Joined
·
29,983 Posts
Review: Impala Plus 12 Gauge
1 - 20 of 276 Posts
Joined
·
2,809 Posts
Time for a new gun!
Sure do wish they made a 20 gauge!
Joined
·
851 Posts
Randy. Nice review. I would like you to run some buckshot loads through this and other guns you review to see if they function with buckshot. Lots of us use buckshot when deer hunting here in the south.
Gamaliel's had one of these in the hunting section of their new gun rack at The Grand last year.
The slope of the rib looked like it'd deliver 60/40 or so, pistol grip and everything else about the stock felt good, and the controls were nicely sized. I didn't dry fire it, but I did fiddle with the bolt a bit and it seemed pretty reluctant to get caught in that "Benelli Click" position.
Nice to see it'll run light loads. It might even make a decent entry level trap gun. The bolt handle runs along the bottom of the ejection port, but since it's drilled & tapped, one could make an over-the-top shell catcher for it. Of course, one would probably want to add some weight in the stock and mag tube if shooting 100's of clays in a day.
The slope of the rib looked like it'd deliver 60/40 or so, pistol grip and everything else about the stock felt good, and the controls were nicely sized. I didn't dry fire it, but I did fiddle with the bolt a bit and it seemed pretty reluctant to get caught in that "Benelli Click" position.
Nice to see it'll run light loads. It might even make a decent entry level trap gun. The bolt handle runs along the bottom of the ejection port, but since it's drilled & tapped, one could make an over-the-top shell catcher for it. Of course, one would probably want to add some weight in the stock and mag tube if shooting 100's of clays in a day.
Joined
·
29,983 Posts
A standard 00 Buck load is 9 pellets, 53.8 grains = just over 1.1 oz. Many loads are heavier yet. I've never had any malfunctions with buckshot.
Attachments
Joined
·
2,609 Posts
Randy,
Outstanding live review, you know I am not a big fan of Semi-Auto guns. However at this price I may have to purchase one of these guns and do a test run on it on a Clays course. Outstanding new Impala 12 gauge Semi-Auto for Pheasant and some Duck hunting!
Thanks much for bringing it to our attention!
all the best,
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man
Outstanding live review, you know I am not a big fan of Semi-Auto guns. However at this price I may have to purchase one of these guns and do a test run on it on a Clays course. Outstanding new Impala 12 gauge Semi-Auto for Pheasant and some Duck hunting!
Thanks much for bringing it to our attention!
all the best,
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man
Joined
·
29,983 Posts
A 12 gauge BPS blued walnut comes with three choke tubes, no adjustment shims, weighs 7-3/4 lbs., and runs about $730. An Impala Plus blued walnut has five supplied Invector Plus choke tubes, shims for cast and drop, weighs 6-3/4 lbs., and costs about $435. If there is such a thing as a crazy good deal on an excellent semi-auto, this is it.
Joined
·
29,983 Posts
Joined
·
2,343 Posts
A Tristar G2 wood costs $500. Yes you get two more chokes and browning invector plus vs beretta mobile chokes but it isn’t like this gun is $300 vs the proven G2. $65 bucks is still money but only about a tank of gas.
Joined
·
735 Posts
And for a couple hundred more you can get the bronze some with pretty decent wood.A Tristar G2 wood costs $500. Yes you get two more chokes and browning invector plus vs beretta mobile chokes but it isn’t like this gun is $300 vs the proven G2. $65 bucks is still money but only about a tank of gas.
Including 16 ga. I need to strip it and refinish it this winter. So far it has been more reliable then my Browning A5 Sweet 16 the extractor hasn't broken yet after only a couple thousand rounds through it.
Joined
·
29,983 Posts
Actually: https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/713092270/impala+plus+nero+12ga.+3+26
A blued / walnut Impala Plus is $405 right now from Bud's, with free shipping. There is little more proven than an inertia action. In fact, the Impala Plus has been out for three years by now. It isn't rational to compare a gas gun to an inertia gun. Yes, you do get an overbored barrel with the Impala Plus, five choke tubes that are all steel shot rated, a 90 degree turn charging handle release, a better recoil pad, a larger safety, a drilled and tapped receiver, etc. There is no doubt that the Impala Plus is the best bargain out there.
Sure, if you want an inexpensive gas gun, the Armsan guns are excellent... I've had three of them. For a good inertia gun, there is nothing out there close to a $405 Impala Plus.
A blued / walnut Impala Plus is $405 right now from Bud's, with free shipping. There is little more proven than an inertia action. In fact, the Impala Plus has been out for three years by now. It isn't rational to compare a gas gun to an inertia gun. Yes, you do get an overbored barrel with the Impala Plus, five choke tubes that are all steel shot rated, a 90 degree turn charging handle release, a better recoil pad, a larger safety, a drilled and tapped receiver, etc. There is no doubt that the Impala Plus is the best bargain out there.
Sure, if you want an inexpensive gas gun, the Armsan guns are excellent... I've had three of them. For a good inertia gun, there is nothing out there close to a $405 Impala Plus.
Joined
·
2,343 Posts
I bought my first G2 bronze in 20 gage maybe the first year they came out and not much was known about them. That was one upland dog ago and my current pheasant dog is already 5 years old. The Bronze 20 gage is still ticking away killing pheasants. I bolted on a 28 gage and a 12 gage Bronze when Cabellas was semi liquidating a bunch last year. Right now Cabellas has “factory shelf demos” for $599. I think the Bronze semi autos are the best value on the market. Champagne wood and deep bluing for a beer budget price.And for a couple hundred more you can get the bronze some with pretty decent wood.
![]()
Including 16 ga. I need to strip it and refinish it this winter. So far it has been more reliable then my Browning A5 Sweet 16 the extractor hasn't broken yet after only a couple thousand rounds through it.
Tristar Arms ~ Viper G2 Bronze ~ 12 Gauge for sale
Tristar Arms ~ Viper G2 Bronze ~ 12 Gauge for sale online.
www.gunsinternational.com
Joined
·
196 Posts
So does this surpass the Retay?
Joined
·
4,044 Posts
Definitely more density on the right.
Joined
·
750 Posts
A good review. I like the "concept" and cleanliness of inertia guns, but the Benellis / Franchis we've owned have not all been perfectly functioning guns.
I'd have to handle one of these before buying, to find out more about the depth of the wood checkering. I can't abide slick, shallowly checkered wood guns like the later years of Remington 870 "express" pumps. But usually that's solved by buying the plastic stocked version which has a lot of bite to the checkering.
I can't abide plastic stocked guns either, but that's the lesser of two evils compared to a shallow-checkered one that slips in gloved (or sweaty) hands.
This seems to fit that niche of an inexpensive gun to keep and carry behind a pickup seat, which is a way I wouldn't treat my Fabarm.
I'd have to handle one of these before buying, to find out more about the depth of the wood checkering. I can't abide slick, shallowly checkered wood guns like the later years of Remington 870 "express" pumps. But usually that's solved by buying the plastic stocked version which has a lot of bite to the checkering.
I can't abide plastic stocked guns either, but that's the lesser of two evils compared to a shallow-checkered one that slips in gloved (or sweaty) hands.
This seems to fit that niche of an inexpensive gun to keep and carry behind a pickup seat, which is a way I wouldn't treat my Fabarm.
1 - 20 of 276 Posts
