The WA 2000 is a semi-automatic bullpup sniper rifle that was produced by the Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen company. It was produced in three different calibers. Production of the rifle was limited and it was shortly stopped because it was too expensive to achieve widespread sales; only 176 were produced as a result. Due to this, the WA 2000 is extremely valuable and can fetch high prices in firearms auctions.
Design[]
The WA 2000 was designed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, in response to the 1972 Summer Olympics Munich massacre. The bullpup design was chosen because it would allow a standard length (for a sniper rifle) barrel to be used whilst the overall length would be shorter than a conventional rifle. The WA 2000 had a quick-detachable scope mount with a weight of 0.96 kg (2.1 lb). The rifle did not have iron sights. The most commonly used optical sight was a Schmidt & Bender 2.5-10X telescopic sight. With no scope equipped, the rifle has an unloaded weight of 6.95 kg (15.3 lb) and a loaded weight of 7.35 kg (16.2 lb).
The .300 Winchester Magnum round was chosen as the primary caliber because of its long range accuracy and its consistency 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 a two-stage trigger with a trigger pull of 1.2 to 1.4 kg (2.65 to 3.1 lb). The WA 2000 displays exceptional accuracy. The rifle uses single stack box magazines that feature a 6-round capacity.
Production[]
The WA 2000 was produced from 1982 until November 1988. The rifle was used by some German police units, but production was stopped because it was too expensive to achieve widespread sales. The final retail cost for a base rifle in the 1980s was in the range of $9,000 USD, and the rifle's current value ranges from $40,000 USD for the first generation to $75,000 USD for the second generation. You can still purchase a NIB condition WA 2000 directly from Walther for $75,000 USD.
Variants[]
The WA 2000 was chambered for the .300 Winchester Magnum, but also the 7.62×51mm NATO and the 7.5×55mm Swiss.
Only 176 total rifles (15 of which are in the United States) were ever 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, the newer model, uses the more conventional 'flash-hider/ compensator' design. The first generation had problems with the gas blowback system and was soon revamped to the second generation. The newer model was refined with a more robust gas system which also reduced the recoil and a more effective flash suppressor was added in addition to an upgraded bipod. The fluted barrel was also eliminated on the newer model. The combination of the new gas system and the non fluted barrel made the second generation rifles more accurate than the first generation.