The bull pup designed rifles are neat.
But for my $ i would like to stay with the AR.
The AR is a little cheaper leaving more $ for ammo and actually shooting the rifle
the AR can presto chango into other duties by swaping out the upper.
One minute it is a long range varmint rifle In either 204 ruger, 223 rem, or 6X45 (AKA 6mm Saw)
the next it is a 16" tactical for three gun with every bell and whistle on it, or not.
the next it is a target 20" for Military target
the next it is a 6.8 or 30 remington for deer hunting
the next it is a 9mm upper for around the house.
Bang, flop, swap and it is now a 22LR conversion kit for cheap shooting at the range for trigger control or a day in the pecan grove for tree rats.
Mounting optics is easy and cheap with the flat top and even fixed cary handle models can get a screw in 4X scope. Mine gets one for bowling pin shoots.
The AR takes AR mags that are everywhere. Yes the new 2000 does too and after a certain point all NATO adopted rifles were to take it as well.
the other cool thing about the AR is you can shoot it either hand.
the bull pup, unless it craps out the bottom like the little FN, not sure about the 2000, if dumps brass out the bottom, it will hit you with hot brass on your weak cheek and clog up the gun. I know the Styer Aug will eject out either side but you have to set it to do it and it is not a quick flip from the one time I shot one almost 20 years ago.
And yes there have been a few time in 3 gun matches and hunting when a left hand shot was the most stable position.
Freaks out my friends when I grab the rifle and plink left handed for a while. You never get better doing it un less you do it.
I remember the three major bull pups of the time the french Famas, the english enfield, and the Styer aug of the mid to late 80 were a little butt heavy with ammo in them. the only assest I see them having is if you were mounted in an armored vehicle and the short compact rifle did not need to be extended in any way once out side of the vehicle. You would just run your 10 yards and flop down. but with the mag that far back something other than the American butt flop is needed or you can bend mags. (I forget what they really call it but it is the teknique for getting prone on the battle field where you use the butt of the rifle to break your fall and then roll left or right and get into firing position) nothing worse than a bent mag, unless it is a bent mag that is full of ammo. But that is another discussion as to what is the best over all battle rifle and why.
Don't get me wrong. If someone hands me one, and I need it for something I would not heasitate to use a bull pup designed rifle.
The WOW factor at the range in another apeal to other people. Not many have them. Loads of people have the AR. And you are kind of unique on the range.
but each AR can be customized to fit your need, want, or task. As there are well over 20,000 parts made just for the AR.