Walther WA 2000

About the Walther WA 2000

The Walther WA 2000 is an exceptionally rare semi-automatic bullpup precision rifle produced by Carl Walther GmbH between 1982 and 1988, designed in response to the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre which exposed critical shortcomings in West German law enforcement's long-range precision capability. Chambered primarily in the powerful .300 Winchester Magnum cartridge - with additional variants offered in .308 Winchester (7.62x51mm NATO) and 7.5x55mm Swiss - the WA 2000 represents one of the most mechanically sophisticated sniper rifles ever built. Its bullpup layout places the action behind the trigger, yielding a remarkably compact 905mm overall length despite a 650mm barrel, while the rifle's defining feature is a fluted hexagonal heavy barrel that is fully supported by clamps along its entire length rather than being merely threaded at the receiver - an engineering approach that virtually eliminates barrel harmonic vibration and delivers match-grade accuracy from a semi-automatic platform. The gas-operated short-stroke action feeds from a six-round detachable box magazine, cycling a hammer-fired mechanism with a crisp two-stage match trigger. Adjustable cheek piece, adjustable buttpad, integral folding bipod, and an integrated scope rail reflect Walther's obsessive commitment to marksman ergonomics. Despite its technical brilliance, the WA 2000's astronomical unit cost of $9,000-$12,000 in 1980s dollars made it commercially unviable, and only 176 rifles were ever produced before the program was cancelled in 1988.

Designed in direct response to the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre - where West German police marksmen failed to neutralize Black September terrorists at distance - the WA 2000 was Walther's attempt to build the mechanically perfect sniper rifle with no compromises. Its fluted hexagonal barrel is clamped to the frame along its entire length rather than attached only at the receiver, eliminating barrel whip and producing match-grade accuracy from a semi-auto bullpup action. The rifle achieved cult status after appearing in the 1987 James Bond film 'The Living Daylights,' wielded by the assassin Necros, and today ranks among the most valuable production firearms ever made - with GSG 9 eventually retiring theirs because the far cheaper PSG1 could accomplish the same mission at a fraction of the cost.

Walther WA 2000 specifications

Exactly 176 Walther WA 2000 rifles were manufactured across three production series between 1982 and 1988, making it one of the rarest production sniper rifles ever built. GSG 9 eventually retired their WA 2000 rifles in favor of the significantly cheaper Heckler & Koch PSG1, which could accomplish the same operational mission at a fraction of the cost. Surviving examples today command $80,000-$120,000+ at auction, with exceptional examples exceeding $150,000. The rifle gained worldwide cult status after appearing in the 1987 James Bond film 'The Living Daylights,' wielded by the assassin Necros, and has since featured prominently in video games such as the Hitman series.