When it comes to firearms, there are a lot of limitations to modification. Unlike hobby-grade arms, you cannot usually make major changes to the size of a firearm without heavy restrictions. Whether you’re adding a stock to a pistol for compact stability, or shortening a full-sized weapon for close quarters, there are restrictions to keep people from making these changes. There is an option for those that want a compact firearm, but want to avoid ATF restrictions. Introducing the Bullpup conversion.

Demo image of a bullpup conversion. Added polymer body shell is represented in the red outline. Trigger linkage represented in green

Bullpup conversions change nothing about the base weapon. They simply change how you interact with it. The grip is moved somewhere in front of the receiver, where a second trigger interacts with the original trigger through a linkage. Other parts sometimes need extensions to make up for the new configuration. With the trigger moved in front of the receiver, the area around the original trigger becomes the point where the stock is attached.

Usually, in the case of firearms, this is done with a polymer body shell. So the stock and body are one unit that fits over the original gun, covering up the trigger linkage and original trigger. The polymer construction gives bullpups a distinct look outside of the already unusual configuration.

There are complaints around the web regarding the build quality and polymer construction. Bullpup kits can be very hit or miss with quality. The most common complain with Bullpup conversions is the way the Trigger feels. The triggers in these kits are often described as “squishy” because of the trigger linkage.

There is a fair variety of kits available. Most notably are the shotgun kits from Bullpup Unlimited. They offer Bullpup kits for a variety of  shotguns. These seem to offer the most consistent quality if the kits I have looked at. On top of the Bullpup Unlimited kits there are plenty of other kits available for other models. This includes a p90 lookalike that can be built from a Ruger 10/22, and a kit for the SKS.

Bullpup conversion kits offer a way to make a full sized firearm more compact. The quality of these kits can vary greatly, but there are some solid options. These compact offerings can be useful. But bullpup conversions can also excel with hobby-grade arms. That is a blog for another time.

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When it comes to writing this blog, there have been several ongoing issues that have not been addressed or fixed until today. There have been issues with grammar, commas, and general mistakes that needed fixed.  There is also the issue of length, which I want to address as well.  Finally, every blog thus far has not had a proper ending section either. So this post will address each of these issues and how they were handled.

Starting with the typographical errors in the posts, those should have all been fixed. Every post up to “Steam Workshop – Almost Too Convenient” has been checked over. Any errors I could find were fixed. Quality control on previous posts has been lax due to the ending time limit on this blog. With the due date of 1/8/2020, every post has been treated as if it is in a drafting stage. Small changes and fixes will continue to be applied over the next two days, but the most glaring errors should be fixed.

The blog posts have run long pretty consistently for a number of reasons. The first reason was a mix up of information. I started working under semi-loose instructions given prior to the course for a “…short(one page)” blog post. But during the first few posts I had somehow gotten the idea into my head that one page was around 500 words, so that was the minimum I was shooting for. Shortly after, I realized that I was running long. So over the next few posts I tried to shorten the posts, but by the time I got the detail I wanted they ended up long anyway.

I could shorten the posts, but not get in all the information I wanted. But then I would be making the exact type of content I hate – just enough information to get interested, but not enough detail to learn anything. This blog is already meant for a niche audience, the type of audience that welcomes lengthy detail. If a detail is not interesting at the time of reading, you are welcome to skip it, but if you need it later you’re welcome to come back.

Finally, the ending section. This has been implemented into all posts. Sellout sections simply slipped my mind. I usually leave a post or video well before these appear, so it was easy to forget about them. These will be included in all future blogs as well.

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Writing blogs in bulk started out as a pretty solid effort with 3 a day seeming to be easy. As I’ve gone on with this, I’ve starting making the mistake of leaving partially finished posts in the drafts. Having unfinished drafts is a slippery slope since before you know it you will wind up with more drafts than the number of shells a Kel-Tec KSG can hold. Well, maybe not quite that ridiculous.

At one time or another everyone has had the thought “Well shotguns are nice and all, but what if we put more shells in it and also made it smaller?” If you haven’t had that thought then I’m afraid you are no friend of mine.

Magazine-fed arms like that tricked up Kalashnikov had capacity, but were still fairly large. Firearms like this have also been the subject of quite a few restrictions so they were hardly accessible. Luckily in 2011, Kel-Tec provided an answer.

The KSG is a bullpup, tube-fed, pump-action shotgun. The KSG’s main party trick is it’s duel-tube functionality. This means that this gun as two magazines that you can select from at the flip of a switch. This is how the standard KSG achieves its whopping 15 shell capacity. That’s 7+7+1 in the chamber for those not counting.

The capacity of the KSG is nice, but I also mentioned the want for something smaller too. Well the KSG provides an overall 26 inch length with an 18.5 inch barrel. A Mossberg 500 with the same barrel length comes in at 36-39 inches depending on model. (Editor’s note: I’m using Mossbergs as a comparison since they are what comes to mind when I think of a traditional pump-action shotgun. There is another reason that will make sense in a future blog.)

So the KSG is smaller than the average shotgun, with above average capacity. “But what if I want something even smaller?” You ask.

Luckily Kel-Tec is ahead of you on this one. The KSG Tactical is 4.5″ inches shorter than the standard model. It also has a smaller 10 shell capacity, not including 1 in the chamber. The Tactical requires a Short Barreled Shotgun tax stamp to own and is much more expensive than the standard model. The KSG Tactical would be right at home on a sling, with buckshot in one tube, and specialist rounds in the other. This model is hardly meant for the average consumer.

So the KSG Tactical is a bit smaller but not exactly accessible. If only there was an option that anyone could buy, but also made the most of the duel-tubes regardless of size. Well, you know how this goes.

Yes please.

Now for the real reason I’m writing this. I saw this advertisement in a magazine at an auto shop and haven’t stopped thinking about it since. So what does this thing of beauty have to offer?

The KSG-25 has, as you might guess, a monstrous 25 round capacity. This is done with a 12+12+1 configuration. Thanks to the bullpup design, the overall size of the gun comes in at 38 inches with a massive 30.5 inch barrel. I can’t even think of something to compare that barrel length to! Best of all, this is still compact! The closest thing I could find from Mossberg was the 500 with a 28 inch barrel and a 47-48 inch length depending on the specific model.

The KSG-25 is about as much gun as you can get before you start getting into cannon territory. Except that it already does. As a 12 gauge you are limited in what you can fire, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t options. 12 gauge shotguns are capable of accepting specialist cartridges and pump-action models do that particularly well. With the KSG-25 you can have 12 shots of your favorite lead for bringing the pain and another 12 shots of beanbags for bringing slightly less pain. Or while you’re burning money you can fill both magazines with Dragon’s Breath shells and recklessly waste money in style. Guns are expensive and ammo isn’t cheap. In the case of the KSG-25, keeping this gun filled would prove particularly expensive. Especially if you decide to take advantage of specialist cartridges.

Overall, the Kel-Tec KSG offers a way to have capacity, versatility, and a compact stature all in one package. The KSG’s variants all have their niche, but all have good potential in their respective areas. The cost compared to a conventional shotgun is very high, but the KSG fills a specific niche with a lot to offer. What more could you ask for?

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