Impulse Wins 2021 Rifle of the Year

Savage Arms is proud to announce that Impulse has been selected as the Rifle of the Year by Guns & Ammo Magazine. The American-made straight-pull rifle was chosen for the award by editors, contributors, and staff of the magazine.

The Rifle of the Year award is a testament to Impulse's success, range, and versatility and is a milestone for the company. Savage’s Renegauge won Shotgun of the Year in 2020, and Impulse's award marks the first time a company has won Guns & Ammo annual awards in consecutive years in different categories.

Not content to rest on its 60-years of success in selling Model 110 variants (or 20-years of AccuTriggers), the “new” Savage Arms is a fresh company that has launched bold products to attract new business. It was sold by Vista Outdoor in 2019 to a group of investors led by Savage’s management, and that might have been the best thing to happen to the brand since the introduction of the Model 99.

Savage Arms has a 127-year-long thread woven through America’s fabric, and it’s now building on its respected reputation with forward-looking designs. Savage’s first order of business was to introduce the Renegauge in 2020, which earned Guns & Ammo’s Shotgun of the Year honors. This year, Savage impressed us again with the Impulse rifle.

Straight-pull bolt-actions never caught on in the U.S., but the Impulse could rewrite that statement. Options are limited to three products, as of this writing, which include the Impulse Big Game, Hog Hunter and Predator. The delineation of features and clear naming convention help us to quickly identify which configuration smartly suits our needs.

Current-manufacture straight-pull rifles are not made in America and are expensive, which typically range in price from $3,000 to $10,000. The Impulse Hog Hunter and Predator lines start at $1,379, while the Impulse Big Game has a retail of $1,449. These are within reach of many rifleshooters. Unlike many of the offerings from Europe, the Impulse chambers popular American cartridges: 6.5 Creedmoor, .243 Winchester, .308 Win., .300 Winchester Short Magnum, .30- ’06 Springfield and .300 Winchester Magnum. (You’ll find the Impulse Predator model adds .22-250 Remington to the list.)

Despite being a new design, the Impulse uses the same barrels as the Model 10/110. They’re button rifled and threaded. The only difference is the barrel extension, which accepts the barrel and ensures proper headspace. The familiar Savage locknut that secures the barrel to the receiver is there, too.

Another nice feature is the integral 20-MOA optic rail. It’s machined as part of the receiver, which is reassuring to know that there’s one less component to work loose.

Of course, the Impulse enjoys the Savage AccuTrigger, AccuStock (action bedding) and AccuFit systems. The trigger is not only safe, but it helps to cleanly achieve this rifle’s sub-MOA accuracy potential. The AccuFit system supports that effort by allowing shooters to select the ideal combination of comb height and length of pull. With our head positioned naturally and comfortably behind a scope’s ocular lens, we can be more consistent from one shot to the next when taking aim.

Of course, the highlight is the straight-and-linear pull for fast cycling. Pulling the trigger or pressing the button at the rear of the bolt releases the Hexlock bolt head and its six stainless-steel ball bearings. The bolt can then be drawn back smoothly and pushed forward to reload. The pivoting bolt handle is reversible, too, so the Impulse is friendly to right- and left-handed shooters. In contrast with its traditional appearance, the Impulse starts a new chapter in rifle history. Without a doubt, it was the best in 2021.

Check out the December 2021 Edition of Guns & Ammo.