Walther Rotex RM8

It’s been kept under wraps for most of the year, but since being announced as ‘imminent’, everyone’s been keen to see just how well Walther’s first bolt-action PCP will stack up – especially as its asking price of just £420 makes it one of the most affordable PCP airguns on the market!

Of course, an all-new rifle like this needs plenty of evaluation time in the field and on the ranges before we feel comfortable enough to publish any results. In the meantime, however, we’ve cast our eyes – and camera – over one of the first rifles to land on UK shores to give you our initial views on what could well be a game-changing PCP.

The bolt-action breech
The bolt-action breech

The Rotex RM8 runs an eight-shot, rotary magazine made of CNC-machined aluminium. It’s driven by a side-bolt that automatically cocks and loads a pellet directly into the choked, 500mm Lothar Walther barrel.

Cocking the strike hammer occurs on the bolt’s pull stroke, while its return indexes the magazine. Although there’s no anti-double-load mechanism, the action is very slick – and the magazine is released from the left-hand side of the breech once a serrated locking catch has been operated.

Although it’s not supplied with open sights, there’s a generous, full-length dovetail (11mm) atop the breech, and while a scope adds to its 3.85kg, balance remains good in the shoulder.

Made by Italian stockmaker Minelli, the RM8’s beech stock is ambidextrous with laser-cut chequer panels on the grip and all the way around the chunky, stylishly shaped forestock. With an angular cheekpiece profiled on both sides to give a good scope/eye alignment, the butt features a reverse-cut belly that’s very akin to the livery of BSA’s 10-shot flagship R10.

RM8-manometer
There’s an integral manometer in the forestock…
RM8-probe
…and the supplied filler probe plugs in next to it

Indeed, the RM8 also sports a buddy-bottle air supply courtesy of a short and stubby, 200cc tank up front, which is filled to 232BAR (refilled at around 70BAR) via a plug-in probe that locates in the forestock, adjacent to the integral manometer.

We’ll be putting the maker’s claim of ‘up to 180 shots per fill’ – and assessing its power curve – to the test and will comment more fully in our in-depth report in an upcoming issue. 

At the business end, there appears to be a silencer but, in fact, it’s actually a well-executed, black-anodised muzzle weight (550 grams) which is grubscrewed to the barrel.

The muzzle is 1/2in UNF threaded for a silencer
The muzzle is 1/2in UNF threaded for a silencer

The latter is 1/2in UNF threaded, however, so a silencer can be fitted once the collar has been unscrewed. Our initial thoughts are that the report is such that the rifle can be comfortably shot without noise suppression.

The wide trigger offers let-off adjustment...
The wide trigger offers let-off adjustment…

The trigger, though plastic (like the guard) offers let-off adjustment and is wide enough to provide good feel. Our example slipped away the shot quite cleanly and the blade falls nicely to your finger courtesy of a well-raked pistol grip.

...and its blade falls nicely to your finger thanks to the chequered pistol grip
…and its blade falls nicely to your finger thanks to the chequered pistol grip

The safety catch it’s backed up by is a manual affair. Located at the back of the cylinder and looking similar to Umarex’s 850 AirMagnum, its plastic construction features a centre lock that must be disengaged before being pushed ‘off’. It’s also resettable.

Removing the stock and looking inside, the Rotex RM8 looks a simple but well-engineered mix of alloys and brass, and we rather like the ‘fillet’ above the buddy bottle. Similar again to the BSA R10, this serves to marry wood and metal in a very neat manner.

Our overall impression is that of a very well thought-out rifle which is pleasing to the eye by way of familiar design elements. What little time we’ve had with the gun suggests it should perform as good as it looks – and if that turns out to be the case, Walther could be on to an absolute winner at this price!

The safety catch features a centre lock that must be disengaged before being pushed 'off'
The safety catch features a centre lock that must be disengaged before being pushed ‘off’

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Posted in PCP, Tests
31 comments on “Walther Rotex RM8
  1. mr d short says:

    Omg.I bought an R8 in .22 with a deben whisper silencer, what a rifle. At the start after zeroing the scope I set out my spinners at 20,30 and 40 meters all of which suffered a serious beating. After an enjoyable weekend plinking at targets I thought it was time to take it into the field and I was not disappointed in the results, time and time again the R8 hit the mark. Everything about the rifle feels just right, the only thing I would have liked was studs factory fitted, but this easily overcome. Shot count was 172 consistent shots but then dropped off quickly. Love this rifle that much that I’ve already got a .177 ordered on its way. Not sure how Walther have made such a rifle this cheap and yet so good? Anyone looking for an amazing PCP at a bargain price, look no further.

  2. Jason says:

    where would you recommend to buy a walther rotex?

  3. uwe maasen says:

    hallo
    ich bin deutscher lebe aber seit jahrenb in thailand
    möchte es in meiner farm gebrauchen
    wie teuer sind die transportkosten kannst du mal schauen
    gruß uwe aus thailand
    gruß uwe

  4. Ognyan Lalov says:

    I like this rifle very much.
    Where would you recommend to buy a walther rotex RM8, cal.22, 30J/FAC/.
    I live in Bulgaria, Sofia.
    Thank you

  5. Christian Zuniga Z says:

    Greetings,
    I am interested in buying a PCP rifle, was determined by Benjamin Marauder 5.5, but I saw this gun, Walther Rotex R8, also 5.5 and $ 1.5 US dollar more expensive. There appears doubt … what to buy? or that would buy You ?.
    Another question is the difference between Walther Rotex R8 and Walter Rotex RM8?
    Thanks and greetings from Chile

  6. orlando lopes says:

    I would like to know which gas i can use on this gun and hoW much is a bottle? Thank you

    • The Editor says:

      The RM8 uses precompressed air, from either a scuba tank or manual stirrup pump. Scuba tanks and charging gear cost upwards of £150GBP, and are about £5GBP to fill – expect anything from 10 to 30 fill-ups according to bottle size. Additionally, you will need to keep the scuba tank ‘in test’, which is around £20-£40GBP every 30 months. A manual stirrup pump costs between £150 and £200GBP.

