RandyWakeman
- Status
Review: Impala Plus 12 Gauge
Looks like a nice gun, good review, they sell them about 30 minutes from me, when my knee heals up, I may just take a trip to take a look at them.
cdb
cdb
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Could be ammo. 3 shots of one kind of ammo won't make or break the gun.
I could see this as a good duck or goose gun.
I could see this as a good duck or goose gun.
I own a Weatherby Element in 12 and 20 gauge so I don’t really need another 12 gauge inertia gun. However. After I went to the Impala website I couldn’t believe all of the different configurations of this gun, not to mention color and stock choices. Bud’s even lists some as low as $370. I think I might have to pick up one of the ones that’s configured for clay games. Specifically trap. Really cool.
I like the idea that it's Randy Approved, inexpensive, and the web site has some lady's name you can call for service. I am not going to call it, but if I was going to buy one, I would call that number first and see if she answers.
For that price, I would accept that in 5 years the importer may be long gone and service is on me.
The cheap CZ side-by-side I got as my foul weather pheasant gun is too likeable. Part of me thinks I want a cheap plastic shotgun for going out in the glop. But then I look and see that the Tristar Viper G2 is $449 at the b@proBellas near me and then I remember that
what I really want is a Fabarm Scolipax Rusticola with a nice plastic stock because it would carry like a 20, hit like a 12, and recoil like a 28. Sure, it will cost like a Benelli, but I'd pay it. (Ps... instead of the rifled choke, they should make it an optional accessory along with an extended turkey choke accessory, neither of which I would use.)
For that price, I would accept that in 5 years the importer may be long gone and service is on me.
The cheap CZ side-by-side I got as my foul weather pheasant gun is too likeable. Part of me thinks I want a cheap plastic shotgun for going out in the glop. But then I look and see that the Tristar Viper G2 is $449 at the b@proBellas near me and then I remember that
what I really want is a Fabarm Scolipax Rusticola with a nice plastic stock because it would carry like a 20, hit like a 12, and recoil like a 28. Sure, it will cost like a Benelli, but I'd pay it. (Ps... instead of the rifled choke, they should make it an optional accessory along with an extended turkey choke accessory, neither of which I would use.)
- Status
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
