless

 

[JonM]

The bullpup design has many attributes. It also has some draw backs. In my experience, trigger pulls are just plain creepy and heavy in the bull pups. it is the nature of the beast. One that not many folks think of is the gasses escaping from the ejection port are right below your eye. The smoke will water your eye up in a hurry. I went with dry lubes to reduce the smoke, but still after a magazine full, your dominant eye is all but useless

That sounds fun in sustained fire combat... sign me up!! I stopped running my ar15 suppressed because of the lack of oxygen from the backgassing. Can't imagine the fun of breathing those gasses and half blind from extended use.

Its uh game changuh....

 

[fsted2a]

As far as the OP goes, a .308 is too large a caliber for a bullpup. .223 is the max round it should use. Recoil too much for too light a carbine. It has some mission specific attributes, primarily for room clearing and 25 yard or less CQB, where sharpshooting isn't really required. The pup has some usefulness as Robocop mentioned, but it has more limitations than the AR platform. The US military requires their troops to do CQB, be able to shoot enemy troops at about 400 yards, and various scenarios in between, which the puppies will never be able to successfully accomplish. For governments that have limited functions for their troops weapon, the bullpup may be just the ticket, but I don't see it ever expanding beyond small military commands use. I could see a SCAR type rifle being able to replace the M16 if the costs could ever come down, but that is a subject for another day. When the bullpup was first introduced, the idea of being able to fit the same length barrel firearm into a much smaller package had a great appeal, but a big problem to overcome: trigger linkage. So far no real solution has presented itself.

 

[oO_Rogue_Oo]

That is absolutely ridiculous. There are plenty of perfectly acceptable bullpups out there. Just because your precious country didn't adopt them doesn't make them irrelevant.

Very insightful, thanks for the reply.

 

[SaneMembrane]

I think what people may be forgetting here are the following:

-The rifle is also available in 5.56, as well as a CQB variation. 300 BLK, 6.8 SPC and x39 are also planned.
-The trigger is the same one used in the SRS, which has been plenty praised for fixing the bullpup conundrum
-This is one of the first fully ambidextrous rifles ever, featuring forward ejection.

 

[anm2_man]

I think what people may be forgetting here are the following:

-The rifle is also available in 5.56, as well as a CQB variation. 300 BLK, 6.8 SPC and x39 are also planned.
-The trigger is the same one used in the SRS, which has been plenty praised for fixing the bullpup conundrum
-This is one of the first fully ambidextrous rifles ever, featuring forward ejection.

Not True, The RFB is really the only fully ambidextrous bullpub since it ejects the cartridges at the front of the gun. The only change maybe needed is to move the cocking handle from one side to the other.

 

[4thPointOfContact]

The Desert Tech may not be a 'revolutionary, game changing' firearm but it's definitely evolutionary. Just as we evolved from Krags, to 03's, to M1's, M14's to the M16 platform, every iteration of the bullpup comes closer and closer to a true, ambidextrous platform.

The true limitation on a next generation firearm is the current brass casing and magazine. H&K pretty much found the answer in 1990, but hasn't developed the idea to maturity.

 

[bfoosh006]

This whole "discussion" sounds strangely like the M16 v. M14 argument....

 

[gearhead396]

Historically, battle rifles have had a reputation of being cumbersome, front-heavy, sluggish and hard to control under sustained fire. Some consider the concept of the battle rifle obsolete when compared to lighter, more modern designs firing intermediate cartridges. I believe the MDR can change all this.

Being a bullpup, the weight distribution is extremely advantageous, as we have seen with similar 5.56 guns. The front is shorter and much lighter than a traditional platform, which means better manipulation and controllability. The current Gen 4 prototype only weighs 8 pounds, which they plan on reducing, but that's already lighter than many other .308 guns.

The MDR is also a quick-change caliber and barrel system, making it more modular than most other battle rifles. The fire controls are ambidextrous and the magazine release has AR-15 and traditional bullpup options. The top pic rail is low to the barrel, unlike the Tavor.

7.62x51 has a lot of combat advantages over other calibers including range, barrier penetration and kinetic force. With regards to the notion of not being able to carry as much ammunition, today's typical Afghanistan combat load for the M4 is 3-4 mags. Anything 6+ according to my research and colleague's accounts is considered overkill, even in a war zone. A soldier could easily carry 5 Magpul 25-round .308 mags for their MDR.

Here's a video of a new prototype shoot and semi-review by MAC. Check it out: http://youtu.be/oSZ-jrr4LU4

What do you guys think? Potential game-changer?

I have shot tge tavor several times and I can not stand that gun. Talk about gas in your face and fog om your glasses . I have only shot the tavor but If all bull pups are like that , no thank you .

 

[Digprotst26]

Someone has probably said something about this already on this thread but "4-5" mags typical loadout? Are you kidding? My minimum was 10 and 14 was typical. That was also typical among my team mates.

I don't know where you got your info, but it certainly wasn't from anyone who spent serious time in the sandbox.

Having noted that, I am getting an MDR. It's a quality weapon with great ergonomics and functionality in a compact package. You just have to relearn how to do a few thing like prone mag changes etc. It's compactness makes it good for using from a mobile platform where space is often limited as well. The 308 is actually lighter than the 5.56.

 

[therewolf]

Historically, battle rifles have had a reputation of being cumbersome, front-heavy, sluggish and hard to control under sustained fire. Some consider the concept of the battle rifle obsolete when compared to lighter, more modern designs firing intermediate cartridges. I believe the MDR can change all this.

Not to whiz in your Wheaties, OP, but the .308(762X51) was America's first

attempt, after the German's 8mm Kurz, and the Russian's M43(7.62X39)

at an intermediate round, for US and Nato forces. They reduced the

venerable 30.06,(7.62X63), and proto-typed a box mag,(IIRC, the "T20E")

for the M1 Garand,

and upon adapting it all down to a .308, and giving it full auto

capability, they then introduced the M14, with it's new intermediate

round. (AKA- 7.62X51)

Now, perhaps a full-auto bull-pup in 30.06 might be a true innovation, if we could

overcome venting issues others have mentioned, and ammo weight, for that full size

round. Word has it the 5.56's range has been wanting, overseas, of late...

 

[Digprotst26]

from the videos I've seen venting is not an issue on this Bullpup