Springfield Armory's first foray into the bolt-action rifle market in over a century began three years ago, with the Model 2020 Waypoint. It was an instant classic with consumers, many of whom had fond memories of taking a surplus Springfield M1 Garand and home-gunsmithing it into a hunting rifle. Everyone knew Springfield was more than equal to the task of creating a bolt gun that wasn't just suitable for hunting, but designed for it. Now, the company has released its Model 2020 Redline, and our testers have taken it for a very thorough spin.
Our testers noted, "An homage to the Remington 700 configuration, the nitride-treated bolt has an enclosed face with a plunger-style ejector and a sliding-plate extractor. And its function is flawless. The receiver is made of stainless steel, which is what you want in a rifle destined for harsh environments. In addition, Springfield applies a mil-spec Green Cerakote H-264 coating to the receiver, which further bolsters its durability in the field, giving it a protective matte finish.
"On the range, the Model 2020 Redline proved its handiness as a dedicated hunting rifle. The Grayboe Trekker stock is one of the notable upgrades on this particular platform, since it weighs only about 28 ozs., and positions the shooter naturally. The flush-fit, three-round magazine makes it easy to grasp the rifle around the action, and the high undercut in the buttstock relieves weight, trims the stock while also providing stability for accurate shooting."
In this terrific video from the experts at American Rifleman, you'll see why the Springfield Model 2020 Redline makes the grade for the NRA Gun of the Week!
