Went to the LGS today and they had a keltec RDB and I got to try it out.

I really liked the feel of the RDB but between the pistol grip and the magazine/magwell there wasn’t as much room as I would like.

I have handled the Tavor (it’s been a while) and AUG (been a few years) and from what I remember they both are also tight between the pistol grip and magwell area.

Which bullpup has the most room between the pistol grip and magwell?

Btw I was super impressed with the RDB layout and feel (other than the closeness of the grip area to magwell and the feel of the plastic).  The RDB handled well, trigger was ok, better than the AUG and Tavors but no where near a match ar15 trigger.

Side note- when dry firing the RDB the sound of the firing pin was super loud. The plastic stock transferred the sound worse than any sproing in a buffer tube on an Ar15.

Still of all the semi auto bullpup s I have handed the RDB had the best proportions for me.

I’m partial to the X95, but that’s just me. I find it comfortable enough and them moving the mag release up next to the trigger is handy.  It’s got a plastic shell, but it doesn’t feel cheap to me like Kel-Tec’s stuff does. The built in BUIS is a nice touch too.

Downsides:
It’s going to be a fair amount more than the RDB. The original was over-gassed.  Don’t know about the 5.56 version of the X95, mines in 300 BO, which (unlike the 5.56 model) comes with a two position regulator.  I still occasionally get “Tavor face” though.

Not sure, sounds like it might be more of a personal thing. I personally love the Steyr AUG, best bullpup no doubt. The Tavor X95 does seem good also though. Haven't played with the Kel-Tec though.

The tight space is just the nature of the beast, but it's something you can get used to. The K&M M17S feels a bit roomy in the shoulder pocket, so you could look at that. Not sure if you'll be able to find one locally.

I personally like the AUG the best with the RDB as a quaint second place, the IWI offerings never did it for me. Funnily enough, the Tavor's polymer feels worse to me than the Kel-Tec offerings. I'm also not accustomed to AR controls so nothing about the X-95 interests me.

The RDB has a close-ish fit there because of how the mag-catch is used; you're supposed to loosen your shooting grip & shift your wrist back to bump the catch & drop a mag while your other hand brings up the new one.

However, the grip angle of the RDB is such that, for me anyway, even a D60 drum does not contact my wrist unless I'm really tucking my arm down.

Think of it this way; the greater the distance between your shooting hand and the magwell, the harder it will be to load a new magazine because of the greater reach required.

Yes, the hammer is very loud because it's much larger than it is on most guns, and there's just a thin sheet of metal blocking it from your ear; has nothing at all to do with plastic, your ear is all of 3 inches from the strike point, unlike the AR.  I make sure to tell folks they really shouldn't dry fire without an earplug in that side, since it will ring your ear for a short bit, therefore not quite hearing safe.

RFB has a little more room there, I've never had issues with mine.
Plus it's smaller overall.
Plus it's .308...
Minus it's ~1lb heavier.

I’d think you’d find if you used any for a decent time it’s a non-issue. If one is new to bullpups they can feel pretty funky, but after awhile it does start to grow on you. I have a PS90 and Tavor, and had () an FS2000, and after awhile they’re all pretty natural feeling and intuitive firearms. I’ve never accidentally hit any mag catches with my forearm, I’ve heard many worry about it, but never seen it happen either. This is largely in reference to the Tavor as I doubt it could happen with the others I have, but it is very similar to the RDB.

I can't compare it to any others, but I've never felt the need for more room there on my AUG.

Why would one even want more room there?  In 25 years of bullpup ownership, that has never once crossed my mind

I had the same issue with the RDB.  Just standing, prone or shooting from the bench was never an issue with the space between the grip and mag release.  However, once I started moving from one place to the next and shooting in different positions, I started to see my RDB with a missing mag.  I found G.I. mags dropped the easiest, just a slight bump was all that was needed.  The RDB is far from military equipment.  However, it's lighter, has a better stock trigger, will cycle even “weak” steel case russian ammo and supresses very well, keeping the gas away from my face.  It's a fun civilian sporter bullpup.  I still prefer my Tavor with the Tav-D trigger pack.

I have most of these except the RDB and X95. I think K&M is using adjustable gas blocks on both his rifles.
I've had no issues using any of these rifles but I too have no training to overcome.

Is this even something worth worrying about? To get more room between the grip and mag well, you need one of two things: a longer length of pull or a closer mag well to your body - both of which are not doing a bullpup any favors.

Find one that fits you and get used to the non-AR ergos.

Makes sense. I am just used to conventional rifles (especially AR’s) and the bullpup magazine seems to hit right where I want my wrist to be.

Overall the RDB handles the best for me. Still need to try an MDR and a K&M

I am VERY interested in the RDB-C or RDB Survival, myself, as a backpacking or bug out rifle. If the mag release is so easily bumped loose, I may need to change my mind. Has anyone else here used the RDB and had this issue?

I ran a few mags through a friend of mine's RDB on a course, didn't bump the mag release at all through the run. I know he hasn't bumped the mag release in the other times we've ran, but I'll check with him if it has happened.

EDIT: I totally forgot those use the AR style mag release, don't see how you can bump those.

Both of those models use a button mag release.

Works for me. Now if A they would show up and B I can squirrel the money away.

Totally spaced the survival model....... maybe that would work

OP, you still haven't said why you want more space between the grip and mag

Nm...saw the op's reply above