My African Safari with the Savage Arms Impulse Mountain Hunter

In this review we are going to be reviewing the performance of the Savage Arms Impulse Mountain Hunter that I used on my South African Safari.

Destination hunting has become a way of life for me over the last couple of years. While the joys of spending time at our Northern Michigan deer camp are tough to beat, nothing can match the thrill of traveling to a far off destination to hunt creatures I typically only see in books or online. Few destinations can send a hunter into a daydream like Africa and for good reason. It isn’t just the uniquely wild feeling that the dark continent exudes, it’s also the inherent danger of hunting on ground that some of the most dangerous game in the world inhabit.

My recent trip to the Limpopo Province of South Africa was full of excitement, danger, and some of the most enjoyable hunting of my life. I was fortunate enough to be back in Africa for the 3rd time and each trip has managed to outdo the previous. Our outfitter, Ranchero Safaris, gave us incredible opportunities on game and we walked away as a group with 23 trophies in just 7 days of hunting. The importance of finding a reputable and reliable outfitter in South Africa cannot be overstated and having hunted with Ranchero Safaris on two separate trips, I can attest to their ability to deliver.

Just as important as the outfit you choose is the gear you select for your trip. When we were finalizing our plans, I knew without a doubt that I would be using what has become my absolute favorite rifle, the Savage Arms Impulse Mountain Hunter chambered in 300 WinMag. I try to stay as neutral as possible when reviewing and testing products, but I have to admit that I am in love with the Impulse platform’s straight pull action. I began my straight pull action journey when Savage Arms launched the Impulse Big Game rifle in 2021 and I haven’t looked back since.

Just a year after launching the straight pull action Impulse rifle platform, Savage Arms brought us the Impulse Mountain Hunter and delivered a Magnum Caliber rifle that is perfect for backcountry hunters. With the 300WinMag model weighing in at just 7.24 lbs, this rifle is a hard hitting and very manageable companion regardless of your hunting destination. How did Savage Arms manage to shave over 1.5 lbs off of the original Impulse big game rifle? They integrated a Proof Research carbon fiber wrapped stainless steel barrel and rugged polymer frame that cuts weight and provides the accuracy and dependability you would expect.

In just a little over the year, I have traveled the world and harvested some incredible animals with the Savage Arms Impulse Mountain Hunter. In Alaska, I hiked all over God’s creation in search of hard horned caribou in wet and nasty conditions. Not only did the Impulse Mountain Hunter deliver in the accuracy department, it was easy to hike with in very challenging conditions. In Africa, I subjected the Impulse Mountain Hunter to hot and dusty conditions that couldn’t stop the rifle from performing at the levels I have come to expect.

Over the course of the week on my Safari, I took shots at distances from 30 yards to 200+ yards. Some of my harvest were taken from the top safari trucks and others were from picturesque rock formations that overlooked the entire valley. Each shot posed its own challenges and required quick decisions and a rifle that could keep up with the fast paced demands of safari style hunting in Africa. Being fortunate enough to hunt plains game with a modern rifle like the Savage Arms Impulse Mountain Hunter, I left with even more respect for past hunters like Teddy Roosevelt and Fredrick Selous who spent months at a time traversing the African continent with far less advanced firearms. Had they been given the chance to hunt with an Impulse Mountain Hunter, I think they would have been just as impressed as I am!

For more information on the Savage Arms Impulse Mountain Hunter, you can check out their website and some of our other reviews which I have linked below.

This article was brought to you in partnership with Savage Arms.

Andy Husek

Andy has been a lifelong Outdoorsman and has hunted and fished all over the world but his home state of Michigan is near and dear to his heart. He grew up fishing the Great Lakes and mostly hunted waterfowl and small game until his teenage years when he quickly became an avid big game hunter and embraced the art of long range shooting. With the help of several long range courses he has become proficient at shooting out to 1,000 yards with his longest confirmed shots being in excess of 1,700 yards. He has hunted North America from the northernmost parts of Alaska to the southernmost parts of Florida and everywhere in between. He has even made the trip across the pond several times to hunt in Africa. When he is not hunting or fishing he is coaching travel softball and watching his two daughters play the sports they love. In between hunts and when they have a break from sports he and his family enjoy spending time outdoors in the beautiful state of Michigan skiing, boating and camping.