Haven't seen one yet...

[big honkin jeep]

Here's another longtime Savage lovers, Outsider looking in, That hasn't laid hands on one, but wondering why and what were they thinking, opinion.
From the initial reports and reviews I've read it has some nice features and I too like ambidextrous features.

Hopefully just like the original "Edge" rifles that became known as the Axis and then the Axis 2s, some rapid evolution will take place.
I learned a big lesson buying "based on the reviews" with the Savage "Edge".
The original ones were pretty much stinkers even as far as econo rifles go in my opinion.

I prefer to choose my own bases and rings and an integral picatinny rail wouldn't normally be a deal killer,
BUT... They made the darn thing with a non removable picatinny base with 20MOA of cant.
I don't know what they were thinking, and out of all the gun guys and hunters I associate with I don't know anyone who runs 20 minutes of cant on their hunting rig. Long range competition rifles yes but there's no way 20MOA will translate well to hunting rigs for a majority of potential customers.
Most guys I know don't want or need their scope 80 clicks from its optical center just to zero at 100 or 200 yards or to hunt at 2-3 times those distances. WTH.
To me it sounds like some internet "poll" was taken of of "I heard this" and "the gun magazines said I need that" Yuppies were allowed to vote on it, instead of someone with experience behind the trigger or in rifle manufacture making a sound (or even sane) decision. 20 minutes of cant is a LOT.

The "Predator" model comes with AICS compatible magazines, Hooray!
BUT much to my dismay it's the only model and in limited chamberings across the lineup that does.
Again I don't know what they were thinking and why all available models and chamberings aren't AICS compatible.
I guess using what has become, and is becoming industry standardized mags that can interchanged just makes too much sense.

Oh well, we'll wait and see how the Impulse evolves and maybe look again when it does.

[AbitNutz]

Hey, when you're right you're right. I really don't hunt. I punch paper or bang steel at as long a range as I can find. So I'm looking at it from the point of my Savage Elite Precision. I really didn't think of that integral 20 MOA rail when I was watching their video and they had those guys shooting at the charging paper elephants. That is fairly ridiculous.

But all hope may not be lost. The receiver is aluminum and the barrel extension is steel. It's more than likely, at least when I think about it, that they'll come out with other variations without a 20 MOA rail. After all, it's not like they have to invest in an entirely new steel receiver casting. It should be relatively cheap to make new receiver designs.

I didn't realize they had a version with AICS mags. That's a good thing. That'll shows at least someone was thinking. Unfortunately, that's on the short action. While I know there are some folks that shoot 308 and 6.5 Creedmoor at a 1000 meters, I'm afraid I go for something bigger, like 300 RUM.

Overall, I'm still very hopeful. You don't see anyone else doing innovative things like this in America. It's always somewhere else and always with one more zero than I can stomach. I think the overall design lends itself to adaptability to to all kinds of variations at low cost. Let's face it, savage if nothing else, tries to fill every niche under the sun. Not only can't I keep their product line straight, neither can they, there are so many models. With the Impulse it is only going to get worse or better, depending on how you look at it.