The recent trend in factory-built long-range hunting rifles has taken a turn toward the lighter side. While some hunts take place from a static position not far from transportation, many hunters will have to spend the day hiking up and down ridges, with a pack weighted down with gear, in addition to their rifle. In these situations, every ounce counts, and for these mobile hunters Springfield Armory has introduced the Model 2020 Redline.
Redline rifles use Springfield’s 2020 turn-bolt action. This starts with an M700-footprint short-action receiver made of 416R stainless steel that is CNC-machined from billet with an integral recoil lug, with bolt-lug raceways precision-cut using the electrical discharge machining (EDM) method. Other features of the receiver are an enlarged ejection port, sliding-plate extractor, hybrid dual-plane feed ramp and low-profile bolt release. The receiver is given a Mil Spec Green Cerakote finish.
The bolt is made of 4140 steel, spiral-fluted with a threaded-on, oversize knob. It is given a black nitride finish and can be disassembled without tools. The TriggerTech Field trigger is user-adjustable from 2 lbs., 8 ozs., to 5 lbs. Our rifle’s trigger measured 3 lbs., 4 ozs., out of the box; it broke cleanly with no creep, and we didn’t feel the need to adjust it. The metal trigger guard and baseplate accommodate detachable AICS-pattern box magazines with a low-profile “hunter” magazine release built into the front of the trigger guard bow. A single, flush-fitting, three-round MDT magazine is supplied.
The Redline’s purpose is to provide a lightweight, minimalist package for backcountry hunters, and upon that basis, Springfield chooses the rifle’s remaining components. Made by BSF Barrels, the barrel uses a 416R stainless-steel fluted core around which is placed a roll-wrapped carbon-fiber sleeve that is loaded under tension. Barrels have a 0.936" bull contour, and the 5/8x24 TPI-threaded muzzle has an 11-degree target crown. The rifle is supplied with Springfield’s removable radial muzzle brake and a thread protector for when no device is used. Chamberings of .308 Win. (1:10" twist) and 6.5 mm Creedmoor (1:8" twist) are offered, both available with either a 16" or 20" barrel. The 16" .308 barrel used on the Redline we tested weighed a mere 35 ozs.
The barreled action is housed within a fiberglass Grayboe Trekker stock. A minimalist design, the first thing you’ll notice visually about the Trekker is its “hogged-out” rear section, designed to minimize weight and maximize rigidity. A straight comb combined with a vertical pistol grip allows for excellent recoil management, even in a rifle as light as the Redline.
When shooting from field positions, holding a scope’s crosshairs level is important to accuracy, so the Trekker has a bubble level embedded into the stock’s tang where it can be glanced at while aiming. A single QD swivel stud is placed at the rear, with dual swivel studs on the fore-end for mounting a bipod and sling simultaneously. Length of pull is adjustable over a 1" range in 1/4" increments by using supplied spacers under the 1" thick G-Lite recoil pad. The stock is given an olive drab finish with a black textured webbing pattern and weighs 28 ozs.
In the field, hunters know the difference that a few ounces can make over the course of a long day. At 6 lbs., the Redline weighs 9 ozs. less than the 20" carbon-fiber-barreled Waypoint—and nearly a full pound less than the all-steel-barreled Waypoint. The Redline comes with a 6" section of Picatinny rail of the M700 mounting pattern, but we eschewed the rail and used Leupold Backcountry rings to mount a VX-3HD 4.5-14X scope directly to the receiver. At just over a pound, this optic complements the Redline’s compact and lightweight profile, while providing adequate zoom for longer-range shots.
The Redline comes from Springfield with a 3/4-m.o.a. three-shot accuracy guarantee at 100 yards for a “skilled shooter with premium ammunition,” but the American Rifleman protocol of five consecutive, five-shot groups is a much more rigorous standard. Carbon-fiber barrels are designed to save weight, without losing rigidity, but they also sacrifice heat tolerance. During testing of the Redline, while we found the carbon-wrapped barrel heated up slowly, it also cooled slowly, and the hot barrel caused the groups to grow. Shooting at a slower pace produced the results in the accompanying table. While the initial three shots typically fell within that 0.75-m.o.a. guarantee, the average five-shot group with the three cartridges tested was 1.13".
On the range, the combination of the Redline’s stock design and muzzle brake did an excellent job at managing .308 Win. recoil, despite the rifle’s light weight and short barrel. While effective, the brake is loud, and we doubled-up hearing protection to shoot comfortably from a covered bench. In the field, the weight and balance of the Redline was perfect for all-day walks across mountainous terrain, even with a Silencer Central Banish Backcountry suppressor and Magpul bipod installed. The Grayboe Trekker shines in the field as well, with the buttstock’s cutout fitting perfectly across the forearm when a muzzle-down carry position is used.
With an MSRP of $2,299, the Redline falls between the cost of the base-model ($2,173) and high-end Waypoints ($2,670). Considering the sum cost of its components, light weight and its accurate performance, it provides good value for the dollar. As modern manufacturing techniques and materials allow for high-end precision to roll off an assembly line, factories such as Springfield are putting custom-level features and performance in a package that is economically feasible to many hunters.
