re. Pfeifer rifle in 204

[kenbrofox]

hello there, thanks for previous answers re.204 twist rates, email from remington confirmed 1 in 9 twist was a typo in their catolog. I have just had a look at a Pfeifer bull pup in ruger 204 and it looks to be very well made, the barrel is 26 inches and the overall length is 271/2 inches, has anyone got any comments or experience with this make and design of rifle and are bullpups as easy to shoot well as conventional designs? any comments most welcome. Regards kenbro.

[jo191145]

Never heard of such a thing but I was interested enough to google it. Found nothing.
Is there a link or webpage to view. Sounds like an intertesting Homeland Defense Rifle.

I did notice you said the barrel is 26" long and overall is 27 1/2". I'm no expert at anything but that sounds totally impossible.

[kenbrofox]

Hi Jo, it's actually 27 3/4 overall and i think short dimm. is due to it being a single shot weapon. www.foxfirearmsuk.com sell them here in england but if you google pfiefer waffen that should get you to their site in Austria. also look up their large revolver, good luck. It's frosty here in uk just now. Best wishes to everyone for Christmas, regards kenbro.

[jo191145]

Well kenbro

Maybe its not impossible after all. Very interesting design. I've never seen anything like that.
From what I can quess it loads single shot through a hinged buttpad and the firing mechanism must be in the buttpad also?????

I'll bet for offhand shooting I would like it. I've always preferred light, short firearms offhand.
Muzzle blast would be much greater. Not sure which is more scary. Having a chamber out in front of my face or tucked into my armpit. A little sanity at the loading bench makes them both acceptable.

I noticed the reversed trigger with a button behind it. Is that a set trigger, safety or perhaps both. I would'nt want to learn how to coordinate trigger push. I have a hard enough time with trigger pull

I would prefer a 30 round clip in my bullpups. Its the American way

[kenbrofox]

Hello again Jo, yes you guess right it does load through a hinged but pad and yes the firing pin is in there also,the reverse trigger is used to cock the action after loading and the button is the trigger, and it's let off is really sweet. i don't know if it has any safety device at all. the scope mount is interesting in that you can move a small lever and it gives a different set zero instsantly, i think it raises the whole mount. I was thinking i would get some good feedback from USA on this rifle but it don't sound like it's a hit over there. thanks for repy,nice talking. kenbro.

[Wrangler John]

Novelty is its own reward. For someone that collects novel firearms it seems a good acquisition, but as a practical firearm it lacks any functional appeal. A bullpup single shot is of limited utility, and most probably would serve a niche market. The majority of currently available single shot falling block and break open actions allow fairly short rifles to be cobbled together.

Velocity loss in shorter than 26" barrels is not all that significant, with longer barrels increasing barrel time and in some instances reducing velocity from drag. That barrels are made 27" or so long on some rifles was at one time due to the need to provide a scalar relationship between target precision rear receiver sights and the front sight. Longer lengths also allow the barrel to be set back and rechambered, extending its life. The bullpup design negates use of such iron sights. There are/were open sights that provided four adjustable presets for zeroing at different ranges (I have one made by Wichita), and at least one tactical production scope that was similarly designed.

For offhand rifle shooting the lack of muzzle weight would be a disadvantage. The bullpup design is better suited to semiautomatic actions where quick follow-up shots are available. It is not practical or advantageous for benchrest shooting or shooting from a bipod due to the stock configuration and its inherent instability due to the mid-point or rearward center of gravity. I have shot many a bolt action or Contender single shot pistol with barrels up to 15" and none will replace a heavy barreled rifle for stability on a bipod or benchrest. For long range precision shooting nothing will supplant the conventional rifle configuration.

Various trigger "improvements" have been tried, from release, single set, double set, electrical and electronic firing systems, yet none has survived the marketplace. Today's triggers, such as the Jewel, are just too efficient and reliable for the price.

Indeed this rifle appears to satisfy that Teutonic predisposition to mechanical novelty and complexity finely crafted as a monument to precision work. A cookoo clock rifle! (Don't sell the cookoo clock short, it's a fantastic work of mechanical art). It would seem to me that this concept is likely aimed at some specific European necessity, and not the American market, where it would join such other novelties as the Dardick Tround firing revolver, the rocket firing MBA Gyrojet firearms, Daisy's .22 caseless rifle, and more recently the Etronix rifles in the museum of impossible notions. As for the .600 NE revolver - I recommend that item only for those who have a brother or sister who is a practicing orthopedist.

[kenbrofox]

PHEW, thanks for that Wrangler John, just the observations i was looking for. Have a good thanks giving. Regards kenb.

[Wrangler John]

Thank you kenbrofox, and you have a wonderful Christmas with many new blessings coming your way in the new year.

In reading my previous comment, I realized I gotta stop drinking so much coffee before posting this stuff!

[kenbrofox]

Hello again Wrangler John, it was a good article and your comment about balance is interesting, and even with a can on the end ( almost the norm in uk now) i think it would still be too light on the front end and perhaps a bit barky. Cost in UK is around £2000 or about $3000.I think i'll give it a miss. Regards kenbro.