Lot 1484: Walther Model WA 2000 Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle with Scope

Manufactured in 1988, the final year of production, this extremely rare rifle is only one of 176 total manufactured. The design for this rifle came about as a direct response to numerous criminal and politically motivated violent incidents in the early 1970s in West Germany. The 1972 Munich Massacre, when nine members of the Israeli Olympic Team were taken hostage by the Palestinian militant group Black September, was particularly influential. A rescue attempt involving "snipers" was made by the West German police, who were armed with standard issue H&K G3 rifles, no optics, and no specific sniper training. The attempt failed, leading to a shootout with the militants during which all of the hostages and one police officer were killed. At its inception this rifle was intended to be a dedicated sniper platform for the military and police that was capable of executing the "final rescue shot" in a hostage situation such as that in Munich. In 1982 Walther designers presented their prototype, which they called the WA 2000, standing for Walther Automat 2000. At its core the rifle was designed around the barrel, which incorporated the latest in vibration and heat dissipation technology, as well as a finely tuned muzzle brake intended to reduce recoil by up to 50%. The gas-operated bolt that rotates approximately 60 degrees has seven lugs. Via a gas port in the barrel, a piston is moved, which initiates the unlocking procedure. The weapon is built on a frame constructed from rectangular tubes and steel plates. The back part of the frame is fixed to a housing, which contains the bolt and barrel. The arrangement of the action is an important characteristic of this weapon. By relocating the action to the back of the stock, an extraordinarily short and therefore versatile weapon emerged. The trigger system, firing mechanism, trigger, trigger guard, safety and magazine lips with magazine stop are all built in the lower rail and built as a single unit. This sub-unit can be tested for it's function without being connected to the rest of the weapon. The ambidextrous safety has an effect on both the trigger and the trigger bar. This rifle is equipped with an optional bipod which is mounted on the upper rail. The walnut forearm, comb, and thumb-hole pistol grip stock are installed independently, allowing for customization to the shooter. It was manufactured in .300 Winchester Magnum, .308 Winchester (7.62x51 NATO) and 7.5x51mm Swiss. The .300 was chosen as the primary caliber because of it's long range accuracy and consistency at all ranges. Of the 176 total produced, it is believed that only 15 were ever imported to the United States, with 8 of those being chambered in .308 like this example. It is fitted with the most commonly used optical sight, which was a Schmidt & Bender 2.5-10x scope, manufactured in West Germany. A generic hard case is included.

Excellent overall, retains 98% plus of the original matte black finish with some scattered light scratches, a few areas showing light edge wear, and some light wear around the charging handle channel. The wood has some scattered light handling marks, excellent grip texture, and retains almost all of the original finish. The scope is excellent with clear optics. Truly a unicorn in the world of semi-automatic arms collecting! Don't miss this opportunity to own this extremely scarce Walther WA 2000, as you may not get another chance!