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When the Walther WA 2000 sniper rifle appeared on the market in 1981, it was a radical departure from the more conventional sniper rifles then in use. Development of the WA 2000 was started by the Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen, a response to the aftermath of the Munich Massacre that took place during the 1972 Summer Olympics. At that time, the standard West German police sniper rifle was the Heckler & Koch G3SG/1. This was simply a regular G3 assault rifle picked off the factory floor when it showed high accuracy on the testing range. A heavy bipod and Zeiss 1.5-6x36 telescopic sight was added to the rifle, creating the G3SG/1. Following the incident, after action reports pointed out the need for a dedicated sniper rifle that could be deployed in urban environments where engagement ranges were shorter. The WA 2000 was one of three designs developed, the other two being the Mauser SP66 (appearing in 1976) and the Heckler & Koch PSG1 (Präzisionsschützengewehr 1; Precision Rifle 1) which was introduced in late 1972.
The WA 2000, visually, differed from both the SP66 and PSG1 greatly. The WA 2000 is a bullpup design in which the magazine and action are situated behind the trigger group. This permitted the rifle to maintain a standard 26 inch barrel but have a shorter overall length in comparison to a traditional rifle. As an example, the total length of the SP66 is 3.6 feet long while the WA 2000 is 2.9 feet long. This makes using the WA 2000 in the closer confines typical of urban terrain easier. The next visually striking difference is the floating barrel situated between the bottom stock and upper rail. A floating barrel means that the only point of contact the barrel has with the weapon is the connection to the receiver. The benefit is that there are no external factors acting on a floating barrel that could influence accuracy. With traditional barrels, the pressure caused by a bipod, rested stock, or even a sling can act against the barrel, affecting trajectory. In addition, temperature and humidity can warp plastic or wood stock furniture and cause accuracy reduction. Something as basic as draping a camouflage net over the rifle can even have a negative effect on bullet trajectory, especially at range.
The WA 2000 uses a gas-operated, rotating bolt action and is a semi-automatic weapon. The primary round used in the WA 2000 is the .300 Winchester Magnum and the box magazine holds five rounds. There were three other calibers the WA 2000 could be chambered for, these being .308 Winchester, 7.5x55mm Swiss, and 7.62x51mm NATO. As the latter three rounds are smaller, the box magazine for these calibers holds six rounds. The rifle can use either a one-stage trigger or a two-stage trigger.
Although not visible in this photograph, the WA 2000 has a adjustable spike bipod mounted on the top of the weapon near the muzzle which is fitted with a flash suppressor. Early makes used a “can” style flash suppressor while the final production make used a different design. The stock furniture is fully adjustable to suit the firer. The WA 2000 does not have iron sights and so it requires optics with the standard one being a Schmidt & Bender 2.5-10x telescopic sight. The sight used in the photograph is not a Schmidt & Bender but a more modern one, as is the scope mount which features a integral upper rail.
The WA 2000, despite its impressive capability, did not enjoy success. Two factors doomed the rifle. The first was the cost and all in, the WA 2000 topped out at $12,500 when production ended in 1988. In 2025 value, the rifle would have cost $35,010. This was far more than either the West German military or police were willing to pay. By comparison, the H&K PSG1 could be had for under $5,000. The second factor was the WA 2000 was too frail to withstand the rigors of military use. With the military not interested and the West German police opting for the PSG1 and SP66, only 176 examples were made. A small number of German police units adopted the WA 2000 but it wasn't enough to justify continued production.
Given Japan's strict weapon laws, the WA 2000 shown in the photograph is most likely an airsoft replica. The most common is the Walther licensed Ares WA 2000 which is a spring gun firing 6mm pellets from a 50-round magazine. The Ares WA 2000 does feature Hop-Up and is compatible with using CO2 bottles to work the action rather than the firer using their hand to rack the bolt. Retail cost for a Ares WA 2000 is around $650 to $800. Another replica is the Geneth WA 2000 though this isn't a licensed version and is not well received in regards to quality. In Japan, the Asahi WA 2000 is the de facto airsoft version of the rifle but is quite rare and examples come with a significant cost. Given the markings on the weapon in the photograph, it is not an Asahi as they do not use the Walther logo.
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