Introducing the Malyuk rifle...

[PALADIN85020]

This one was new to me - thought I'd pass this along.

It's the new Ukraine standard for their Special Operations forces.

The conflict in Ukraine is rapidly becoming a showcase of sorts for foreign infantry weapons, especially various shoulder-fired anti-aircraft and anti-armor systems. Discussions about military aid shipments have largely overshadowed Ukrainian forces' use of domestically developed weapons, many of which are relatively obscure outside of the country. This includes a rifle known commonly as the Malyuk, a so-called "bullpup" design that is being heavily used by Ukrainian special operations forces units, among others.

Malyuk, a Ukrainian word that is translated as "baby" or "youngster" in English, is actually the name given a prototype of this gun, which a company called InterProInvest (IPI) first unveiled in 2015. The company currently markets this assault rifle as the Vulcan or Vulcan-M, but it is still regularly referred to by its original nickname.

It can be set up for the 7.62 Russian or the 5.56 American cartridges, and has a standard Picatinny rail for optical sights.

John

 

[serger]

I bet it sucks in this configuration if you're left handed.

 

[LVSteve]

I bet it sucks in this configuration if you're left handed.

In many armies around the world you shoot right handed, whether you like it or not. It is quite possible to build a bullpup that you can shoot lefty, but I doubt that is one of them.

 

[Rlg#17]

Eazy peazy to switch it for a port side. Switch ejection port cover to right side. Change extractor and or ejector and good to go. Takes maybe 10 minutes if you take your time. Regards,
Rick Gobbs

 

[Absalom]

In many armies around the world you shoot right handed, whether you like it or not. It is quite possible to build a bullpup that you can shoot lefty, but I doubt that is one of them.

From a lengthy article I found on the Malyuk:

"IPI does say the Malyuk can be configured to eject from the left side, if desired, but this is not a change that it appears possible to make readily in the field and is certainly not one that can be made on the fly."

Some bullpups, like the French FAMAS, are field-adjustable. But the Steyr AUG needs a different left-hand bolt, and to my knowledge most adopters chose not to offer that to their individual soldiers. And unless I missed an update somewhere, the British SA80 series has no provision for conversion at all; if you're a leftie soldier, you just have to practice harder. Standardization on the battlefield has priority over individual peak performance.

Not many cultures are as accommodating to lefties as the US. Having grown up as a leftie elsewhere, when I came here I was surprised to discover left-handed scissors, rifles with left-handed bolts, and adults my age who had been allowed to grow up learning to write with their left hand.

 

[LVSteve]

Not many cultures are as accommodating to lefties as the US. Having grown up as a leftie elsewhere, when I came here I was surprised to discover left-handed scissors, rifles with left-handed bolts, and adults my age who had been allowed to grow up learning to write with their left hand.

Don't I know it. I used to have a coworker who came from a major country in the European continent. He was repeatedly telling me how he was "having" to slap his new kid's left hand away because he reached for stuff with that hand instead of his right. I shrugged and said "So the kid is left handed. Big deal". It was game on from then on, with him ranting about "not letting the kid grow up that way" and similar nonsense. In the end I had to tell him not to discuss the subject with me again or I would report him for child abuse, which would likely put him on a plane out of the country in short order.