By Neil Schultz 

Handgun shooters have been familiar with the Springfield name and their classic 1911 pistols that have been an American favourite since the early 1900s. Chambered in .45ACP, the Springfield 1911 was the mainstay of the US military for a century. 

In 1968 the US government closed its firearms manufacturing facility at Springfield. Unwilling to lose the legacy of that famous institution, the Reese family resurrected the name in 1974 to continue producing the historically significant firearms of the era. Those were the aforementioned 1911 pistols along with the M1 and M14 auto loading rifles, all familiar to millions of shooters as a consequence of their military use. 

Fast forward to 2020 and Springfield Armory’s first foray into bolt action sporting rifles, with their 2020 Waypoint. The Waypoint was an instant hit with US shooters for long-range target disciplines.  The Waypoint was followed by the Redline, a lighter rifle designed with the hiking hunter in mind, sporting a radical stock design. Answering the call from hunters for a more traditional design in a light package, Springfield released the latest model in their 2020 series, the Boundary. 

At first glance 

When The Report was offered a 2020 Boundary for review, I jumped at the chance to put it through its paces. On opening the box, I thought, ho hum yet another bolt action sporter, certainly a handsome firearm but does it offer anything to set it apart from the crowd? Closer inspection and handling the rifle put the gleam back into my eye. The Boundary is a light rifle, hitting the scales at just 3.1kg without a scope. Springfield’s signature 2020 action is fitted with a 50cm (20”) fluted stainless steel barrel and both are ceracoated in a matt grey that partners nicely with the rogue camo pattern of the stock. The test rifle was chambered in the ever-popular .308, sporting a 1:10 twist, tipped with a radial muzzle brake. An AG Sportsman carbon fibre stock features M-Lock slots under the foregrip for easy mounting of a bipod or other accessories. These stocks are hand painted and look as good as they are practical. The fluted bolt features dual locking lugs, a 90-degree throw and runs very smoothly in the action. In keeping with the traditional design, ammunition is housed in a four-round internal magazine with a hinged floor plate. 

Trigger time 

The test rifle arrived just prior to a planned hunt in the New England Ranges so no bench rest testing could be undertaken. As supplied, the TriggerTech trigger broke at a little under 4lb and although adjustable down to 2.5lb, I decided to shoot it as it was. The trigger was crisp, breaking cleanly with no discernible creep. In spite of the Boundary’s light weight, it was quite pleasant to shoot, with the radial brake obviously doing its job in lessening felt recoil. 

Sighting in and ammo testing was done over the tray of my ute using a sandbag in field conditions. It seems that every second rifle manufacturer quotes a 1 MOA accuracy guarantee these days. Springfield Armory state that their Boundary 2020 will deliver 0.75 MOA accuracy with premium factory ammunition. I though that’s a big call, let’s see if it delivers. After a couple of shots adjusting the scope, I put three shots onto the target at 100 metres to measure the grouping. Wow!  That very first group in the field measured 0.365 inches. That speaks volumes for the quality of the build of the 2020 series of rifles. Just to be certain that wasn’t a fluke, I fired a few more groups, all of which measured less than ½ an inch running Federal Premium 168gr hybrid hunter. 

Into the field 

The property on which I took the Boundary for a hunt was very hilly, with a mix of open timbered grazing areas and thick, virgin bush. I certainly appreciated the lightness of the rifle by the time I had crested the first steep hill. After a few hills and kilometres, with no hint of a deer, a movement in the gully below snapped me to attention. Red fur showed it to be a fox and, as I was on a sheep rearing property, all foxes are taken without hesitation. Resting against a stringybark trunk, I centred the crosshairs on reynard’s chest and was pleased to see him drop where he sat as the shot echoed around the hills. That would make the farmer very happy. Now, you may be thinking that a .308 is overkill for foxes, but there are no degrees of dead. Predators of both livestock and native wildlife should be dispatched with the rifle at hand at every opportunity. 

I was on a mission to get a meat deer to fill the void in my freezer, so more hills and more kilometres of exercising the quads were clocked up before a distant fallow doe stepped out of the scrub. She was a long way off, so after testing the breeze, I set about closing the gap. The deer was uncooperative and continued to feed away from me, almost as quickly as I was following. Light was fading and my quarry was approaching the crest of a ridge, so I used the range finder to see if a shot was practical. Happily, at 195m, the deer was perfectly in range as I’d zeroed the Boundary to be spot on at 200m. A meat-saving shot through both lungs pancaked the little yearling just before darkness descended in the forest. By the light of my head torch, forequarters, hindquarters, backstraps, tenderloins, heart, liver and kidneys were harvested, leaving little for the crows and wedgetails. In spite of a very heavy pack, I had a smile on my old face as I trudged out of the hills to the ute where an iced coffee and muesli bar awaited. 

The Verdict 

Pros: 

Exceptionally accurate 

Comfortable to carry 

Action drilled to accept commonly available Rem 700 bases and rails 

Factory threaded (radial brake included as standard) 

M-lock slots 

QD cups for sling attachment 

Cons: 

Price. Retailing for more than $4,000, this rifle won’t suit those on a tight budget, but quality comes at a price. 

Choice of chamberings. The boundary is only available in 6.5CM, 6.5PRC, 7mmPRC, 7mm Rem Mag, .300PRC, .300 WinMag and .308. Many of those cartridges are gaining popularity in the US but are very hard to source ammunition for in Australia. Some of our established mainstays would be attractive (.243, .30-06 and .270 come to mind).