View source for Walther WA 2000

{{short description|Type of semiautomatic bullpup sniper rifle}}
{{Infobox weapon
 | name              = Walther WA 2000
 | image             = Walther WA 2000.JPG
 | image_size        = 
 | caption           = First-generation WA 2000
 | origin            = [[West Germany]]
 | type              = [[Semi-automatic rifle|Semi automatic]] [[bullpup]] [[sniper rifle]]
<!-- Type selection -->
 | is_ranged         = Yes
<!-- Service history -->
 | service           = 
 | used_by           = [[German police]] units
 | wars              = <!-- Production history -->
 | designer          = 
 | design_date       = 1970s–1980s<ref name="WA2000 History & Optional Calibers" />
 | manufacturer      = [[Walther Arms|Walther]]
 | production_date   = 1978<ref name="Weapon"/>–1988; introduced to markets in 1981<ref name="Directory1996"/><ref name="Snipers06"/>
 | number            = 176
 | variants          =
 <!-- General specifications -->
 | weight            = *  6.95 kg (15.3 [[pound (mass)|lb]]) empty ''no scope''<ref name="ownersmanual"/>
*  {{convert|7.91|kg|lb|abbr=on}} loaded (with scope)<ref name="ownersmanual"/>
 | length            = {{convert|905|mm|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="ownersmanual"/>
 | part_length       = {{convert|650|mm|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="ownersmanual"/>
 | width             = 
 | height            = 
 | diameter          =
 <!-- Ranged weapon specifications -->
 | cartridge         = * [[7.62×51mm NATO]]<ref name="WA2000 History & Optional Calibers">{{cite news |last1=Hlebinsky |first1=Ashley |title=WA2000: The Bullpup Sniper Rifle with a Past |url=https://www.recoilweb.com/wa2000-the-bullpup-sniper-rifle-with-a-past-170525.html |access-date=14 March 2025 |work=Recoil |issue=Guns |publisher=Recoil Magazine |date=17 September 2021}}</ref>
* [[.300 Winchester Magnum]]<ref name="ownersmanual"/>
* [[7.5×55mm Swiss]]<ref name="WA2000 History & Optional Calibers" />
 | action            = [[Gas-operated reloading|Gas-operated]],<ref name="ownersmanual"/> [[rotating bolt]]
 | rate              = [[Semi-automatic firearm|Semi-automatic]]<ref name="ownersmanual"/>
 | velocity          = 
 | range             = {{convert|700|m|yd|abbr=on}}
 | max_range         = 
 | feed              = 6-round detachable [[box magazine]].<ref name="ownersmanual"/> A 5-round [[box magazine]] for .300 Winchester Magnum
 | sights            = [[Schmidt & Bender]] 2.5–10× [[telescopic sight]]<ref name="Production Info" />
}}
The '''Walther WA 2000''' is a [[Semi-automatic rifle|semi-automatic]] [[bullpup]] [[sniper rifle]] produced by the [[Walther arms|Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen]] company from 1978<ref name="Weapon">{{cite book |author= Royal Armouries|author-link= |date= April 2008|title= Weapon |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=di9ladQuV4kC|location= |publisher= [[Dorling Kindersley Limited]]|page=320 |isbn=9781405334730}}</ref> to 1988. The WA2000 was introduced to the markets in 1981<ref name="Directory1996">{{cite book |author= <!--Not stated--> |author-link= |date= 1996|title= The Directory of the World's Weapons |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=sH_4kM1ePqcC&q=walther%20wa2000|quote= WA 2000 The Walther WA 2000 was introduced in 1981 and immediately made an impact with its futuristic design|publisher=[[Barnes & Noble]] |page= 87|isbn=9780760702642}}</ref><ref name="Snipers06">{{cite book |author1=  Craig Cabell|author2= Richard Brown|author-link= |date=2006 |title= Snipers: Profiles of the World's Deadliest Killers |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=_LSxsMa8t6wC&q=walther%20wa2000|quote=Walther WA2000 ( Germany ) [...] and on its introduction in 1981[...] |publisher=John Blake |page= 215|isbn=9781844542932}}</ref>  and was produced in three different calibers.<ref name="ownersmanual"/> Production of the rifle was limited and it was shortly stopped because it was too expensive to achieve widespread sales and not robust enough for military use as a sniper rifle.<ref name="Dougherty2012">{{cite book|last=Dougherty|first=Martin J. |title=SAS and Elite Forces Guide Sniper: Sniping Skills from the World's Elite Forces|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j1Dm6EnU7mkC|access-date=18 March 2013|date=16 October 2012|publisher=Amber Books Limited|quote=Using an unusual bullpup configuration, the WA2000 is one of the most accurate rifles ever produced, but it is also extremely expensive. It is intended for the law-enforcement market rather than military sniping, for which it is insufficiently robust.|isbn=978-0-7627-8876-7|page=92}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author1= Ian V. Hogg|author2= John S. Weeks|date=2000 |title= Military Small Arms of the 20th Century|publisher=[[Krause Publications]]|isbn=9780873418249 |page= 253|quote=}}</ref> Only 176 were built due to its high manufacturing cost, making it one of the rarest and most sought-after production firearms ever made; and extremely valuable, common auction prices in the United States start at $50,000.<ref name="Value">{{cite web |title=Lot 1484: Walther Model WA 2000 Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle with Scope |url=https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/81/1484/walther-model-wa-2000-semiautomatic-sniper-rifle-with-scope |website=RIA.com |publisher=Rock Island Auction Company |access-date=14 March 2025}}</ref>

