Carbine V Bullpup

[StainlessSteelCynic]

I think that what's being illustrated here is the need for training on any new weapon you may get. For example, the first military rifle I trained on was the L1A1, the second was the M16A1 and finally the F88 Austeyr (Australian AUG). All three have different magazine releases and while I found the M16 has few competitors for a fast mag release, I was just as fast on the F88 as I was on the L1A1 despite the F88 being a bullpup.
I'd hazard a guess and say that people who have trained on the M16 family would probably find many other rifles to be slower when releasing the magazine simply because the M16 family have a very positive, gravity assisted magazine drop action when most of the others require you to activate the release and manipulate the mag in some manner.

[Rockwolf66]

So I think you are sugesting that people do magazine drills for a while.

Start with the rifle shouldered and have at least a half dozen magazines at waist height in front of you. Start swapping out magazines until you can swap out a magazine and recharge the weapon without looking at the weapon. Then you put on whatever web gear you normally use and start over until you can go through all of your magazines on your kit without looking at the weapon or your kit. Start over kneeling and then prone.

[Legbreaker]

That's exactly right. Train, train train, practise, practise, practise and anyone will be able to change mags and carry out the necessary stoppage drills quickly.
As for accuracy, yes the shorter distance between front and rear sights may indeed have an impact, however we have also already dealt with this topic in an older thread. http://forum.juhlin.com/showthread.p...0314#post10314

[James Langham]

Muscle memory is a wonderful thing, my hand instinctively goes to the right place for an SA80 series while I have to think when using an AK or M16 - I have to think even with that easiest of weapons the Uzi.

The biggest problem with reloading I have found is doing up the mag pouch (especially on my old 58 pattern until I modified the buckles).