Springfield Armory Model 2020 Boundary Rifle Review

After-Africa Report On Springfield’s New Boundary Rifle

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Springfield Armory’s Model 2020 Boundary rifle knows no boundaries!

The PH two strides ahead kicked up tiny clouds of red dust with each step while I watched it waft ever so slightly behind us. Wind in our faces, we still hunted along a red sandy trail. We were 30 minutes into the hunt when a lone Cape buffalo bull started giving us the stink eye. Since a Cape wasn’t on the to-do list, we found a tree and played peek-a-boo as Black Death closed the gap to 25 yards. When the beast got bored with us he turned around and we looped around to give him a wide berth.

When Frikkie stopped in his tracks and motioned me forward, the flick of an ear 35 yards deep into the thorny brush revealed a zebra standing its ground. Shooting sticks smoothly set, I rested the new Springfield Armory Model 2020 Boundary rifle and found the animal’s outline in the scope. Long seconds passed into one minute and then two as I waited for the zebra’s next move. When it swapped ends and stopped I found a fist-sized hole to its vitals.

Crashing through the scrub, the 7mm PRC did its job and put the big, striped equine down inside of 85 yards.

Setting Up My Boundary

As a Hook & Barrel Magazine contributor, I was one of the fortunate few who got his hands on a Springfield Armory Model 2020 Boundary rifle in 7mm PRC a few weeks ago ahead of its launch date. When it arrived I got busy gathering DOPE for the rifle with Remington’s CuT ammo on my home range. The rifle easily maintained Springfield’s ¾ MOA accuracy guarantee, and did it with 5-shot groups instead of just 3-shot clusters.

Stretching the rifle out, I gathered drop data from 700 yards and closer in preparation for my first African adventure with Amathanda Safaris in South Africa.

The Boundary handled well in tight cover, with the first shot on game coming at 35 yards on a fine Burchell’s zebra. Over the next five days, longtime friend Paul Cook and I tagged seven species and nine total animals with the Boundary. The farthest shot was 494 yards on a crop-raiding baboon.

The Model 2020 Boundary’s New “Long” Action

The Boundary accounted well for itself on game, with several in camp clamoring for one. Probably the highest compliment was from my PH, Frikkie van Staden, when he stated his desire to own one, too.

The heart of the Boundary is the Model 2020 action which gathered excellent marks during a thorough 3-man multi-rifle test I was part of in late 2023. This new long-action version is out-of-the-box smooth as silk, too.

The action features dual locking lugs on a fluted bolt that runs down EDM raceways for smooth cycling. In addition, an optimized extraction cam provides robust, reliable operation in any condition.

A few other key features of the Model 2020 action include a low profile bolt stop, 90-degree bolt throw, and a removable bolt knob, as well as a Picatinny rail with two recoil pins. The top of the action mimics a Remington 700 long action, which gives you the highest degree of flexibility for aftermarket optics mounting.

This action’s lock time—the interval from trigger break to primer strike—is fast. The Model 2020 Boundary boasts a lightning-fast 1.9 milliseconds primer strike, outpacing competitors by up to 45 percent. Swift lock time minimizes deviation from aim.

Carbon Fiber Stock Details

The barreled action on the Model 2020 Boundary is precisely fitted to a 100 percent carbon fiber AG Precision Sportsman stock with hand-painted Rogue camouflage. The stock’s 13.5-inch length of pull fit me perfectly. Two front and rear QD flush cups and a 1-inch Pachmayr Decelerator pad enhance shooting comfort. Bipod attachment options are greatest with M-Lok slots. I had an M-Lok standard sling swivel stud handy, which mated well with a trusty old Harris bipod. In keeping with the trim theme of this hunting rifle a light-weight hinged aluminum floorplate facilitated speedy unloading.

Very Sweet Trigger

The trigger stands as the pivotal link between rifle and shooter. The Boundary’s TriggerTech Field trigger boasts a low-profile, non-snag safety and employs Frictionless Release Technology for a smooth pull. It’s adjustable from 2.5 to 5 pounds with a patented free-floating roller, ensuring a clean, consistent action.

Barrel Choices & BANISH Backcountry Silence

The Boundary is available with either a carbon fiber or traditional fluted stainless steel free-floated barrel. A removable SA Radial Brake on the Boundary effectively reduces recoil by directing gasses in an outward direction. A thread protector is included, too. Throughout range testing and on the hunt a Silencer Central BANISH Backcountry suppressor completed the kit.

The carbon fiber option is a BSF stainless barrel that’s jacketed in a roll-wrapped carbon fiber sleeve under tension. This means 95 percent of the carbon fiber sleeve doesn’t contact the barrel, providing cooling air gaps and promoting a consistent point of impact during shot strings. 

In addition, fluting under the sleeve reduces weight and increases surface cooling area. Comparing MSRPs, the carbon fiber barrel option will boost the price by $426 and cut two ounces of weight.

To give you an idea of how reasonable the Boundary’s price point (see below for more) truly is, last fall, I took a bull elk and fine muley with a very similar semi-custom rifle chambered in 7mm PRC by another manufacturer. The carbon-stocked, carbon-barreled rifle with the same barrel length and weight sported a $4,250 price tag.

Whether you’re going to take a long plane ride or stay closer to home this fall, the Springfield Armory Model 2020 Boundary deserves a hard look if you’re in the market for a lighter-weight tack-driving hammer.

Editor’s Note: If you want to learn more about the author’s hunting experience in Africa, be sure to subscribe to Hook & Barrel’s print magazine, as his full report will be published in our November/December 2024 edition.

Specifications: Springfield Armory Model 2020 Boundary Rifle Series

Is Anyone In The Mood For a Free Rimfire Rifle?

Reminiscent of a Billy Mays TV commercial, Springfield Armory will throw in a free Model 2020 Rimfire Target Rifle with the purchase of a Boundary, Redline, or Waypoint rifle through the end of December 2024. For more information, check out springfield-armory.com.