  7. Mika says:

    Mr d short! I’ve got also .22 rm8. You said you’ve got 172 shots? I have 30joule version, and got around 50 shots. What’s your version?
    How many shots people have had with this gun, with 30j power?
    Just curious… 🙂

    • Nizar Ghosn says:

      … absolutely right .. the 30 joules give you no more than 50 shots as mine lives in lebanon .. but the 140-170 shots are for 15-18 joules … cheers

  8. John Moore says:

    could this rifle be made fac and wot power could it reach

  9. Darren says:

    a vary nice gun and shoots brilliant

  10. Doğan says:

    i didnt find any shot count for .22 or .177 versions.(Fac)

  11. Darren says:

    Just got my R8 oring is split would not fill on its first fill not a shot fired not happy someones ass is going to get kicked not happy

    • jim butler says:

      the r8/rm8 you should never remove the the buddybottle while it is filled as it has nocut off valve to stop air on removal until it is fully off when the valve shuts I made the same mistake but surplus store in crawley sell them cheap and are very quick to send them luckily when I removed mine I didn’t domore damage as sometimes the entire valve and all the internal seals can be damaged would also recommend using bisley gun grease for the buddy bottle o ring works a treat

  12. viv says:

    What price in Australia with pump,as preasure is too high for our pumps

  13. Glidagida says:

    Hi Viv
    I am in NSW & have an RM8 and the cost without scope is $945. The local distributor is Frontier arms in SA [08 8373 2855]. I bought the Hills pump to charge the Rotex and that will set you back $395-440 in Aus depending on who you buy it from.
    Its a great rifle and very accurate.

  14. Luke says:

    hi all ,I just bought my R8 2 days ago and would like get scope for it can any of you guys recommend a scope for it , I’m using for target shooting 20meters + . Thanks a millions.

    • jim butler says:

      hawke endurance 3.5-10 x 40 magnification with mil dot crosshairs or my favourite which I have on my hatsan at44-10 tactical which is a bushnell 3-9 x 40 day and night scope

  15. Luke says:

    Hi there, im new to this and I’m just bought my and was wondering what the good suitable scope for this RMA . Thanks regard LUKE.

  16. Bruce Larweth says:

    Just got a BSA contender 4X16X42mm
    Nice thing about it is, has 1/8MOA suitable only for accurate airguns. It’s also has side focus wheel. I’ve been AirGun enthusiast for 30, PCP for 13 and unless you’ve used front objective vs side for parallax adjustment you don’t know that’s the ONLY way to go, so much easier to adjust. With airguns you also need it to
    Adjust DOWN to 10 yards, normal rifles may have AO but normally are preset at 100yards. Lastly they have a version that is red/green with blue center dot! Yeah, kinda cool, personally I didn’t want lighted for my shooting is not for killing, also the etching are little tiny triangles, this was made for us airgunners. You can get a 3X12, mine, or 6X24 (with an AirGun the latter is just too much, exit pupil is so tiny, thus no light, and we just don’t shoot 300 yards, at our long shots, 150y the X16 will suffice, lastly it’s a FFP scope (first focal plane) and not 2nd. Without going into teaching mode for those who don’t know difference, easiest way to explain biggest difference, 1st focal plane etching means your adjustments, or calculations (MOA) don’t change when the power is turned Up or down (resolving power).
    So, hope this helps you newest guys

  17. nizar ghosn says:

    i bought the rotex r8 , amazing little PCP .. love it .. but how can i know if my gun is 16 j or 30 j .. thank you

  18. Colin says:

    Just bought the RM8 at Affordable guns in Gloucester,it’s a lovely looking gun,not tried it yet but according some of the most prominent forums it’s a load of crap especially the bolt action,we will have to see.

    Cheers

    • Bob says:

      Colin, when you are loading the pellets into the mag make sure that they are pushed well in.ie use a match etc to LIGHTLY bed them in.You should find that the bolt action is a lot cleaner.Cheers Bob

  19. Dave says:

    I have put several thousand rounds through a 177 Rotex, not once did it falter or jam up. On the downside I found it under powered at around 10.5 ft lbs with heavy pellets. We have a limit of 12ft lb so I feel it should have been doing around 11.5 leaving a margin of safety.
    There’s not much else to moan about except perhaps the weight but that is purely a personal thing, either you like or dislike weight. Saying that, I did find the weight helped with a steady hold on freehand shots. The pressure gauge on mine also did not read true at fill up.
    On the range it was as accurate as anything else I have shot and better than most, AA or JSB in 4.52 performed best but it was not particularly pellet fussy producing tight groups with most quality ammo.
    If I was asked to recommend the Rotex I would say yes, however, before it left the shop I would need to see it put through a chrono to check the power level.

  20. Jay says:

    What silencer woul I need for my rm8 in .22 ? thanks

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