Adam Scepaniak 05.27.24
Springfield Armory shocked much of the shooting industry when they debuted their first foray into bolt-action rifles with the Model 2020 Waypoint in September of 2020 (apt for the rifle’s name). Since then, I have had a Model 2020 Waypoint in 6.5 Creedmoor in my possession that I have successfully harvested black bear in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of Minnesota, coyotes in the Little Missouri National Grassland of North Dakota, and even took it through competition-style shooting courses like F5 Range owned by Josh Froelich in Minnesota where it excelled. The Model 2020 Waypoint being feathery light for its size and commanding a 0.75 MOA guarantee made it a no-brainer for people who want a premium, lightweight rifle to do everything from hunting to competing with. The only downside – for those who are the most cynical among us – is that Springfield did not offer it in long-action cartridges, unfortunately. Now, that has all changed though. Springfield Armory is offering their Model 2020 Waypoint in a handful of long-action cartridges for those who want to shoot further and harvest bigger wild game: now available in 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm PRC, .300 Win Mag, 300 PRC, .270 Win and .30-06 Sprg. So, in this AllOutdoor Review, we are going to take a look at the Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint 300 PRC with a Carbon Fiber Barrel in an Evergreen camouflage pattern. Let’s dive in!
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Specifications – Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint 300 PRC with Carbon Fiber Barrel and Evergreen Camo
The variant of the Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint that we are reviewing here today is the Model 2020 Waypoint 300 PRC with Carbon Fiber Barrel – Evergreen (UPC: 706397952907 | SKU: BAW924300PRCCFG) that retails for $2,599. This rifle weighs in at only 7 Lb 5 Oz for it donning a 24″ barrel. The rest of the essential specs you can come to expect for this model can be read below as presented by Springfield Armory:
- Cartridge: .300 PRC (Precision Rifle Cartridge)
- Colorway: Evergreen Camo
- Barrel: 24″ Carbon Fiber, 1:8.5, Mil-Spec Green Cerakote® H-264
- Receiver: Model 2020 Stainless Steel, Mil-Spec Green Cerakote® H-264
- Optic Mounting: Picatinny Mount, Rem 700 SA Pattern, 6-48 Screws
- Bolt: Fluted 4140 Tool Steel, Nitride
- Stock: Hybrid Profile, Carbon Fiber, M-Lok®, QD Cups
- Trigger: TriggerTech Adjustable, 2.5 – 5 lbs
- Muzzle Device: SA Radial Brake, Mil-Spec Green Cerakote® H-264
- Magazines: (1) 3-Round, Accumag
- Weight: 7 lbs 5 oz
- Length: 46″
- MSRP: $2,599
The Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint 300 PRC has all of the modern accoutrements that a 21st century hunter and/or target shooter would be looking for in a sleek, rifle package. You have M-LOK slots on the underside of the stock’s forearm, QD sling cups for attaching a sling in the manner that you specifically prefer, and a threaded muzzle to attach your favorite muzzle devices and silencers. Additionally, Springfield deploys a lot of carbon fiber in the barrel and stock for its lightweight yet strong properties.
- 24″ CARBON FIBER BARREL – Delivering a remarkable .75 MOA accuracy guarantee, this .300 PRC rifle’s carbon fiber 24″ barrel is topped off with a removable SA Radial Muzzle Brake.
- CARBON FIBER STOCK – The custom painted Evergreen stock of the Waypoint™ is made of cutting-edge carbon fiber to combine light weight and rugged strength.
- .75 MOA GUARANTEE – Accuracy is a byproduct of precision manufacturing, and the Model 2020 Waypoint™ rifle’s guaranteed .75 MOA guarantee is proof.
- CUSTOM-GRADE ACTION – The heart of the Waypoint is the Model 2020 custom-grade action, precision manufactured from premium materials. It features dual locking lugs on a fluted bolt that runs smoothly down EDM raceways for perfect, repeatable engagement. In addition, an optimized extraction cam provides robust, reliable operation in any condition.
As always, in the rare event that you should ever need service for your firearm, Springfield Armory has a Lifetime Warranty that stands behind all of their firearms. One final snapshot into what the new Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint 300 PRC is all about can be read below in Springfield Armory’s Press Release statement:
Springfield Armory® has a storied history of building fine firearms for defense and competition. Now, our skilled gun makers set their sights on their next pursuit – the Model 2020 Waypoint™ premium American-made bolt action hunting rifle. This .300 PRC long-action rifle features a custom painted Evergreen carbon fiber stock for light weight and rugged strength, and the carbon fiber barrel delivers precision performance downrange. See the way with the Model 2020 Waypoint™.
