Cool gun, now bullpup it! The internet-based firearms community both loves and loathes bullpupping normal guns. One of my favorite reoccurring memes is folks taking a standard, popular weapon and turning it into a bullpup via image editing. A company called Reap Weaponry took the meme, turned it into a dream, and made it a reality. The Reap Scy took the AR-15 platform and bull-pupped it!
Yep, now even the AR-15 can’t escape becoming the weapon of numerous space flicks and sci-fi video games. The Reap Weaponries Scy isn’t a bullpup AR-15 but a means to take your AR-15 and just bullpup it. It’s a frame or adapter, or well, it’s a bit tough to describe. It’s the Scy, and that’ll have to be enough for now. I first ran into Reap Weaponries at SHOT Show 2023. Their booth instantly caught my eye because that’s what bullpup guns do.
I chatted with the very friendly folks at Reap Weaponries, and they were fantastic in explaining their system, and they had tons of bullpup ARs of various types on the walls. I snagged a card, and now several months later, I have my own Reap Weaponries Scy on loan. Let’s dig into it.
What is the Reap Weaponries Scy?
The Scy is essentially a polymer frame that encapsulates your AR-15 lower receiver. You need a MIL-Spec lower receiver, and that’s not a suggestion. It’s a must-have. You need to be able to remove the trigger guard, and it needs to fit just right. Don’t try to do anything too crazy or fancy with your lower.
Installation isn’t difficult, but it is a hair tricky. It does require you to take your time and be precise. My advice would be to read the directions in their entirety, watch the video in its entirety, and then begin the process. You’ll still follow the directions step by step, but you can visualize and better understand where you’re going.
The Scy’s use of a standard AR lower opens it up to nearly any caliber or design. I installed a simple multi-cal lower, and that opened me up to a ton of different options. With a standard multi-cal lower, I can install a ProMag quick conversion magazine block and use 9mm Colt SMG mags and a 9mm upper, maybe a heavy buffer — and now I have a PCC in a bullpup format.
I can easily swap to .300 Blackout, .224 Valkyrie, 6.8 SPC, .22LR, or even .410 if I so choose. The Scy is rated up to .50 Beowulf. Not bad. It’s certainly a very adaptable platform that can still make use of the AR-15 accessibility. What is required is for your upper to have an M-LOK rail. During installation, an M-LOK adapter attaches to your rail and to the Scy frame.
The Ergonomic Change Up
Switching a gun from a standard platform to a bullpup can be tricky. The Scy can be set up for ambidextrous operation, which is quite nice. Ergonomics certainly change when we put things into action. Bullpups are famously difficult to reload, and that’s one of the issues with the Scy, at least when using a standard magazine release. An extended magazine release would certainly help, and so would an ambidextrous mag release. I would say the same for the bolt release, but it’s not a necessity.
The other issue comes down to length of pull. You can use any stock, but you want to use a short stock, potentially a PDW stock with a PDW buffer, to keep the length of pull and overall length down to a shorter standard.
I used a BRN-180 upper for most of my shooting. The side charging handle of the BRN-180 was a little easier to use. The rear charging handle isn’t bad, but I preferred the side charger for a bullpup layout.
The Scy uses two safeties. One on the receiver like normal and one on the Scy that is placed above the firing control of the Scy frame. It’s pretty easy to use and very ergonomic. You can use the rear safety for storage and transport and the front safety for operational use.
At the Range
I had two concerns with the Scy and a bullpup AR-15, reliability and accuracy. Other issues I could work out or learn to work with. With that in mind, I grabbed my numerous AR mags and some ammo and hit the range. I used a mix of Lancers and PMAGs, but it doesn’t really matter. I put 200 rounds through the gun on day one, and it was problem free, and another 200 rounds throughout the week as I practiced learning to reload and handle the Scy.
I never ran into any problems. Not only did the gun function fine, but the Scy functioned perfectly as well. Nothing came loose or failed in any way. It held together without complaint and functioned perfectly. It’s mostly polymer, but as we know, in 2023, polymer isn’t an issue.
Accuracy wasn’t degraded in any noticeable way. The trigger is a little longer and a little grittier, but honestly not as bad as other bullpup triggers. It’s better than the Steyr AUG, for example, and isn’t bad enough to kill your accuracy.
At 100 yards, I could still produce respectable groups near 1 MOA from a rested position. That’s basically the same degree of accuracy I get from the un-bull-pupped BRN-180. With both reliability and accuracy seemingly unchanged, my main complaints were ergonomics.
How to Perfect the Scy
My length of pull was absurd, and I certainly could shoot the weapon comfortably in a squared-up modern shooting style or use it with armor. I need a much shorter stock. Also, as mentioned, reloads are awkward but doable.
First, get a short PDW stock. Make sure it’s way shorter than a standard stock. The Angstadt Arms SCW stock looks like it would work nicely. The LWRC UCIW Ultra Compact is probably my choice with its actual cheek rest. There are tons of options, but just make sure it’s short.
You also need an extended magazine release, but you want it to extend outwards. Most extended magazine releases are wider. I’m looking at the Arredondo AR-15 magazine release. It’s big and wide and likely easier to reach.
Those two things will make it super easy to make your rifle more competent and easier to use. The Scy works well, but with a few modifications, it can be quite competent and ergonomic. Ultimately the Reap Weaponries Scy succeeds quite well in its ability to turn your AR-15 into a bullpup rifle. While it can be tricky ergonomically, the concept is sound. I’m impressed by how well it works, and Reap Wepaonries certainly seems to have a bright future in its forecast.
