You know, for most of my life, “short” hasn’t exactly screamed “good.” I’m 5’7” on a tall day if I stand just right. Heck, Napoleon himself had a couple inches on me, and we all know how that turned out. My dad’s family didn’t exactly win the genetic lottery in the height department either.
But funny thing — in the world of firearms, short can be downright brilliant.
Let’s hone in on rifles specifically. Most traditional rifles are about a yard long or more, particularly if you’re talking about centerfire calibers. Nothing wrong with that at all if you’re out stalking whitetail or blowing holes in paper at the local range on a Sunday afternoon. Bigger, longer, heavier — it’s classic Americana.
But what if your life depended on it? What if you were kicking in doors overseas, clearing houses room by room, one heartbeat away from chaos? Or maybe you just want a rifle that’s a little handier when you’re protecting your family in a tight situation. In those moments, the luxury of “traditional” goes out the window. Short suddenly looks pretty genius.
Enter the Bullpup
The bullpup design turns the standard rifle blueprint on its head. In a bullpup, the trigger and grip are placed ahead of the action and the magazine. Translation for the rest of us: you keep a full-length barrel (and all the glorious velocity and ballistics that come with it) but pack it into a shorter overall package.
Now, the bullpup isn’t exactly new. Some genius strapped a 13-pound bullpup target rifle together back in 1860 — and for bonus points, it was in .60 caliber, which basically meant you were firing baseballs. Fast forward to 1901, and you get the Thornycroft carbine, a bolt-action bullpup that was… well, an interesting idea.
The first bullpup to see real combat action was the Czech PzB M.SS.41 anti-tank rifle in World War II — built for the SS when Germany decided that tanks weren’t scary enough yet.
And then came the Steyr AUG in 1977 — the first bullpup that wasn’t a complete headache to use. It was sleek, futuristic, and actually worked. Imagine that.
Meet the Springfield Hellion
Today’s flavor of short-and-sweet is the Springfield Hellion. Springfield Armory, bless them, offers 13 different models of this modern bullpup beauty. The Hellion is basically the civilian version of the Croatian VHS-K2 — a rifle Croatian troops have trusted for real-world nastiness. If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me.
Springfield gets their Hellions from HS Produkt in Croatia — the same folks behind Springfield’s pistols. I picked up the 20-inch barrel version because, well, if you’re gonna bullpup, you might as well go big and short at the same time. Plus, it comes with a bayonet lug and optional bayonet. Because who doesn’t want the option to go full medieval if things get ugly?
You get a full-length Picatinny rail for optics, a 20” barrel for reach-out-and-touch-someone capability, and a stocky, badass profile perfect for close quarters or open fields.
Hellion 20″ Quick Specs:
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Caliber: 5.56 NATO (.223 Rem)
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Barrel: 20”, CMV, Melonite finish, 1:7 twist
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Weight: 8 lbs 6 oz
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Length: 32.25”–33.75”
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Sights: Integrated flip-up (adjustable)
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Gas System: Adjustable 2-position, short stroke piston
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Stock: 5-position adjustable with cheek riser
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Grip: BCM Gunfighter Mod 3
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Muzzle: 4-prong flash hider
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MSRP: $2,031
Not exactly a bargain-bin price, but then again, neither is your life.
Handling the Hellion: Lefties Rejoice (For Once)
Now, let me get something off my chest. As a left-handed shooter, bullpups have always been a giant middle finger aimed directly at me. Most bullpups toss hot brass straight into your face if you dare to shoot wrong-handed. No thanks.
But the Hellion? Ambidextrous ejection. That’s right. You can switch it to eject from either side. Springfield actually remembered that southpaws exist and like not getting third-degree burns on our cheeks. Finally, someone over there earned their paycheck.
(Yes, Kel-Tec’s downward-ejecting bullpup is a thing, but let’s be honest — how many of you actually trust Kel-Tec to work every time?)
It costs more to build ambidextrous ejection systems, but it’s money well spent. If you’re a lefty, or you just want options, the Hellion’s design is a serious win.
Fun fact: The word “sinister” comes from the Latin sinistra, meaning “left.” Yeah, us lefties were getting dunked on even in ancient Rome. Glad Springfield didn’t follow that tradition.
Range Time: Let’s Make Some Noise
We dragged the Hellion out to my backyard range — a modest 50-yard setup — and put it through its paces. We kept it simple: factory flip-up iron sights only, just like how it ships out of the box.
(Side note: I’ve got friends who can practically shoot the wings off a fly at 200 yards with irons. Me? I’m lucky to hit the broad side of a barn on a good day.)
I ran two loads through it: Federal and Hornady.
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The Federal had one flyer (it happens) and grouped a little low overall.
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The Hornady stayed tighter and closer to point of aim.
Nothing shocking there. A good optic and some ammo tuning would absolutely tighten those groups up, but even straight out of the box, this gun was making me look better than I deserved.
I’ll be honest — the bullpup ergonomics felt a little weird at first. I couldn’t quite get a solid cheek weld thanks to my lack of a proper neck (thanks, genetics). Still, the Hellion shot smooth, ran without a single hiccup, and made me a believer.
Final Verdict: Short Can Be Sweet
The Springfield Hellion delivers everything you want in a bullpup: compact, maneuverable, and still able to reach out and smack targets at distance. It’s built like a tank, runs like a champ, and doesn’t punish you for being left-handed.
Is it cheap? No. Good things usually aren’t.
Would I trust my life to it? After a few hundred more rounds and a proper optic, absolutely.
The bonus bayonet is just the cherry on top — perfect for when the zombies finally kick off and you have to go old-school. If the 20” model isn’t your jam, Springfield also makes 16” and 18” variants for a little less coin.
Bottom line? In the world of rifles, sometimes shorter is better. Especially when the world gets ugly, and your life depends on it.