Savage Impulse KLYM Bolt-Action Rifle Review

The Savage Impulse KLYM Rifle Takes The Brand To New Heights

The Savage Impulse KLYM gave the brand the chance to stretch its creative wings. It worked.

Savage has been around since 1894. During my 40-year hunting career, I’ve recognized the company for making the “working man’s rifle.” This, to me, is a high compliment. The folks at Savage work diligently to make affordable, no-frills, and exceptionally accurate rifles.

Over the last few years, part of this equation has changed: the no-frills. I say that in a good way: the new Savage Impulse KLYM has all the luxury features fit for a hunting king.

Savage Impulse KLYM Rifle Review

About the Gun

The Impulse KLYM is a lightweight masterpiece ideal for hunting any game animal in North America. It therefore makes sense that lighter-weight carbon fiber is incorporated into both ends of the custom stock built by Fine Ballistic Tools. This lovely material makes for a very functional adjustable cheekpiece operated by a single button.

The button operation allows for quick adjustment between applications such as shooting while standing or shooting prone from a pack or bipod. The importance of a good cheek weld in accurate rifle shooting cannot be overstated, and this feature facilitates it.

Speaking of bipods, the stock includes the revolutionary MagnaSwitch adapter that allows for the lightning-fast attachment of ultralight, strong bipods, and tripods from Spartan Precision Equipment.  Carrying a rifle with an attached bipod while in the mountains for days is not on my list of fun things to do. The adapter eliminates any need to consider this sorry, uncomfortable circumstance.

Breaking It Down

Then, there is the stock’s thumbhole design. For those who have not liked thumbhole stocks in the past, this version should be tried. The angles and dimensions simply work. The grip angle, for example, is ideal for comfortable “ready” carry and for firmly pulling the butt into the shoulder while shooting.

The KLYM’s 22-inch Proof Research carbon-fiber-wrapped barrel typically happens on much more expensive rifles. These barrels are light and accurate. There is a reason a significant percentage of Precision Rifle Series shooters, the best practical riflemen of our time, use Proof barrels. The barrels also happen to look super cool.  

The threaded muzzle comes equipped with an effective Omni-Port brake to reduce felt recoil, something very helpful on a rifle as light as the KLYM. The threads also allow the use of the ever-growing selection of quality suppressors.

Features of the Savage Impulse KLYM

The Impulse line of rifles arrived in 2021. The core feature is a straight-pull bolt. This is something demanded by nearly all who engage in the wild and fast-paced action of driven boar hunting in Europe. I must admit that this is my first meaningful experience with a straight pull. I went in skeptical, and I came out a big fan. Lastly, I like the efficiency of movement, and this system is the definition of it.

The bolt handle with carbon-fiber knob can be adjusted to sit at various angles to suit the user’s preference. Southpaws will be thrilled because the Impulse system allows the bolt to simply be repositioned to the left side for left-hand operation. This is not possible with a traditional bolt gun.

The rifle’s aluminum receiver features an integral 20 MOA Picatinny rail allowing for low, secure mounting of optics. The integral nature of this component eliminates a potential weak link in the usual rail mounting options as there are fewer screws to come loose.

At The Range

Conditions at the range were not ideal for my accuracy testing, with a 10- to 12-mile-per-hour full-to-quarter-value wind. But the KLYM still performed exactly how I would expect from a Savage. My test rifle was chambered in 7MM PRC.

With the outstanding Hornady Precision Hunter 175 grain ELD-X, I shot five three-shot groups at 100 yards off bags for accuracy. They came in at .96-, .75-, 1.03-, .63-, and .48-inches, for a .77-inch average. On a windless day, this is demonstrably a sub-MOA rifle, and most likely is a sub-½ MOA gem.

Final Thoughts

Sitting on the gun store rack, no one is going to be blamed for wondering whether it’s a $5,000 rifle… or a $7,000 rifle. It is neither. The MSRP is $3,299. With the array of premium features and top-tier accuracy, many serious hunters will find the KLYM a smoking deal.

Specifications: Savage Impulse KLYM Bolt-Action Rifle

• ACTION: Straight-Pull Bolt-Action
• CHAMBERING: 7MM PRC
• RECEIVER: 7075 Aluminum, Hard Coat Anodized, and Cerakote Finish
• STOCK: Fine Ballistic Tools Carbon Fiber Thumbhole w/Adjustable Cheekpiece 
• BARREL TYPE: Proof Research Carbon Fiber Wrapped 416R Stainless Steel, 1:8 Twist
• BARREL LENGTH: 22″
• MAGAZINE: Detachable 2-Round Box
• TRIGGER: User-Adjustable 1.5- to 4-Lb. AccuTrigger
• SIGHTS: None. Integral Picatinny Rail
• WEIGHT: 6.6 Lbs.
• LENGTH: 45.37″
• MSRP: $3,299

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