The legendary, updated target pistol now also for rapid fire: Walther GSP500 Rapid Fire in .22 Long Rifle

Legends live forever – such as the Walther GSP sports pistol, which was released in 1968, was built until a few years ago and is now the best-selling match pistol in the world. Nevertheless, after the somewhat hapless GSP successor pistol, the Walther SSP, it was time to return to the recipe for success with the interchangeable system technology, and this was the starting signal for the development of the Walther GSP500, which was presented for the first time at the IWA 2022 and which we have already presented in detail here.

These five-shot sporting guns are all-round models, so to speak, because they are suitable for several disciplines at the same time  –  the rimfire version can be used in the 25-Meter Sport Pistol competitions (for women even at the Olympics) and also the internationally popular Standard Pistol discipline. However, these competitions for the .22 Long Rifle cartridge are also held, usually with similar rules, by other shooting sports associations, so that you can compete universally and across associations with the same pistol (sometimes with simpler grips). The Walther GSP500 is also available in the smallest approved and competition-capable centerfire caliber, the tongue-twisting .32 Smith & Wesson Long Wadcutter, for centerfire pistol competitions (ISSF, national and international) for example, but also for the military competitions of the CISM organization.

In addition to stand-alone GSP500 versions in .22 LR and .32 S&W Long Wadcutter, Walther also offers interchangeable kits for the respective conversion, which is not only more cost-effective: the same trigger characteristics and similar handling when loading and cocking are used, the respective sights remain on the interchangeable kits, so that the quick exchange does not require any conversions. Here you will find an overview of all Walther sport pistols on the freshly redesigned company website.

The same and yet completely different: the Walther GSP500 Rapid Fire has special functions for the rapid fire discipline

The fact that the Walther GSP500 Rapid Fire, which will be available at the end of 2024, only arrived well after the duo presentation in .22 Long Rifle and .32 S&W is somewhat due to the market situation: Walther still has a good market share among sport pistol shooters in Germany, even though the majority of German and international shooters have been competing with the Italian Pardini pistols for years. When the new ISSF rules were introduced in 2005, the world federation had hoped that a standardised pistol rule for sport, standard and rapid fire pistols would encourage more young shooters to try out the OSP and thus revitalise the discipline. In fact, this hope of being able to compete in two or even three competitions with just one pistol is deceptive, at least for the top shooters: they buy a second pistol because, for example, the trigger setting is also different in OSP (almost direct triggering). The actually identical trigger characteristics of the Rapid Fire are influenced by the different control cam of the slide. So for top performance you have to deviate a little from the basic design.

The most noticeable external difference between the "normal" GSP500 and the GSP500 Rapid Fire is probably the adjustable impulse absorbers, recognisable by the muzzle block in front of the double-sided cocking handles. It is designed to reduce muzzle jump after each shot, as rapid fire pistols are aimed at five adjacent targets at 25 meters. Every unnecessary flip of the muzzle requires a correction to return to the horizontal path to the next target 75 cm away. And that costs time and accuracy. From the instructions: "Muzzle jump can be controlled by four spring-loaded tungsten weights, each weighing 20 grams. Five different settings are possible (-1;0;1;2;3). Two other 20-gram weights, also spring-loaded, are located on the front sight base. Four additional unsprung weights can be mounted if necessary." The Walther designers have also largely skeletonised the Rapid Fire slide and they say: "The weight-reduced slide with its short cycle time ensures that the gun jumps less, and the pistol is back on target more quickly."

Inside the GSP500 RF, a newly designed damping element provides additional comfort. The Rapid Fire magazines also hold six rimfire cartridges; the magazines of the GSP500 RF differ from those of the GSP500 by an additional red insert under the magazine spring. Another remarkable detail is the laminated wood grips: The individual grip sizes S, M and L have different angles to the barrel axis according to the anatomical hand position.

The Walther GSP500 Rapid Fire has a recommended retail price of €3,098 and, like its two sister models, is available from your specialist retailer with purchase authorisation. On the Walther website there is a constantly updated specialist dealer search function.

Walther GSP500 Rapid Fire technical specifications and price