Savage IMPULSE Debuted as the Brand's New American-Made Straight Pull Rifle

Check out the new Savage Arms IMPULSE, a unique straight pull rifle built for shooters and hunters.

Savage Arms has announced the latest addition to their lineup of firearms, and it's a style of gun Americans may not be entirely familiar with.

The new Savage IMPULSE has just been unveiled, and we've got all the details straight from the source.

The American-made IMPULSE rifles feature a unique straight-pull bolt action, popular in European markets, that refines the basic function of the conventional bolt into one quick movement. Instead of twisting the bolt handle up, pulling back, pushing forward, then twisting back down, a straight pull rifle like the IMPULSE only requires a straight back, then straight forward manipulation of the cycling process.

The key to IMPULSE's lightning-quick functionality is the new action, which is built around Hexlock, an innovative new style of lockup that allows for IMPULSE's reliability and speed, not to mention safety and accuracy.

Hexlock holds the key to the unique straight pull action, and operates in a rather interesting way. Six hardened steel ball bearings combine to lock the bolt in place inside the receiver's barrel extension. When pressure increases, Hexlock's hold strengthens, making sure that the bolt can't move rearward.

Once the round has left the barrel, the pressure eases up, and the action can open safely with the straight pull of the bolt handle. In addition, the bolt handle's position can be adjusted to several different angles, which helps ensure you're clearing optics or satisfying your personal preference. You can even switch from a right hand to a left hand bolt operation without any special tools or skills.

"IMPULSE will redefine the way you think about straight-pull rifles," said Al Kasper, President and CEO of Savage Arms, in the official press release. "We've studied more than a century's worth of straight-pull actions and kept running up against the same conundrum; straight pull actions are fast, but they don't inspire confidence. Speed means nothing if you can't hit what you're aiming at. IMPULSE changes that. We've brought our tradition of accuracy into the mix to make the fastest, most accurate straight-pull rifles ever built."

Each model is equipped with Savage's patented AccuStock, Accufit, and AccuTrigger systems. There will be three variants of the IMPULSE available at the start, including...

Impulse Big Game: Chambered in versatile calibers like .243 Win up to the mighty 300 Win Mag, the IMPULSE Big Game is perfect for one-shot drops and fast hunting follow-up shots. The AccuStock comes in KUIU Verde 2.0 camo, and the aluminum receiver and steel barrel is covered with a Hazel Green Cerakote. MSRP: $1,449

Impulse Predator: From the speed of 22-250 REM. to the do-it-all potential of 6.5 Creedmoor, the IMPULSE Predator gives shooters an advantage when targeting tricky predatory animals. The matte black finish on the receiver and barrel complement the Mossy Oak Terra Gila camo stock. The Predator model also includes a 10-round magazine. MSRP: $1,379

Impulse Hog Hunter: Got a hog situation? Then the IMPULSE Hog Hunter in chambers ranging from .308 to the long-range reach of 300 Win Mag will provide efficient pest control in a variety of .30 caliber chamberings. The OD Green AccuStock and black matte finish on the threaded barrel and receiver set the Hog Hunter apart as a worthy firearm. MSRP: $1,379

On top of all those features, an integral 20 MOA picatinny rail has been milled into the receiver to make mounting optics super simple. More variants will be coming in the future, Savage says. They claim there's nothing like this on the market, and certainly not with the price point of

Overall, the American shooting community may not be well-versed in the straight pull rifle, but the two and a half years Savage spent perfecting the design of the IMPULSE seem to have paid off.

You can find out more on the official Savage website, as well as right here on Wide Open Spaces as we get a chance to learn more and test the gun ourselves. Stay tuned.

NEXT: 7 OF THE BEST SAVAGE RIFLES ON THE MARKET TODAY

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