==Design==
The WA 2000 was designed in the late 1970s and early 1980s,<ref name="WA2000 History & Optional Calibers" /> in response to the [[Munich massacre]] at the [[1972 Summer Olympics]].<ref name="WA2000 History & Optional Calibers" /><ref name="officialwebsite">{{cite web |url=http://waltherusa.net/wa2000.htm  |title=Walther Sniper Rifle |year=2004 |publisher=Walther USA |access-date=2010-05-12 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050204193555/http://waltherusa.net/wa2000.htm |archive-date = 2005-02-04}}</ref>

{{blockquote|The barrel is clamped at the front and rear so that it does not twist on firing, while the rest of the barrel is free from any contact with the furniture to prevent further distortions or movement disturbing the gun's aim. Furthermore, the barrel is fluted to dampen vibrations and aid cooling. The barrel is set in line with user's shoulder to reduce recoil and the bolt mechanism sits behind the handgrip in a 'bullpup' arrangement. All stock furniture is fully adjustable, and when firing the .300 Winchester Magnum and using the standard Schmidt and Bender x2.5 to x10 sight, the rifle's accuracy is considerable.|Chris McNab<ref>McNab, 2005</ref>}}

The [[Bullpup|bullpup design]] was chosen to shorten weapon-length, whilst mostly preserving the accuracy and ballistic-performance of an otherwise full-length rifle. The WA 2000 had a quick-detachable [[scope mount]] with a weight of {{convert|0.96|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref name="ownersmanual"/> The rifle did not have [[iron sight]]s. The most commonly used optical sight was a [[Schmidt & Bender]] 2.5–10× [[telescopic sight]].<ref name="Scope">{{cite web |title=Walther WA2000 |url=https://old.weaponsystems.net/weaponsystem/AA05%20-%20WA%202000.html |website=Weaponsystems.net |access-date=14 March 2025}}</ref> Without scope the rifle has an unloaded weight of {{convert|6.95|kg|lb|abbr=on}} and a loaded weight of {{convert|7.35|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref name="ownersmanual"/>

The [[.300 Winchester Magnum]] round was chosen as the primary caliber because of its long range accuracy and its precision at all ranges. The entire rifle is designed around the barrel. The WA 2000 fires from a closed bolt and uses a bolt with seven locking lugs. It has either a single-stage trigger<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/cgrVdNqfDfA Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20170406063830/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgrVdNqfDfA Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgrVdNqfDfA| title = Ostfront 1987: Walther WA-2000 vs SVD Dragunov | website=[[YouTube]]| date = 8 March 2017 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> or a two-stage trigger<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.carlwalther.com/wa2000.htm |title = Walther Sniper Rifle}}</ref> with a trigger pull of 1.2 to 1.4&nbsp;kg (2.65 to 3.1 [[pound-force|lb]]).<ref name="ownersmanual">{{cite web |url=http://www.waltherusa.net/datatabs/wa2000_uebersicht.pdf |title=WA 2000 Owner's Manual |year=2004 |publisher=Walther USA |access-date=2010-05-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040617000022/http://www.waltherusa.net/datatabs/wa2000_uebersicht.pdf |archive-date=2004-06-17}}</ref> The rifle uses single stack box [[Magazine (firearm)|magazines]] with a 6-round capacity, which weigh {{convert|0.4|kg|lb|abbr=on}} when loaded.<ref name="ownersmanual"/>

==Variants==
The WA 2000 was primarily chambered in [[.300 Winchester Magnum]], but also had the option of being chambered in [[7.62×51mm NATO]], and [[7.5×55mm Swiss]].<ref name="WA2000 History & Optional Calibers" />

Only 176 total rifles were produced, and in two different variants. The two variants can be differentiated by the type of [[flash suppressor]] used: the first, the older model, uses a "can" type flash suppressor; whereas the second generation and newer model uses the more conventional "flash-hider/compensator" design. The second generation incorporated several changes improving the rifle's accuracy, making it more suited to its intended job.<ref name="snipercentral">[http://www.snipercentral.com/wa2000.htm Walther WA 2000 at Sniper Central]</ref>

==Production==
The rifle was produced from 1982 until November 1988.<ref name="snipercentral"/><ref name="Production Info">{{cite web |title=Walther WA 2000 |url=https://weaponsystems.net/system/262-AA05%20-%20WA%202000 |website=Weapon Systems |publisher=Weaponsystems.net |access-date=14 March 2025}}</ref> The rifle was used by some [[German police]] units, but production was stopped because it was too expensive to achieve widespread sales.<ref name="WA2000 History & Optional Calibers" /> It was never adopted by a military unit due to its cost and not being robust enough for field service.<ref name="Dougherty2012"/> The final retail cost for a base rifle in the 1980s was in the range of $9,000 to $12,500, and the rifle's current value ranges from $40,000 for the first generation to $75,000 for the second generation.<ref name="snipercentral"/>

==See also==
*[[List of bullpup firearms]]
*[[List of sniper rifles]]

==References==
* {{cite book |last= McNab|first= Chris|date= 2005|title= Twentieth-Century Small Arms : Over 270 of the World's Greatest Small Arms |publisher=Grange Books |page= 257|isbn=9781840133813}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{youTube|_av1zBdnxXY|Walther WA2000: The Ultimate German Sniper Rifle}}

{{Walther}}
{{Bullpup Firearms}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walther Wa 2000}}
[[Category:7.62×51mm NATO semi-automatic rifles]]
[[Category:Bullpup rifles]]
[[Category:Semi-automatic rifles]]
[[Category:Semi-automatic rifles of Germany]]
[[Category:Sniper rifles of Germany]]
[[Category:Cold War weapons of Germany]]