When the Springfield Armory Model 2020 Boundary in 7mm PRC arrived last summer I got busy with gathering DOPE for the rifle with Remington’s CuT ammo on my home range. The rifle easily maintained the company’s ¾-MOA accuracy guarantee and did it with five-shot groups instead of just three-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. I opted to mount a well-worn military-grade Bushnell Elite Tactical DMR II-I scope on the Boundary. The optic’s MIL-MIL reticle and adjustment along with first focal plane glass has become a go-to optic on several of my hunting rifles. I like the option of either dialing for distant shots or merely holding the appropriate reticle hash in quick-shooting situations.

Springfield Armory Model 2020 Boundary

So equipped, 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. I culminated the safari with a long shot on a crop-raiding baboon.

Model 2020’s 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; it gathered excellent marks during a thorough three-man multi-rifle Ballistics Best test 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. An optimized extraction cam provides robust, reliable operation in any condition, too.

A few other key features of the Model 2020 action include a low-profile bolt stop, 90-degree bolt throw and a removable blot 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 boasts a lightning-fast 1.9 milliseconds primer strike, outpacing competitors by up to 45 percent, according to Springfield’s experts. Swift lock time minimizes deviation from aim.

Stock

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. 

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 trigger break.

Barrel Options

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 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.

On the last day of the safari, the only animal I had left on my list to collect was a representative baboon. This animal would prove to be illusive and presented the most distant challenge for the Boundary.

On the Hunt

A troupe of baboons were raiding the same alfalfa field where I had shot my bushbuck, and the landowner alerted us to their recent movements. We drove the short distance from camp to the farm and picked up one of the workers who lived there and had the latest info on the baboons’ whereabouts. 

Riding back toward the alfalfa field from the farm headquarters, we spied the troupe spread out throughout the alfalfa field more than 500-yard distant. I asked Frikkie to stop and kill the motor. I ranged the far tree line and got a reading that confirmed the distance and dialed the scope 2.1 MILs. Even at this distance the troupe spooked and headed for the bush by the time I got on one. I took a deep breath and let half of it out to settle the crosshairs. Squeezing the trigger, the male monkey tipped over backwards, and the sound of impact echoed back toward us a moment later. Connecting at 494 yards on a smallish target certainly gave testament to the Boundary’s accuracy.

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 Boundary Model 2020 deserves a hard look if you’re in the market for a lighter-weight tack-driving hammer.

And, there’s more!

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 info, visit springfield-armory.com.