Home Forums Hunting & Shooting The Lefty Forum Savage’s New Action with Interchangable LH/RH Bolt

It appears that Savage is coming out with a new straight pull action that allows for the bolt to be interchangeable for left and wrong handed people. Savage is calling it the Impulse.

There were a few videos on the site when first uploaded, but have since been removed. Maybe they weren’t supposed to reveal so much at once or are waiting for a big announcement.

Here’s a link to Savage’s site

https://www.savagearms.com/content?p=impulse


Here are some of the videos found on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/x1SVasdjW2s

https://youtu.be/tqryDLwJxgM

Wow, Savage is at least trying to up their offerings. Looks interesting. I'll definitely give it a look.

Savage still can't seem to figure out how to make their firearms even fractionally attractive.

Even uglier than usual and now with AccuStupid, the new unnecessary and way too expensive feature no one asked for.

I like me some savages but this is gonna be a $1200 mess no one will buy

Just like the new shotgun that costs twice what it should and does nothing any other brand can't

I think that Savage needs to find a different market niche, since all of the possible bolt action options seem to be full of better options. Maybe they could sell the manufacturing rights to the 99 to Ruger and Ruger could spin off a division that only did lever actions, exposed hammer Marlins and hammerless Savages.

Heck, Marlin's X guns were Savage 110 clones, so there is proof that Savage could have improved the aesthetics of the 110s if they had wanted to.

I had a Stevens 350 12 gauge pump gun for awhile, but somebody wanted it more, so it went away. I replaced it with an old, all steel, Savage 30 tthat was twice the gun for half the price.

So, it would be a convertible bolt handle, but still RH port and RH ejecting.

No way in hell that ball bearing system is as strong as lugs.
Hope there is a good bolt stop for a bolt going rearward at 2000 fps or more when half the bearings stick in cold weather

Good point Ken. I missed that when I looked at it. Would be okay to do the left or right bolt with right hand eject from the bench, but a no go for me as a lefty if it ejects right side only.

Not sure what theoretical problems there are with bearings but the Heym sr30 used essentially the same system and I have never heard of an issue with it.

If anything about this concept intrigues you then save up some money and buy a Blaser R8.

I'm only meh on them from those videos. The one positive I could see is there may be way more chamberings available in this lineup then just the standard boring vanilla ones we see in most LH options.

The concept does intrigue me, especially the no extra cost right/left convertibility, and I'll look into them when they hit the market. The concept doesn't intrigue me enough to drop $4K on a Blaser though.

At least Savage is still pitching. And not being carved up like the Christmas turkey, ala Remington. Did a quick Google search. For perspective, Vista sold Savage last year for 2x what they just paid for Remington.

A "low cost" Blaser was my first thought. IIRC, Blaser maybe had some issues with radial lockup on their original model 93 rifle? Hence, the newer and more rugged Blaser R8. Hopefully the Savage engineers took heed of that...

It is an interesting design and good on Savage for bringing a new product to market.

That said I would not buy one because simply changing the handle to southpaw does not change the ejection to the left. In the admittedly rare case of an accident, I want all that bad stuff going to my left hopefully missing me rather than possibly taking out my right eye.

That is the reason I shoot, 99+ % of the time, true left hand actions.

I appreciate the effort and at least a company acknowledging us lefties but im goind to stick primarily to controlled feed left hand rifles. Ive recently picked up a left winchester model 70 and several Ruger Hawkeyes. If i wantedna push feed rifle i would go Tikka most likely or i might even entertain trying a Weatherby MK V?

Im at the age or point where i want more safety and dont care for that ejection port open near my face. Because of that ill most likey stay with Ruger Hawkeyes for the forseeable future. About the only thing that would chamge that would be if Kimber started offering lefties.

A true left hand Kimber Mountain Ascent chambered .270 Win would be one of the few factory rifles that would tempt me to go to one rifle for everything...

Very good point that i didn’t originally take into consoderation. I dont think id be a fan of a left hand bolt with a right side ejection. Probably would just stick to the standard left hand actions.

Anyone else get the launch promotion email today ?

Nice, but not $1400 nice

The .243 predator model is calling my name, but it's almost 9 pounds unloaded, without optic.
10+ pounds isn't an ideal weight for a predator rifle.

looks interesting but at 1400 msrp to rich for me I will stay with my Ruger American

It’s crazy how heavy these are. You would think with an aluminum action they would have offered a lite weight version right out of the gate, possibly with a proof carbon barrel on it as well since it’s already expensive

Yeah, heartens back to the Blaser R93 and then the later heavier R8. Had both. Quality firearms and very accurate. The concept of straight pull is an excellent one and it’s as fast as a slick pump action, maybe a tad faster if that’s of any import..

However the Blasters’ had collets 360* around the bolt head that opened up like a blossoming flower into the 360* lug channel on pushing the bolt forward into battery position. The “ball bearing” lug system of the Savage is apparently not a 360* deal as there are just a certain number of them around the bolt head. I realize that Heym had a similar system some time ago but comparatively, it seems a little less desirable at face value.

