Post
by Johnnie_T » Tue Jul 07, 2020 10:06 pm
So I was cruising the board, re-reading old threads I’m interested in, and I realized that I promised a review of the Ruger Impact Max over a year ago and forgot.
Here’s my review: I didn’t like it at all.
The stock was beautiful, and the metal finish was very nice. I wanted to love it. There were two problems that prevented that.
1) The fiber optic iron sights were too large to get a fine enough sight picture. Not a big deal for popping cans with the kids, but a big deal-breaker when it comes to humane shots on small game. The included scope was also not great. Very fuzzy and the adjustments had a chintzy, sloppy feel to them.
2) The Vortex gas piston produced plenty of power, even in cooler weather. The gun hit plenty hard. The cocking mechanism started to loosen up after a few hundred rounds, and the slop caused some accuracy issues. Not bad enough to affect plinking fun, but not the best for small game.
It’s not a bad rifle. It’s fun, it hits hard, and it’s finished nicely enough to call it pretty. It’s just not a hunting gun. It’s a plinker. If that’s what you’re after, then don’t hesitate to pick one up. If you’re after repeatable small-game accuracy, producing a humane kill shot every single time, it’s just not the best tool for the job.
To be fair, I could have replaced the sights or the scope, but I think for my wants and needs I’ll be better served by stepping into a PCP gun.