Home Walther Rotex RM8 – one of the most affordable PCP air rifles around

Walther Rotex RM8 – one of the most affordable PCP air rifles around

The Walther 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. (Read this review of the Walther Rotex RM8 Varmint Ultra Compact.)

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. (Read our list of the best PCP air rifles under £500.)

Buddy bottle air supply

Indeed, the Walther Rotex 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.

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 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 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

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.