No9 Bullpup Rifle

[Famaldehide Face]

Would it be possible to bring back the Enfield No9 Bullpup Rifle into production?, The .280 calibre it was chambered in is ballistically similar to the 6.8mm SPC, Is well balanced for a Bullpup and has a reliable dust proof mechanisim.

If anything, it would make a nice DMR and also a semi auto civillian rifle.

 

[Ash]

Consider that even the Brits, when going to a bullpup, did not return to the Enfield design. Anything can be done, but it may be that upon reflection, the Enfield engineers decided that while they wanted a bullpup, the older design was not ultimately as desirable for some reason. It may be cost of production, others may know. I would think it would be very expensive to try and produce one for civilian use, especially considering the Brits have no current reason to produce such a weapon for their own citizens. It would have to be made elsewhere, probably even here. Without full drawings, it would be tough.

Ash

 

[everallm]

Assuming we are talking about the EM2/No.9, the schematics, materials list etc should be either public domain or available under a request via the Freedom of Information Act.

Some HR member resident in the UK would be best place to make a request there or a Canadian member to try the same against Canadian Arsenal Ltd/Long Branch Arsenal.

It's unlikely that the design was ever patented but may fall under Crown protection if it was ever to be manufactured in the US. Having said that it could probably me made under licence without major problems.

Real issues would be

1. Ensuring the granted rights allowed the licence holder to amend the design so it would be semi-auto only for civilian use

2. Redesigning the mag well to accept a pre-existing magazine or design and build your own magazine

3. Redesigning the chamber for an existing 7mm round (probably the 7 mm-08 Remington) as this would enable easier commercial uptake and can use renecked .308 brass. Another option would be to move to 6mm or 6.5mm with their pre-existing user base.

 

[PercyShelley]

My best guess, and perhaps someone truly in the know like Tony Williams can chime in, is that the SA80 series was really the best they could do at the time. Even at that point Britain's small arms manufacturing capabilities were in disarray.

A repro EM-2 or a spiritual successor would be cool, although there are lots of things about the design that look dated by modern standards.

The bolt locking is achieved by two flaps that come out of the sides and couple to recesses in the receiver, not unlike the G43. Compared to the stoner/johnson multi-lug rotating bolt now in vogue, or even the kalashnikov style bolt, this requires far more parts and puts stresses some distance back in the receiver. Hard to save much weight, since you can't really replace any parts with synthetics or light alloys, it would all have to be machined steel.

With modern CNC machining though, perhaps a limited run would be within the bounds of reasonable cost.