Walther RS3 Heritage Fourstar

The Walther RS3 Heritage Fourstar combines innovation with a classic look. Thanks to its bullpup design this rifle is compact, while simultaneously retaining the barrel length of a full-length rifle.

Bullpup designs have been applied for some time already in semi-automatic and automatic weapons. The advantage of this concept is that the barrel length can remain longer on a shorter weapon, allowing performance of a full-length rifle in a more compact package. This is due to the fact that both barrel and action are located further back in the rifle. One of the greatest disadvantages of this design is that the pistol grip and trigger are no longer located directly underneath the action. As a consequence, the trigger needs to be connected to the action with longer parts, which generally results in worse triggers.

Walther has managed to resolve this issue with the RS3, resulting in a rifle which has the advantages of a bullpup while also having a very good trigger. The trigger pull is 800 grams, without a long, squishy trigger pull with which many bullpup rifles are equipped. This makes for a trigger which is light enough to deliver the required precision, while not being too light in stressful moments or when wearing gloves.

Another potential disadvantage of a bullpup is that the bolt is in an impractical location for manual operation. This is certainly not the case with the Walther RS3 Heritage Fourstar: the bolt handle is located directly above the trigger guard, allowing for easy access and operation. Because it is a straight-pull bolt it is also extremely fast to operate, allowing for follow-up shots to be fired as quickly as possible.

The balance of the Walther RS3 has played a central role in the design of the rifle. Because hunting with a suppressor is increasingly common around the world, this was incorporated into the design by equipping the RS3 with a specially designed suppressor. With this suppressor installed, the centre of gravity of the rifle is located precisely between both hands, just in front of the trigger guard. A muzzle brake was also developed, with which the rifle has the exact same centre of gravity. Thanks to this ideal balance the shouldering of the RS3 is very natural, making the rifle feel light and controllable instead of heavy and sluggish.

Cocking the rifle is also done in an innovative way, by pressing a button in the rear of the pistol grip. By putting the thumb in the thumbhole and placing it correctly around the pistol grip, the button can be pushed forward. In doing so, it locks into a small recess at the top, ensuring it remains in place until it is pushed again, after which it can be released. This makes it intuitive and quick to operate, even while shouldering and aiming the RS3. It also serves as an extremely reliable safety, as the rifle cannot be fired without cocking it first.

Barrel length and magazine capacity per calibre:

Depending on the calibre, the Walther RS3 Heritage Fourstar has a different barrel length. This ensures optimal muzzle velocity for each calibre. Magazine capacity also varies.

• .308 Winchester: 580 mm barrel length, with a magazine capacity of 6+1 rounds.
• .30-06 Springfield: 580 mm barrel length, with a magazine capacity of 6+1 rounds.
• .300 Winchester Magnum: 620 mm barrel length, with a magazine capacity of 5+1 rounds.

Walther RS3 Heritage Fourstar features:

• Innovative bullpup design with straight-pull bolt
• Balanced around use of a suppressor or muzzle brake
• Class 4 walnut stock with ebony accents
• Fixlock optics mounting system
• Carbon barrel shrouds and -accents
• Elastomer inlays in pistol grip and forend ensure better grip
• QD sling mounts
• Trigger pull: 800 grams