I’m Assuming Savage did their proper R&D. Not sure why the weight though. Seems to be a chronic American problem other than small custom shops.

I researched this heavily before purchasing my Blaser R93 and it’s not true. The one incident of a blow up I found was in Europe and was determined independently to be a hand load exceeding somewhere > 130-140k psi (metallurgy tests).

There have been Win model 70 blowups and that of about every rifle ever made including the Mausers.

ETA: the R8’s action was beefed up to add the big “African cartridges.”

Not surprised that the blow up was a hand load. Also, not aware that the R8 was up-sized to accommodate African cartridges. Everything I have read previously, (admittedly on the internet), alluded to the R8 replacing the 93 due to strength issues.

This European incident got a lot of internet electrons whirling about and soon perception becomes reality for manufacturers, so yes the R8 was beefed up. Was it solely for chambering wide body “African” cartridges or was it in part marketing to counteract the rumor mill?

I don’t know but as I mentioned I only found one DOCUMENTED incident of a blowup. And also as mentioned even Mausers have blown and there was an incident recently posted here about a Win model 70 kaboom.

Rifles are small bomb-containing instruments with the blast hopefully directed through a small diameter tube...but as in all the endeavors of men sometime things go awry.

Exactly, and this is why I think a right hand ejection port on this proposed left handed rifle is a terrible idea

Almost one-eyed Kurt agrees with you

Say more. I apparently missed a story...

Ruger RH 6mm Tang safety, shooting it LH when you shoot a RH rifle as a lefty your face is exposed to all the gas relief, factory round primer let go a small piece of primer went into right eye 3rd Dr said he thought he could save eye and he did.

The lesson I have learned dont shoot RH rifles LH and always wear eye protection.

Bought a RH Savage A17 17 HMR we use the 17 HMR on Sage Rats in Oregon shot it 10 times every shot could feel powder and debris on my face, boxed it up going to give it to my RH nephew. Semi Auto RH shotguns are the worse for shooting LH. Pump actions I have never had an issue yet! But when possible I want to shoot a LH action from the Left shoulder.

I give Savage credit for going outside the “American box” except for the outlandish weight, and hope they have success with it. But as others have mentioned one of the advantages of an alloy receiver is lighter weight, a concept apparently completely lost on Savage.

But as to lefties shooting SA shotguns — as a lefty I’ve never experienced that. I shoot Benelli’s because I can buy a righty and reverse the safety and never get that very hesitant look trying to sell or trade in a lefty.

I suppose a shotgun shell being very low pressure comparatively makes me feel better about it.

And there are too few lefty SA shotguns that suit my preferences.

CZ makes a couple of LH O/U’s. I own one. And a great pump is a BPS with the bottom ejection and no cast to the stock.

Thanks Snowwolfe, I am aware of those. I’ve become as picky an old women with loose dentures in a taffy store.

Appreciate the time to relate the story. Understand why you are hesitant to shoot RH from LH... To-date, have never had any issues shooting RH rifles from the left. But, have never had an experience like yours. Glad it turned out O.K.

That's one of the bigger benefits that I'm anticipating as well. If I want to eventually go to sell the gun, I can move the handle back and not have those cross eyed looks - you want to sell what? You lost me at Left Handed.

Obviously early, haven't put my hands on one yet, but the straight pull as far as working the action is different, and probably nothing but a better faster way compared to a bolt - so I don't have a problem trying one. I've seen others question the strength, but no actual test data that makes any real lab test results - so still watching for indications on what the effect is on strength of the action is. There are already straight pull bolt actions out there - their issue has never been a strength critic, it's a cost issue. Retail is $1400, will be interesting to see what the tag says in the gun shop when they arrive. I like that it maintains the Savage trigger, I like that it maintains the pre-fit barrels, as I do quite a bit of that already. Once I can put my hands on one, I may take one home at this point. More likely to be something like a .243 rather than a 300 Win Mag. I have not seen what the offered cartridges are as of yet. I'm thinking short action, which I may prefit barrel a 250 AI up to it, and then get rid of my right handed 250 AI bolt. Weight isn't a big issue for my hunting application. If I want to take a bull barrel gun to my stand now I don't think twice about it. That's not everyone's situation though, I understand that.

I’m shooting 3 lefthanded Remington 788 rifles with right hand eject. Never had a problem

Too damned heavy. Rube Goldberg would love that design. Get a Blaser.

So… Anyone have a chance to handle or shoot one of the new Impulse rifles? Looks like the Hog Hunter variant is now available on GB.

That made me laugh!

Yep, true LH firearms are the way to go if you can access them. I've mostly moved to pure lefty rifles (thanks Kurt), 😊 but still have leveractions and single shot Sharps and Ruger No 1. Been out and about carrying a Browning BLR takedown and I really like it. Wish I would have tried the BLR long ago, it's like a straight pull fast action rifle but very ambi other than ejection port.