Microlite Bullpup Kits for AF guns
This is a project I have been working on for more than a year now.
Transforming an Airforce gun into a Bullpup configured gun.
The result is non-traditional as far as Bull pups go, but it is the same in that it allows for a longer barrel and or baffles without adding to the over all length of the gun.
Instead of Trigger linkage the kits use a new rear action and a bolt extension to move the barrel back behind the hand grip and reach forward to reset the trigger.
The Kit also requires a shorter rear tank like the 13ci on the TalonP and Escape models.
The Kits come with a Delrin constructed rear action complete with bolt extension/breech slide, tank sleeve, thumbhole stock with 18 shot rotary pellet dispenser, barrel mounting sleeve with vented front bushing and short baffle insert with blast chamber and 2 petitions. (3 petitions for the Tss/Condor frames)
It is a true drop in kit that doesn’t require any modifications to your gun as long as its a post 2013 frame. However it does require disassembling the barrel and tank which may void the warranty with Airforce.
Since this is the first public write up on the kits have I’m suppose to mention that there is a patent pending on the concept.
I believe that this approach to a Bullpup configured gun is a novel one.
Having said that I have also noticed when something seemingly new gets posted here Its usually not long before Baz,Blodnob or one of the Brazilian guys throw up some pics where they did the very same thing 5 years ago lol, So
If anyone has seen this approach somewhere else please post it soon and save me some time and money.
I know some of you guys that knew I was working on a AF-ish Bullpup was hoping for a forward mounted tank.
I have a sweet full frame design with a internal HP line forward tank and even smaller rear tank that pulls the barrel back almost 8” behind the hand grip, but It would read on AFs primary patent which is still in effect for another 2 years. So it will be a while on that one.
The kits make for a nice lite, compact very accurate shooting gun. Hope you guys like them.
Here are a couple of videos (The 100 yard video is a Tss conversion) and some pics to explain things further. The pic with the blue background is from some target work Rob in NC here on the forum did. Rob also is doing a review on the kits he will be posting a little later on.
Special thanks to Tony for allowing me to post the info on the Kits here on TAG.
BHG Action
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Not at all. I’ve had one here for a bit and the kit is very light. Balances really well actually. Consider that you are adding a longer (and heavier) barrel to it and so that more than makes up for the tiny amount of weight added at the back.
Also, with a spring or other spacer, there should be no reason one couldn’t add a shroud… or with a standard end cap adapter, an LDC. Easy peasy.
Very imaginative but my thoughts are that you can’t add another ldc and it also seems butt heavy, needing more weight in the front to tame the kick.
It is definitely the cat’s meow for the Talon P. Making it possible for me to baffle an 18″ barrel in my Talon SS is pretty nice also.
When will these kits be marketed for sale?
Definitely a cool little kit. When I was first told about it, there was no amount of explaining that could get through my thick skull. Seeing the gun in hand really helped. Still, at first glance, it just didnt seem like anything special…. that is until I shot it and realized that this was basically a full sized Talon enclosed in a TalonSS…with full sound suppression in a short little design.
The side cocking is quite nice and I really like the speed rail.
All in all, a simple, but well thought out design. I’ve never seen anything like it and I hope it does well.
As Tagdagger eluded, I will be posting a review up on the Yellow at some point and can post here as well.
Ok, Here are the advantages that the BP kits offer.
Currently a talon frame will only house a 12” barrel capped off and has no room for baffles.
*With the BP kit you can house up to a 16” barrel capped off or leave the 12” and still have a extra 4” for baffling.
Currently a TalonSS or Condor frame will not house a 18” barrel capped.
*With the BP kit you can house the complete 18” barrel and still have room for 2 sound loc baffles.
Almost the same set up as a CondorSS only a lot shorter over all gun.
*Another advantage is if you have a older AF frame the BHG (Behind the Hand Grip) Action will convert your old frame to spin-loc.
*Another advantage is the BHG Action is a side cocker. Very nice, and you can cock it with one hand without even taking you hand off the grip.
*Another advantage is the kits bolt extension allows you to use the original trigger group instead of rebuilding a second forward trigger and having to arrange bars or rods for linkage and build side panels to cover the linkage.
*Another advantage is the rear Action and thumbhole stock makes the gun very rigid and eliminates most all frame flex.
One of the frustrations I’ve had with my AF guns is POI change. With the Microlite kIt properly installed your gun will have the same POI two months from now as it does today.
*Another advantage is the kits lighten the gun substantially by using the smaller tank and the lower profile of the 13ci tank gives a more natural cheek wield.
The only disadvantage with the kits is reduced shot count with the 13ci tank, but even that is manageable if your willing to reduce the fps a bit. With the TSS 18” barrel Im getting 25 shots in the low 800s and one ragged for 25 shots at 50yards. My TalonP 12”barrel baffled setup is just as accurate tuned with 15 shots in the lower 700s.
Here are some more pics of a ML Kit upper and lower assembly. You will notice in the lower assembly pic the barrel is mounted over 4” to the rear of its original stock position making a void inside the front of the frame creating room for baffles where there was no room before.
ML Kit Lower Assembly
Upper Assembly
The white board pic is of the internal arrangement of my Tss with 18” barrel and 2 sound loc baffels. You can see by the lead residue its getting good blow back thru the vented front bushing.
From the picture, it does not look like it provides any sort of advantage.
The pistol grip is relatively more forward, but the scope position seems actually more backward than on a regular Talon would be.
The breach moved backward, which is good, but the inline bottle is still forcing the scope backward. So it looks like more of a long pistol grip reach.
Maybe one of those U adapters with the small bottle under the breach would allow to move the pistol grip and scope more forward while reducing the stock butt/tank area.
Dunno…
Good project idea, but I am not sure it is the solution, yet.
Cheers
Golly Gee Whiz! This is an awesome nifty neato little kit!
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Here are some weights and weight comparisons.
A full size AF tank with stock butt plate filled to 2000psi is 2lbs/9oz . The complete ML upper assembly Thumbhole stock,pellet dispenser,rear action and 13ci tank filled to 2000psi is 2lbs/3oz-3/8. The lower assembly talon frame, barrel, hammer ect.. is 2lbs/7oz-1/4.
The kit installed on a TalonP without a scope 4lb/10oz-5/8.
I Currently have 10 of the drop in kits for the TalonP less the short baffle inserts. The Inserts should be in next week. The first 5 kits I’m offering for very close to cost. I want to get some of these out in field and get some feed back which I expect will be very positive.
Being that the kits are very unique and not competing with anything here Tony,Wok or others offer, Tony is allowing me to offer a few kits via PM. So anyone interested in one of the first 5 can PM me here for pricing and availability. Preferably Talonp or Escape UL owners since that’s what the Kits are primarily geared toward.