An impact line printer (10) comprising a print ribbon wound on a pair of spools for traversal in two directions across a plurality of print hammers (46) having tips (48) for impacting the print ribbon to print on a media. A permanent magnet (22) having two pole pieces (126, 128) having pole piece ends in adjacent relationship to the print hammers (46) retains the print hammers (46) until a coil in associated relationship with each pole piece releases the magnetic retention of the hammers. A magnetically permeable extension (94) is longitudinally adjacent each hammer (46) which acts as a magnetic shunt to permit more rapid printing rates and higher impacts. The extensions (94) conduct and shunt magnetic flux from the hammers (46) through the longitudinally adjacent extensions.
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