Imagine walking the floor at SHOT Show 2026 and stumbling upon a booth that’s basically yelling British invasion—American style. Murdoch & Co. just dropped the EM-85, their audacious take on the infamous SA80 bullpup rifle, reimagined as a fully American-made, semi-auto clone that’s not just a copycat but an improved, remanufactured evolution. Named after the experimental EM-2 from the 1950s—a radical bullpup that nearly became Britain’s standard issue before NATO politics killed it—this isn’t some cheap import knockoff. It’s built stateside, sidestepping the headaches of Enfield’s original design woes like that notoriously finicky gas system and plastic furniture that felt like it was designed by a committee of accountants. At a show packed with ARs and 1911s, this stands out as a bold middle finger to conventional wisdom: bullpups aren’t just for foreigners anymore.
What makes this more than eye candy? The SA80’s rep is a mixed bag—L85A1s were plagued by reliability issues in the Falklands and Gulf War, earning nicknames like the civil servant’s rifle for jamming in the rain. Murdoch’s EM-85 promises fixes: modern materials, refined ergonomics, and semi-auto optimization for the civilian market, all while nailing that iconic angular aesthetic. For the 2A crowd, this is catnip. Bullpups have always been niche in the US—compact, high-capacity platforms perfect for CQB or home defense without sacrificing barrel length—but import restrictions and mil-spec snobbery kept them sidelined. Now, with domestic production, we’re talking real scalability: think state-compliant configs for restrictive areas, potential pistol brace integrations, or even modular upgrades to rival the Tavor or AUG. It’s a gateway drug for bullpup skeptics, proving you can homage foreign designs without the ATF import drama.
The implications? This could spark a bullpup renaissance in American hands, diversifying options beyond the Glock-and-AR duopoly. In a post-brace rule world, compact rifles like the EM-85 scream innovation, potentially pressuring big players like PSA or Palmetto to up their game. For collectors and tinkerers, it’s a dream—swap mags with L85 compatibility? Custom cerakote in stars-and-stripes? Yes, please. Murdoch & Co. isn’t just cloning history; they’re rewriting it for the American shooter, reminding us that 2A freedom means experimenting with the world’s best (and fixing the worst). If you’re at SHOT or hunting pre-orders, don’t sleep on this— the bullpup wars just got interesting.
