Sorry in advance for the long read.... About 5 months ago I called a local gun shop asking about this rifle. Guy i spoke with said he couldn't find any right away but would keep looking and get back to me. Never heard anything from him. Had completely moved on.. (bought 2 other rifles since we spoke) Last week i get a call and he says I've got your Savage Impulse Predator here come on in and sign the paperwork when you get a chance... I said uhh what?? Explained to him that was 5 months ago or better and nobody ever called or got back to me!?!.. We agreed id go check it out and make a decision after... Well here we are lol Wasn't real excited about it but after just working the bolt and trigger im very excited to see how it shoots and try something different!! I'm a right handed shooter but since it's ambidextrous I'm going to try working the bolt with my left hand from the start. Will be for coyote hunting at night off a tripod.
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Savage Impulse Predator 6.5 CM
- Thread starter YotieJ
- Start date
I just felt the bolt on one in a Cabela's. It felt awful. Way hard to cycle unless you really forced it. Seems like a nice smooth bolt action disturbs the gun way less and is just about as fast in the right hands.
I kind of felt the same way while holding it and working bolt in right hand but on a tripod it's much better and after swapping bolt to left side and changing the angle of handle more forward it feels VERY smooth to me. And i get zero hang ups. Time will tell but on a tripod it's completely different.
My .243 predator has been a great rifle so far.
No complaints, except for it being barrel heavy.
I'll be happy when the 20" CF X barrel arrives, so I can make it into a balanced lightweight varmint rifle.
The bolt on mine was tight at first, but it smoothed quickly.
Most who've had issues when trying to manipulate a straight pull bolt are unintentionally binding the bolt with some upward pressure and it'll take a awhile before that turn bolt muscle memory fades before they can smoothly cycle the bolt.
Have you had a chance to get some range time with your Impulse ?
Being it's a straight pull, you'll have no bolt interference with the LRF/battery compartment on your scope in the left hand configuration.
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this was how my Bergera HMR PRO in 300 PRC was. and still is. everyone praised them over getting another remington... well at least it shoots, but the action is horrible
i have a savage FP10 i think was the model. i put alot of money and upgrades it in. it still didn't shoot so i sold it
I have to agree with it being barrel heavy. If you would keep me posted on how the barrel swap goes because that's my only real "complaint" about the rifle if you can call it that. I have not had a chance to get any time behind it yet but hope to here soon. I also agree and believe the people having problems are putting upward pressure on the bolt. I personally don't seem to have that issue. Being a right handed shooter it's strange to me how natural working the bolt with my left hand feels.
I'll keep you posted.
You'd better burn some powder with that thing before Ol' Joe gets us nuked by Putin !
In the meantime and hopefully before we get nuked, I'm having a machinist friend make some barrel extensions so I can swap barrels and use the rifle for varmint and PRS this year.
The bolt manipulation is smoother in the right hand configuration, as the bolt rides on the left side mounted bolt release and spring loaded ejector.
Make sure to lube those two channels on the bolt before use and cycle the bolt for awhile to break it in.
For me, being left handed, having the bolt in the 7 o' clock position when locked in battery gave me the least bolt resistance.
When it's being cycled while it's in the usual turn bolt 6 o' clock position, the bolt will tend to have more upward than rearward pressure being applied to unlock it.
While the ten round mag savage sends with it runs good, it's a rattle box and I prefer to use the much quieter and better fitting 5 rd AICS mag for field use.
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You'd better burn some powder with that thing before Ol' Joe gets us nuked by Putin !
In the meantime and hopefully before we get nuked, I'm having a machinist friend make some barrel extensions so I can swap barrels and use the rifle for varmint and PRS this year.
The bolt manipulation is smoother in the right hand configuration, as the bolt rides on the left side mounted bolt release and spring loaded ejector.
Make sure to lube those two channels on the bolt before use and cycle the bolt for awhile to break it in.
For me, being left handed, having the bolt in the 7 o' clock position when locked in battery gave me the least bolt resistance.
When it's being cycled while it's in the usual turn bolt 6 o' clock position, the bolt will tend to have more upward than rearward pressure being applied to unlock it.
While the ten round mag savage sends with it runs good, it's a rattle box and I prefer to use the much quieter and better fitting 5 rd AICS mag for field use.
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I got an Impulse Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor, in July of 2021. Lubing the bolt grooves and working the bolt action has greatly smoothed the action. The Impulse Predators and the new Impulse Elite Precision both use the AICS style magazine.
I cannot use magazines with thick polymer feed lips, the magazine will not insert far enough to lock into place. Magazines with steel feed lips are what is recommended by Savage. The original mag. was built by Accurate Mags, but I just ordered some steel lipped MDT magazines.
Savage is using the MDT ACC stock on the new Impulse Elite Precision rifles.
I cannot use magazines with thick polymer feed lips, the magazine will not insert far enough to lock into place. Magazines with steel feed lips are what is recommended by Savage. The original mag. was built by Accurate Mags, but I just ordered some steel lipped MDT magazines.
Savage is using the MDT ACC stock on the new Impulse Elite Precision rifles.
Straight pulls are different animals... You don't "finesse" a SP. The key, in my experience, with not only surplus straight pulls, and the impulse, is that to get a SMOOTH pull is to also rack it with DELIBERATE AUTHORITY. Not violently, but authoritatively. It has much to do with teh method of locking many of the rifles use. This makes "stealthily" chambering a round very challenging/impossible, so you better have one ready to go from the start if hunting or waiting in ambush.
I recently bought one also in 6.5CM. Put a Tract Toric 4.5-30x56 on it. I know the glass is almost twice the price of the rifle but I loved both. I also put an EC Tune/muzzle break and it shot very smooth. While I'm waiting for the reloading components I shot cheap 129gr. Hertes, 125gr. Winchester and 140 ELD Hornady (which I'm planning to reload a similar load). Out of three it liked 125gr. Winchester, group was under 1 MOA without any tuning. After zeroing at 100 yard I dialed 0.5 Mil and hit the 4 inch steel at 200 yards without any issue. I know it's nothing near to an ELR or even LR performance though. It's my first straight pull rifle and I can say that I liked it. Didn't experience any issues cycling but you have to pull harder than usual, however because you are pulling straight back your sight picture is not disturbed much.
Changing the clock of the bolt handle (when locked and closed) to 7 oclock for left side handle or 5 oclock for right side handle reduces the upward pressure on closing. My Impulse Predator is in 6.5 Creedmoor. It IS barrel heavy.
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