Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Springfield expands its premium line of Waypoint 2020 hunting rifles to include options in 7mm PRC. With the quick rise of this cartridge’s popularity, adding it to the lineup is sure to be a solid choice.
Table of contents
First Impressions Of the Waypoint
It is said that first impressions are always wrong. Except for a single flaw, this rifle is the exception that proves the rule.
What I noticed most as I picked the rifle up for the first time was its sturdiness. Not a single component felt cheap, flimsy, loose, or hollow. It felt less like a compilation of components and more like a laminated beam displaying rigidity and strength.
As far as first impressions go, this rifle has certainly set a high bar. Now, let’s see if it holds up to a close look.
Much More Than Stock
Combining aesthetics with performance this AG Composites stock does it all. Each stock has hand-laid 100% carbon fiber and includes integral pillar bedding for the action. Each is hand-painted in one of two camouflage color schemes.
The stock features five quick detach sling cups. This provides several carry options without creating the snag point of traditional sling studs.
I have an adjustable model that allows you to change the stock’s comb height. It has over an inch and a half of vertical travel but raising it about three-eighths is right for me. Slight adjustments side to side and forward to back are available but I did not find those necessary.
On the foregrip, you will find even more options for customization. In the six-o-clock position, there are three M-LOK slots machined through the carbon fiber and aluminum backing. These slots take nothing from the stock’s sleek profile but add endless options for mounting slings, bipods, or other accessories.
The stock is topped off with a Decelerator butt pad. This pad is an integral part of taming the snappy 7mm PRC recoil.
Carbon Fiber Barrel
This BSF barrel system is an impressive piece of engineering in itself. It consists of an aggressively fluted stainless steel inner barrel pulled in tension within the wrapped carbon outer barrel. Like the post-tensioned concrete beams used in bridges and buildings, this barrel utilizes the same concepts to be both lightweight and incredibly ridged.
The muzzle is fitted with an omnidirectional muzzle break. This break does a good job of taming felt recoil but the omnidirectional design is less than optimal for some situations. I have found that shooting prone with this type of break can get a bit messy. Since the break diverts gasses equally in every direction it is quick to send any loose soil or sand flying back your way with each shot.
This issue is easily remedied by swapping the break with an aftermarket option, a suppressor, or the included thread protector. The muzzle thread pitch is the standard 5/8×24 so options are plentiful.
Cut to the Action With The Waypoint
The Waypoint receiver is stainless steel and coated in a green Carakote. The bolt is spiral-fluted and machined from 4140 carbon steel and nitride-coated. Both components are EDM machined post-heat treat to give an incredibly smooth action.
EDM machining in itself is pretty interesting. Here is a link to the Wiki page on the topic if you care to learn more.
More on EDM: Electrical Discharge Machining
Further details on the action include dual locking lugs, low profile bolt stop, removable bolt knob, ninety-degree bolt throw, and a Remington 700 style optics rail. While not groundbreaking these features are well executed.
The Meager Magazine
Rounds are fed from a 3.715 AICS Accumag. This magazine is the only component that did not meet the lofty bar set by my initial impressions. To start, it only holds three rounds (although you can fit four if you shove them in there). This is fine for a hunting rifle but since it protrudes more than an inch past the opening of the magwell it seems overly large for its meager capacity.
Second, spare mags are extremely expensive. Starting at seventy-five bucks each and going up from there. Losing one of these mags would be painful.
The final and most disappointing fact is that the mag is incredibly loose in the magwell. Grabbing the mag and giving it a shake yields a quarter inch of play side to side and a sound similar to a hot match of Kick the Can.
Trigger Talk
Each 2020 Waypoint comes fitted with a Triggertech trigger. It is adjustable from 2.5 to 5 pounds by simply adjusting the detented screw located just forward of the trigger inside the trigger guard. This single-stage trigger has zero take-up, zero creep, and breaks cleanly with only about a millimeter of overtravel. Overall quite a phenomenal trigger.
The two-position safety is located just south of the bolt and is easily manipulated by my thumb without breaking my grip. The safety clicks into both positions with a positive detent and you can manipulate the bolt while on safe.
At The Range With the Waypoint
When talking about any magnum rifle the first question on people’s minds is often “how’s the recoil?”. In the case of this rifle, I was pleasantly surprised. Even though the Waypoint is a midweight at 8lb 2oz, it handles the recoil very well. This is thanks to a few factors but primarily the aggressive muzzle break and generous butt pad. Although this round is packing considerably more heat, the recoil from this rifle is more on par with a lightweight 308.
For the accuracy test, I was shooting a 175gr ELD-X Precision Hunter and a 160gr CX. Both loads were provided by Hornady Manufacturing for review. After breaking in the rifle I shot nine groups which averaged just under one inch with the best group right at half an inch. Both loads performed very similarly but the 175gr ELD-X was just marginally tighter.
Final Thoughts
It is no secret that I like this rifle. It strikes the balance between form and function. The carbon fiber stock is simple yet full of features. The barrel does what is required at the lowest possible weight. The action, while not groundbreaking in terms of design, has utilized the newest manufacturing techniques to improve on the tried and true.
Barring my distaste for the magazine, there is only one factor that gives me pause and that is the $2670 MSRP. The saying “You get what you pay for” comes to mind and I think it it applies to this rifle. The costs of manufacturing, materials, assembly, and design add up quick when you’re making this type of rifle but there is a slightly cheaper option.
Read More: Springfield Armory: New Model 2020 Rimfire Target
The same rifle with a non-adjustable stock and stainless fluted barrel is about $500 cheaper with an MSRP of $2173. Weighing only seven ounces more, this new Waypoint may be a better option for some people.
Whichever you choose, you are sure to get a quality rifle. Check Springfield’s website for more information on the Waypoint 2020 or to find a dealer near you.
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