Springfield Armory Model 2020 Rimfire Classic Rifle BARC92022GAA 22 LR

For the rifleman, there is nothing that soothes the soul and brightens the day like a good-quality 22 bolt-action rifle. For the serious rifleman who hunts with a centerfire rifle, the 22 offers alternative training options and makes for a fine small-game rifle. Some shooters realize a more expensive rifle may be needed for precision work and small-game shooting, and an adult-size stock for an adult makes sense. This bumps the price up over the simple $200 bolt gun.

In most models, the bolt-action rifle will exhibit superior reliability compared to a semi-automatic rimfire. Also, the bolt action will feed and function with cartridges shorter than the 22 Long Rifle, including 22 CB cap, 22 Short, and 22 Long. Standard-velocity and even lower-velocity 22 cartridges are perfectly reliable in the bolt action, which is manually operated and doesn’t rely on recoil springs to complete the feed cycle.

We took all these considerations into account as we worked up a 22 bolt-action shoot-out pitting a Ruger American Rimfire Talo Exclusive 8359 22 LR, $569, against Springfield Armory’s Model 2020 Rimfire Classic Rifle BARC92022GAA 22 LR, $710. Are the rifles worth the price? They are. Still, we made choices that drove the price up and perhaps did not improve performance. The Ruger American is only available from Talo, the distributor who does quite a few special firearms with Ruger, and this one came with a nice walnut stock and stainless-steel barreled action. The Springfield 2020 Classic’s stock was AA Turkish walnut and was quite fetching. Yes, we realize these cosmetic upgrades aren’t necessary to the function of the rimfire rifles, but beauty is its own commodity. Let’s see how the action panned out.

Springfield Armory Model 2020 Rimfire Classic Rifle BARC92022GAA 22 LR,

$710

Gun Tests grade: A [OUR PICK]

The Springfield 2020 is a thoroughly modern rifle with a proven 10-round magazine. Handling cannot be faulted. Excellent optics-mounting configuration.

The Springfield 2020 rimfire is fitted with a gorgeous walnut stock. We paid extra for this AA-rated wood over the satin-finished and A-rated wood. We feel that we certainly got our money’s worth. The Springfield is also available in a much-less-expensive synthetic-stock version. However, this less-expensive target version features a threaded barrel, and neither of our test guns had this.

The Springfield 2020 Rimfire Classic is a nice-looking bolt-action rifle. The walnut stock is a nice fit, no gaps, no problems at all. The fit to the shooter is subtly different than the Ruger. The Springfield 2020 also features a rubber recoil pad to keep the rifle in the shoulder and offers a full-size length of pull. The Springfield features an actual cap on the pistol grip to keep the stock from being damaged, and there’s a spacer under the recoil pad, unusual on a rimfire at any price. The bolt action feeds from a rotary 10-round magazine that features the Springfield Armory emblem. The stock is more squared off in front of the trigger guard. The floor plate and trigger guard are metal. The raters were split on the magazine release. It is flush fit and easily operated. One rater reported problems with the extended magazine release of his Ruger 10/22 in benchrest fire because it sometimes releases the magazine when the rifle is bench rested. No need for a tactical magazine release on a 22, the majority decided. For sporting use, we agree. The trigger is nicely adjustable, comparable to the Ruger.

At this point, the differences between the rifles began to favor the Springfield. The Springfield features a monolithic Picatinny rail for mounting optics. While removable, it comes mounted on the rifle. We rated this far ahead of the Ruger, much more modern and so very easy to use. The interrupted rail features an opening to allow single loading the chamber. The Springfield’s trigger action is no better than the Ruger’s, but the Classic has a couple of advantages. First, there is no blade safety lever. Second, the Springfield 2020 Rimfire features a Remington 700-type trigger action. This means Timney and other aftermarket trigger actions are easily fitted. One rater did so in his less-expensive Target 2020 and found the Timney trigger to be compatible as advertised. The Timney trigger used was an easy install. Most shooters will be happy with the issued triggers of either gun.

In contrast, the bolt action’s operation was not an advantage over the Ruger. While similar in bolt throw and smoothness, the Ruger was smoother, our shooters said. We oiled the Springfield and worked the bolt a good bit, and both were new and unfired beginning the test, but the Ruger was slicker. The part of the Springfield’s movement that was not as smooth is the down thrust of the bolt. It did not slow us down, and it is no impediment, but it was noticeable. This is nit-picking, we should point out, because the Springfield is overall quite smooth.

We mounted a Burris Fullfield 6.5x20x50mm scope ($339 retail) on the Springfield, and in fairness to the Nikon on the Ruger, we did not move the scope past the 9x setting and did not use the Fullfield’s illuminated reticle. Sighting in was simple enough. The Burris features a large serrated optics adjustment and easily-adjusted windage and elevation knobs. In firing the rifle offhand, the Springfield 2020 is lively in the hand and earned high marks for snap shooting. The barrel is a 20-inch tube versus 22 inches for the Ruger, while the Springfield weighs 0.2 more ounces than the Ruger. The Springfield features a two-position safety on the right side of the receiver.

At this point, let us address a part of the test we have been concentrating more on of late. That is evaluating if a firearm is left-hand friendly. This rifle is not. The bolt may be operated after a fashion by moving into a left-hand firing position and using the right hand to work the bolt, but this destroys the firing stances for each use. At present, there are no left-hand options for either rifle.

During the firing stages, the Springfield suffered the same tie-ups with Ruger BX magazines as the Ruger American Rimfire did, no more, no less. It is possible to perform modifications on the old-model BX magazines and tighten them up. That is beyond the scope of this feature, but it is something to be aware of and not mark down the rifle on. In bench accuracy, we fired five-shot groups with the rifle at 50 yards. The Springfield turned in some of the best groups we have fired with a 22-caliber rifle. Some were as small as 0.5 inch, while the average with the most accurate load was more in the 0.8-inch range. 

Our Team Said: We feel that the Springfield Armory Model 2020 Rimfire Classic Rifle earned an Our Pick nod. The AA walnut was nice looking, and the free-floated barrel in the stock shot great. The mounting hardware for optics is more modern than the Ruger’s, and the rail came installed. Elsewhere, the rifle is compatible with a host of aftermarket triggers due to the Remington 700 trigger-action design. If you want an adult-configured rimfire rifle, we’d be hard-pressed to name a better one.

We fired groups at 50 yards from a bench rest using an MTM Case-Gard K-Zone Pistol Rest. We used a Competition Electronics Pro Chrony to measure velocities. The first screen of the chronograph was 10 feet from the muzzles. HP = hollow point. SHP = segmented hollow point. CPHP = copper-plated hollow point. 

Written and photographed by Bob Campbell, using evaluations from Gun Tests Team members. GT