Impulse information found out

I wrote to the CEO of Savage complaing that there was no information about the Impulse rifle available. I wasn't expecting an answer. Shockingly enough, I got a reply this morning from Savage's Director of Customer Service with very concise information.

The Imulse uses 110 small shank barrels on all calibers except the 300 WSM. That barrel uses the large shank and a different barrel extension, obviously.

I've written back to find out if the aluminum receivers are all the same and if the large and small shank barrel extensions will then interchange and fit in the same receiver. If that is the case, and I really hope it is, you could buy one Impulse rifle, a large and small barrel extension, and the applicable bolt head and have complete interchanabilty of all Savage barrels and calibers.

This would be even more than the 110 as the 110's are barrel shank specific. The 110 also has several lengths available that the Impulse does not and can accomodate longer cartridges. The Predator is limited to the shorter AICS magazines. I doubt that this will change. At one time I was hopeful that Savage was looking to make the Impulse its mainsteam bolt action rifle. I no longer believe that. I don't think it will be a unicorn but it's definately not going to be a signature product.

I also asked if and when they were going to have the barrel extensions and bolt heads available. I'll let you all know what the answer is when I find out.

Glad to hear that Savage got back to you with some answers.
I would also like to have a couple of spare barrel extensions.
I never expected Savage to make the Impulse their signature rifle, as that's not how Savage has ever rolled.
I'm just glad that Savage took the leap and made a very affordable and ambidextrous straight pull rifle.
I'm enjoying my Impulse and will probably get a big game model in 30-06, if one ever becomes available.

If my theory *hope!* hold true. If they decide to sell the barrel extensions and the large and small shank extension fit in the same aluminum receiver, you would only need two. Having a large and small barrel extension would enable you to fit every barrel ever made for a Savage 110 rifle. If they sell the bolt heads, you would really only need 3 to cover almost everything, 1 for 223 size, another for 308 and 3rd for magnum calibers. That would cover a gigantic amount of cartridges.

Further, if the barrel extension were cheap enough, you could have one setup for every barrel you had and switching barrels would be insanely easy. Switching barrels with the extension, as I understand it, can be done without having to reset the headspace again.

I have those questions in an email waiting for an answer now. I can only hope. The rifle is so sweet to run that it would be just magic if it worked that way.

Great information. Thanks.

I've been tracking the Impulse discussions. What appeals to me is that they are ambidextrous

I wonder when there will be aftermarket barrel extensions? Seems like an opportunity for PTG or similar group. I have a nice 6Creed Criterion small shank I've been wondering what to do with. Now I have an idea...

Well, if/when Savage ever gets one to me for review it will also give Fred the opportunity to tear it apart and get spec's on everything and I imagine one of the first products he'll put out will be the barrel extension since I imagine they're going to be near impossible to get out of Savage for a good long while (if ever). Fred will also be able to get use it to get an inlet pattern so he can start doing his stocks for them as well.

It will be interesting to see who will be the first to come out with an aftermarket trigger - but that's probably going to be several years down the road. Any savvy manufacturer is going to wait and see if Savage sticks with the Impulse and/or if Savage pulls their typical shenanigan's and makes all kinds of small parts changes year to year.

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Originally Posted by J.Baker

Well, if/when Savage ever gets one to me for review it will also give Fred the opportunity to tear it apart and get spec's on everything and I imagine one of the first products he'll put out will be the barrel extension since I imagine they're going to be near impossible to get out of Savage for a good long while (if ever). Fred will also be able to get use it to get an inlet pattern so he can start doing his stocks for them as well.

It will be interesting to see who will be the first to come out with an aftermarket trigger - but that's probably going to be several years down the road. Any savvy manufacturer is going to wait and see if Savage sticks with the Impulse and/or if Savage pulls their typical shenanigan's and makes all kinds of small parts changes year to year.

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I took the rifle out of its stock and all I can say is "flat". The bottom of the receiver is as flat as a pancake. There are two screw holes in a dead flat bottom 5.150 inches apart. Or that's as close as I can measure them.

Unfortunately, but not unexpected, the bottom metal isn't metal, it's plastic and since the screw spacing is a totally unique 5.150. There is nothing that can be done to alleviate that. Maybe someone will make something but it won’t be anytime soon.
I assume that all Accufit stocks are this way. The rear screw has a metal (steel/aluminum?) pillar in the stock but the front one does not. All it has is a washer, then the plastic, looks like nylon, bottom trigger guard/magazine plate, then a very thin part of the stock and then right into the receiver. There’s no metal pillar to stop you from crushing the plastic against the receiver. I’m likely to just Accraglass an aluminum pillar into the plastic/nylon bottom just for the hell of it.

Savage just couldn't give me a "when" they were going to make barrel extension and bolt heads available as separate parts. They assured me they were but with things like they are were could all die of covid 29 by then.