NRA American Hunter’s Rifle of Year Award to Savage Impulse

January 5, 2022: NRA American Hunter’s Rifle of Year Award to Savage Impulse. This award was presented by the NRA to Savage Arms for its innovative Savage Impulse straight pull hunting rifle. This rifle is the only straight-pull centerfire rifle made by a major U.S. company. The rifle won the NRA American Hunter 2022 Golden Bullseye Award for Rifle of Year. Guns & Ammo magazine editors had previously named Savage’s Impulse as the 2021 Rifle Of The Year. American Hunter magazine’s Associate Editor David Herman stated that the new Savage Impulse was more than a first attempt at an American-made straight pull. It is a rifle that is capable of taking long-range precision shots and yet can quickly stack lead. It would be a great addition to any serious hunter’s arsenal. Savage’s Marketing Director Beth Shimanski says the design is a game changer for hunters: “The speed and simplicity of Impulse’s straight pull action has transformed the way Americans view hunting rifles. This design combines all that Savage knows about accuracy and reliability with innovation, which gives marksmen and women new capabilities and capabilities. Savage’s Impulse line of straight-pull bolt rifles was the first American-designed and manufactured straight-pull centerfire rifle. The new Impulse features a Hexlock bolt-locking mechanism that uses six spherical bearings to move radially outward into the barrel extension. This locks the bolt in place. The barrel extension is held in place by four cross bolts at the lower front. The barrel extension is held in place by a standard recoil lug as well as a familiar Savage barrel nuts. Savage claims that the new system has the cycling speed of semi-autos with the accuracy and precision of a bolt-action. Based on the videos Savage posted, the Impulse’s straight pull bolt doesn’t seem as smooth as other European straight-pulls like the Blaser R8, Merkel RX Helix and Strasser RS. We have tested those Austrian/German rifles, and they can be cycled very smoothly. The Savage Impulse seems to require more effort and muscle. Watch below. Watch the video below. The video will start at the 15 second mark. This is a comparison between the Impulse vs. a traditional Savage bolt-action. Advantages of Straight-Pull Cycling System
What are the advantages of a straight-pull system You should be able cycle faster and (ideally) keep your cheek-weld, target and view. Savage states that smooth bolt throw makes it possible to cycle round intuitively without needing to make four changes of direction. The shooter can manipulate the bolt with ease and reduce split times. The bolt travels outward and backward, so shooters don’t need to look away from the target. It sounds great, but the videos above will show that it is not as amazing as they claim. Barrel Extension Six (6) hardened steel bearings hold the bolt in place within the receiver’s barrel extension with the Hexlock. Savage states that Hexlock’s hold tightens as pressure increases. This prevents the bolt from moving backwards. The pressure will subside once the round leaves the barrel. The bolt handle can be pulled straight to open the action again. The modular Impulse bolt is easy to disassemble without the need for tools. The bolt-handle can be easily moved to one side. The bolt-handle can be moved to either side easily.