Field Use – Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint 300 PRC with Carbon Fiber Barrel and Evergreen Camo
For testing, I setup this rifle in a similar manner to the Model 2020 Waypoint I already own in 6.5 Creedmoor. I removed the Springfield Armory (SA) Radial Brake coated in a Mil-Spec Green Cerakote® H-264, and opted for one of my silencers – a Dead Air Nomad 30. Springfield did us a solid by providing a Leupold VX-5HD 3-15x44mm for testing which is a superb piece of glass, and I wasn’t going to remove that optic for anything that I already had in my stable.
As equipped, this rifle weighs in at less than 10 Lb which is perfect for hunting purposes and more than light enough to run through a precision rifle competition stage. The only additional pieces of equipment I did not add to the Waypoint 300 PRC is a small bipod and sling, but for this review, I was more curious in the accuracy of the magnum 300 PRC considering I have already harvested multiple species and competed with my 1st Waypoint.
Accuracy – Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint 300 PRC with Carbon Fiber Barrel and Evergreen Camo
I have gushed about how much I enjoy my personal Model 2020 Waypoint in 6.5 Creedmoor, and part of that love is because of the incredible accuracy it exhibits. The best group I have ever shot with my Model 2020 Waypoint in 6.5 Creedmoor was less than 1/4″ (somewhere around ~0.20″ at 100 yards). The worst the gun has ever shot when I have been measuring groups was ~0.80″. Again, that is the worst it has ever shot; that is unbelievable!
Being as I don’t have a lot of experience behind rifles chambered in 300 PRC, I was curious if the Springfield Armory .75 MOA Guarantee would still hold up in this long-action, magnum cartridge?… So, I picked up some Hornady Precision Hunter 300 PRC 212 Grain ELD-X ammunition from my family’s gun shop – The Guns And Gear Store of Waite Park, MN – and set out to the range to see what kind of accuracy we could accomplish.
I first bore-sighted the Waypoint 300 PRC at The Guns And Gear Store, and then got in some sighting shots at 50 yards before moving on out to 100 yards for formal test groups. Once I was impacting around the bullseye, I attempted to hunker down into a solid bench position to get the best groups possible. My first group was uninspiring. The 2nd was a touch better, but still nothing to write home about. Finally, the 3rd and 4th groups were respectable.
- 1st Group – 1.695″
- 2nd Group – 1.327″
- 3rd Group – 0.862″
- 4th Group – 0.539″
What I was finding out on the fly is that the rifle is more than capable of the .75 MOA Guarantee that Springfield Armory advertises, but it is absolutely up to the shooter and whether they are capable of that type of accuracy for innumerable reasons. For one, the 300 PRC cartridge is not a .223 Rem and it is not a 6.5 Creedmoor. There is very stout recoil that needs to be managed. Moreover, it takes a seasoned shooter or at least a bit of a learning curve to understand how to give a gentle, repeatable trigger press all while burying the stock in your shoulder and mitigating the impending recoil.
I land somewhere between “seasoned shooter” and “catching the learning curve.” All I do is shoot guns – and I am good at it – but I am not seasoned in magnum cartridges. The longer I shot this rifle, every group I was measuring was under 0.75″ at 100 yards with the very best fluttering around 0.450″. Is this good accuracy? Absolutely! Is this rifle capable of even better groups like my 6.5 Creedmoor? I believe so, but I am not a good enough shooter for this cartridge to pattern a spooky accurate 1/4″ group for you ladies and gents.
Final Thoughts – Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint 300 PRC with Carbon Fiber Barrel and Evergreen Camo
So, what are my final thoughts on the Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint 300 PRC with a Carbon Fiber Barrel in an Evergreen camouflage pattern?… Overall, these long-action Waypoints are a different animal. You need to give them the respect that the cartridge deserves. You cannot walk up and think you can gently lace 1/2″ groups like a 6.5 Creedmoor or a .223 Rem like we are all used to. That being said, the rifle performs great! I never had a single feeding issue, the rifle shot fantastic once I was up to speed, and it has all of the bells and whistles you could ask for. The price tag is up there at $2,599, but I would rather have an impeccably accurate rifle and spend more money than go cheap and always be wishing your rifle was better.
In closing, I want to say thank you to Springfield Armory for allowing AllOutdoor and myself the opportunity to try out their Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint 300 PRC with a Carbon Fiber Barrel in an Evergreen camouflage pattern. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe that the Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint 300 PRC with a Carbon Fiber Barrel in an Evergreen camouflage pattern is something worth spending your money on? Would you take one with you hunting? Shoot a competition? As always, let us know all of your thoughts about Springfield Armory and the Model 2020 Waypoint 300 PRC in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
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