Hunting with silencers has become an increasingly essential part of modern hunting to optimize ethical, efficient, and successful hunting. A silencer not only protects a hunter’s hearing but also significantly reduces disturbance to animals and the surrounding environment. A hunter shoots more accurately and with higher confidence because recoil and muzzle blast are minimized, making shooting significantly more comfortable. The wrong path is shortening a barrel to fit a silencer. The problem to solve is how to integrate a silencer as a core function of a rifle to maintain optimal barrel length, balance, and ergonomics. Walther has an answer, however, with the RS3.
Walther RS3 – Built for Hunting Suppressed
Traditional bolt-action and even modern compact straight-pull rifles are unable to provide all of these items. Many manufacturers try to overcome this by dramatically shortening the barrel length and forward mounting a silencer. Performance suffers. If a .300 Winchester Magnum barrel is shortened from 24 inches to 16 inches, the .300 Win Mag is effectively reduced to a .308 Winchester. Even after reducing barrel length, adding a silencer still results in an extremely long, unbalanced, and heavily front-weighted rifle. The ‘pointability’ and handling, so critical for hunts, are completely lost. In addition, with a drastically shortened barrel, lead distance on the running animals increases dramatically, and long-range performance is significantly reduced.
Walther decided it was time to reinvent the bolt-action rifle. The first truly compact straight-pull rifle with a silencer perfectly matched and balanced to the overall system. Integrated and designed from the ground up. The focus can therefore remain on target without any sacrifice in performance or ergonomics.
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Results of the Design
It provides outstanding handling on hunts, during stalking, and in a high seat.
The barrel is the optimal length for the ballistic performance of each caliber.
Ideal balance, ergonomics, and outstanding pointability. The RS 3 is highly intuitive and naturally points where the hunter‘s eye is focused.
All functional elements are ergonomically positioned for lightning-fast cocking and bolt cycling.
The unique hand-cocking system of the RS 3 is integrated into the pistol grip of the thumbhole stock. The rifle is cocked intuitively when mounting the rifle or when in a shooting position. The safety of the rifle is felt by hand in all conditions, even in cold weather, with gloves or in darkness. Target acquisition, mounting, and cocking merge into one fluid movement. Bright signal colors clearly indicate the cocking state at all times for the benefit of you and those around you. To open the bolt, a light tap on the cocking slide is sufficient, all while remaining in a safe condition.
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Comes with Suppressor
The RS 3 is supplied as standard with a Walther QSA silencer featuring Zerolock quick attachment. The standard configuration includes the Walther QSA hunting silencer, made from tenifer-nitrided steel, and a high-strength anodized aluminum tube. The patented Zerolock system allows mounting in one position with only a short 60 ° turn, ensuring a constant point of impact even after removal and reattachment. The separate Walther heat protection sleeve allows rapid removal and immediate storage of the silencer, even when hot
Walther is world-renowned for its triggers. For decades, they have developed triggers for Olympic champions, police forces, and military units. All of this expertise has been incorporated into the Walther Performance Trigger. It breaks at 1.75 pounds like glass. Light enough for ultimate accuracy. Heavy enough to prevent unintentional discharge under stress on driven hunts or when wearing gloves.
Walther RS3
The straight-pull system operates linearly and is simple and intuitive to use. The bolt handle is perfectly positioned and generously dimensioned. Even after firing, there is no need to lift your head; the RS 3 lets you stay fully focused. Cycling is performed in the shoulder so your eyes can stay on target, enabling fast, precise follow-up shots. The rifle recocks during cycling and is immediately ready to fire again.
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In toto, the RS3 is the perfect suppressed hunting rifle. Built with suppression and precision as core elements, it is an excellent choice for hunters dedicated to suppressed hunting.
For more information, visit Walther.
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