Hunting big game this year? Whether you’re new to big game or a seasoned hunter it’s important to know the new gear in the market that can aid in bringing your big game animal home to your freezer. Seth Swerczek, Hornady’s Marketing Communications Manager, joined us in Colorado for an elk hunt in the fall of 2021 to help us put their new CX bullet to the test. We brought the Impulse Big Game rifle that was launched for Savage in January 2021. This combo proved successful out in the mountains of Colorado. 

The New Hornady CX Bullet

Let’s dive into the new bullet that Hornady launched in early 2022 - the new CX bullet. CX Stands for Copper alloy eXpanding. It features a one-piece copper alloy monolithic bullet that won’t separate but will deliver terminal performance. 

Hornady wanted to create the most optimal monolithic bullet on the market. Monolithic bullets are bullets which are constructed from a one solid material, usually metal, and do not have multiple components. Unlike jacketed hollow point bullets (JHP), monolithic bullets do not have a jacket, cup, core, or tip. It’s a great option for both medium and large game animals. Their reasoning for this was to create a bullet that could hold up to close range targets as well as extended range targets without losing on the same terminal performance benefits that a regular monolithic bullet has. 

It also features the Hornady Heat Shield Tip, and special grooves to maximize aerodynamic performance. Hornady optimized the groove geometry to help reduce drag and extend the range of this bullet. This is featured in their Outfitter line of rifle ammunition.

Elk Hunting with the New CX Bullet 

“With all the terminal performance benefits of the CX bullet, it was a natural choice for this hunt,” says Swerczek. Elk have thick hides, big shoulder blades, and they’re dense animals that are tough to bring down – making a monolithic bullet a popular choice for elk hunters trekking into the backcountry. With the extended range capability of the CX bullet, this Colorado hunt was the perfect environment and situation to test its performance. 

We paired the 300 Win Mag, 180 gr CX bullet with our Impulse Big Game straight-pull rifle to bring down two elk during the 5-day hunt in Colorado. Hornady’s intention of creating a monolithic bullet that would perform at close range as well as extended range target proved to be successful with one bull down at 720 yards and another bull down at 250 yards. 

Savage Impulse Straight-Pull Rifle

Maintaining target acquisition, quick cycle times, and getting a fast follow-up shot are needed for success in hunting big game. This is especially true of elk hunting when it’s critical to keep your eye in the optic to determine if you need to take an ethical follow-up shot or where the bull went down. For this reason, we chose the Impulse for the elk hunt in Colorado. It has a lightning-fast straight-pull action that feels natural and instinctive to operate.  

How does a straight-pull rifle differ from that of a traditional bolt action? A conventional bolt action rifle has 4 manual motions to cycle a round: lift the bolt handle up, pull back, push forward, push down the bolt handle to close. A straight-pull rifle has 2 motions: pull back the bolt handle, then push forward to close. It’s a more efficient and linear way to cycle rounds while reducing movement on the firearm and keeping the shooter on target.

As with other Savage products, Impulse gives customers the performance innovations that they are used to seeing in a Savage; user adjustable AccuTrigger, AccuStock with AccuFit, and precision button rifled barrels assembled with a barrel lock nut. Additionally, the straight-pull action features Hexlock, a robust roller-ball lockup mechanism that can handle magnum cartridges and high pressures safely and reliably.

We know what you’re thinking and possibly that you’ve heard straight-pull rifles aren’t safe… Hexlock is exceptionally safe and let us explain how it works. 

How Hexlock Works

As the bolt closes into battery, Hexlock’s six hardened steel bearings secure the action. Inside the bolt, a plunger forces the ball-bearings on the bolt head into channels machined into the barrel extension. As the bolt handle moves forward, this plunger locks in place, creating pressure that provides Hexlock’s solid lockup.

When a round is fired, the expanding gases inside the chamber act on the bolthead, forcing it back onto the plunger, which adds even more pressure to the bearings, creating a lock-up that tightens relative to pressure increase. The system, during this cycle, cannot open. As the round leaves the barrel and chamber pressure equalizes, Impulse can be safely opened with a simple reverse movement of the bolt. With one swift rearward motion, the empty brass is ejected. To chamber another round, simply push the bolt forward again. The entire sequence takes a fraction of a second, thanks to Hexlock.

With its inherent safety, speed and accuracy, Impulse provides an entirely new option for anyone looking for a competitive edge in hunting big game.

Seth’s Colorado Elk

On the last day of the 5-day hunt, Seth hiked up to the highest spot on a ridge to glass into a valley where he expected a herd of elk to come out. Sure enough, the herd came out with the bull Seth had been targeting…at 720 yards. 

He looked up the ballistics of the CX bullet and was confident taking the shot knowing that 720 yards was within its performance capabilities. He set up for a good shot and sunk the CX into its shoulder.  He quickly cycled the Impulse action and delivered a 2nd shot, which put the elk down.

“It was a mountain adventure that I’ll never forget,” said Swerczek

Tips for Selecting the Right Ammo

It’s hard to know what type of bullet will best perform for your hunt. The Hornady website is full of information to help you choose the proper ammunition. If you don’t know where to start – Swerczek likes to approach this with 3 factors:

1. What will you be hunting?
2. What range do you expect to shoot something? 
3. What type of bullet performance do you prefer? 

If you use this three-factor approach, you will be able to narrow down your bullet options for your next hunt.