Walther RS3, a revolutionary bull-pup straight-pull hunting rifle
Walther announces the RS3 straight-pull, bull-pup hunting rifle, a revolutionary suppressor-ready design in three calibers based on a monocoque action
Walther RS3, a revolutionary bull-pup straight-pull hunting rifle
Introduced at the 2026 edition of the Jagd & Hund expo in Dortmund, Germany, Walther's RS3 represents a true revolution in the field of straight-pull hunting rifles, particularly those specifically designed for big game hunting and for battue hunting – with suppressors.
In many Countries, including some in Europe, the use of sound suppressors for hunting is not only allowed but recommended (in certain locations it's even mandatory); to conceive a suppressor-ready hunting rifle that would be easy to handle and well balanced even in the thickest brush with a can attached without resorting to a shorter barrel – which would result in a drastic drop in ballistics and performance – Walther decided to go for the road less traveled.
Indeed, the RS3 is one of the very few rifles specifically designed for hunting (not for hunting and sport shooting or for hunting and home defense) to be designed as a bull-pup – meaning, with the magazine and action located behind the trigger.
At the heart of Walther's new RS3 rifle is a monocoque machined out of a solid aluminum billet that hosts all moving parts like a cage – a fully self-contained design that maximizes rigidity and safety, reduces tolerances to a tight minimum and optimizes weight distribution, resulting in guaranteed sub-MOA accuracy levels right out of the box.
Walther RS3 bull-pup straight-pull hunting rifle – Heritage Fourstar variant
Walther RS3 bull-pup straight-pull hunting rifle – Heritage Sevenstar variant
Walther RS3 bull-pup straight-pull hunting rifle – Pro Chestnut variant
Walther RS3 bull-pup straight-pull hunting rifle – Pro Pine variant
The barreled monocoque is mated on a single-piece stock manufactured out of polymer – available in dark green Pro Pine or dark brown Pro Chestnut variants – or caucasian walnut root burl, available in Grade 4 (Heritage Fourstar) or even Grade 7 variants (Heritage Sevenstar).
All models feature elastomer inserts on the grip front strap and handguard, a rubberized recoil pad on the stock, and a carbon fiber and elastomer cheekpiece. Also common to all models is a Thumbhole-style grip with a large lever located within the thumbhole itself, akin to the grip safety of a 1911-type pistol, which is actually a manual firing pin cocker and decocker.
When the action is manually cycled, all the rifle does is to chamber a round; the Walther RS3 is then made ready to fire by gripping the thumbhole and pushing the firing pin cocker with your palm when bringing the gun to bear. The same flat lever is used to decock the striker for transportation. This makes accidental discharges absolutely impossible, and the Walther RS3 one of the safest hunting rifles to carry around even on the harshest terrains.
The cocking handle, with a large knob, is located on the right side of the receiver right above the grip. The action is long but surprisingly smooth, easy and quick to operate blindly, and the bull-pup layout of the Walther RS3 makes it easy to chamber while keeping a steady shooting position.
Available in three calibers – .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, and .300 Winchester Magnum – the Walther RS3 rifle feeds via proprietary detachable linear magazines holding six rounds of .308 or .30-06 ammunition or five rounds of .300 WM, plus one in chamber. The newly-designed, user-adjustable Walther Performance Trigger contributes to an excellent shooting experience by breaking crisply at 800 grams (29.2 oz).
The RS3 also comes from factory with Walther's new Fixlock modular optics mount, allowing the installation of a wide array of riflescopes, prism sights, and red dot sights through a series of interchangeable bases including rings, proprietary MRDS or Zeiss/Swarovski mounts, or a do-it-all Picatinny rail.
The Walther RS3 rifle comes from factory with a carbon-wrapped, 58 cm / 22.8" (for .308 or .30-06) or 62 cm / 24.4" (for .300WM) barrel whose prominent feature is the Zerolock muzzle design for the quick installation of the dedicated Walther QSA sound suppressor.
Manufactured out of hard-coat anodized aluminum and nitride-Tenifer treated steel, Walther's QSA suppressor comes issued from factory with the RS3 rifle and can be installed by simply inserting it on to the barrel and twisting it to a fast 60-degrees in one single turn.
For those Countries where suppressors are banned or subject to other restrictions or red tape that would make them impossible to sell with the rifle, the Walther RS3 comes with a proprietary ported compensator, dubbed the Walther QCA, with no sound suppression properties but fully capable to reduce recoil by an impressive 40%.
In all cases, the Walther RS3 is never longer than 104 cm / 41" (108 cm / 42.5" for the .300 Winchester Magnum), and never heavier than 3,8 kilograms / 8.37 lbs with the Walther QSA suppressor or Walther QCA compensator attached.
Other features include a set of front and rear QD swivel attachment points for a proprietary sling, a magnetic interface for bipods, a dedicated transport soft case and a protective sleeve for the QSA suppressor or QCA compensator.
Distribution of the Walther RS3 straight-pull bull-pup hunting rifle will start in Europe in by spring, with the .308 Winchester version slated to be the first model launched, followed by all others later in 2026 and possibly additional calibers in the future.
MSRP for European markets is set at €3,999.00 for the synthetic stock variants, €5,399.00 for the Grade 4 wooden stock variant and €6,999.00 for the Grade 7 wooden stock variant. No information concerning availability and pricing outside of the European markets has been made available so far.
For further information, visit the official Walther RS3 website.
