The Walther WA 2000, is arguably the finest made precision rifle to be ever crafted in Germany. It was designed following the Munich Olympics Attack of 1972, in response to police marksmen being forced to take precision shots with an iron sighted G3 rifle.
It was made from 1982 till 1988, only 176 were ever made. It saw little adoption due to the high price tag ($9,000 in 1988). Today they go from $40,000 to $75,000.
This heavy rifle weighed 7.91 kg (17.4 lbs) loaded & scoped. This is because it was never intended to be carried across a battlefield. It was specifically design for counter terrorist snipers to defend a zone from a fixed overwatch position.
Alright now the story about the Canadian gun.
Terrence Arthur Dean from Kamloops, Canada, was charged, and found guilty of trafficking heroin, cocaine, meth and marijuana and unlawful possession of several firearms back in 2013. When they searched his home, police seized a Walther WA 2000. Now that he’s been sentenced to 5 years in prison, the question of what to do with it has been answered.
Rather than be destroyed, the crown and defense lawyers agreed with the judge to have the rifle donated to the Kamloops Target Sports Association.
Here’s the actual seized gun:
Ian’s Video: [23:50] https://youtu.be/_av1zBdnxXY?si=
Not OP. I recommend watching the 1995 movie first. Graphics are dated, but the animation mostly holds up and the music is sublime. Watch with dubs or subs – both are good quality. It’s a classic of sci fi and is often imitated or referenced.
If you want more then, there’s an animated TV show, that doesn’t directly continue from the movie, plays like a cyberpunk police procedural, using the same characters. It’s called Stand Alone Complex and it is very good. Expect it to be somewhat slow, talkie, and contemplative. There is an overarching storyline that takes a few episodes to kick off but it’s generally worth it. High brow high concept sci fi.
There’s more, including other animated movies and shows, and the live action Scarlet Johansson movie, but the above is more than enough to get you started.
Thanks, I’ll put the '95 movie on my watch list
After you’ve watched it, go back and rewatch this montage sequence… And you’ll start seeing stylistic references to it everywhere. In much the same way that Bladerunner set the stage for the aesthetics of sci fi for decades, Ghost in the Shell did the same. https://youtu.be/ARTLckN9e7I
Anyway, I’m envious that you get to experience it for the first time :)
Both the movie and show are great. You are in for a treat.