Rem 597? opinions

I bought one a number of years ago. Without a doubt the worst gun I have ever tried to make work properly. After the first few non-functioning episodes (numerous failures to feed and eject), I went online to see what I could do to fix it. I tried everything that was recommended and still I couldn't get it to fire more than one or two rounds before it stopped working. Also tried different brands of ammo; still no better and was even worse with Remington ammo.

My wife has one, has worked well for her. The biggest issue is magazines. The plastic 25-rounders won't feed more than 4 rounds without being pulled out, slapped, wiggle the top shell, and reinserted. The factory 10-rounders are $20 each, and loading the 10th round requires sticking a screwdriver through the slot in the side and adjusting the follower. Also, inserting the mags requires pushing it in, and then "rubbing" it towards the butt to get the catch to engage. However, the gun itself has been flawless, all of the feeding issues can easily be attributed to the magazines, and loading 9 is the quickest solution to these problems.

Once upon at time I owned the .22 mag version of the 597.
Its function was flawless, but I could never shoot this rifle
very well so I sold it.

A friend has the .22 version. He has had no problems with it.

I have one in 22 mag.. The rifle is picky about the magazines, Remington replaced the one that came with mine from the factory. I also bought two more factory mag's which work fine. I like the rifle but since it is almost impossible to find ammunition for it around here I don't shoot it much.

Bought each of my kids a 597 when they were younger as their first rifle. They wanted to customize them so we had an arts and crafts day.
Son wanted camo, daughter wanted LSU tiger stripes



They shot the piss out of them. I found the 597 to be as accurate as any 22 auto I've ever shot. The mags need to be used to get the spring to loosen up. Otherwise, how can you go wrong for $130 for a rimfire that's accurate and includes a scope. Great first rifle for a kid to learn on. I would just keep a pile of ammo on the bench and they'd stay there popping away until there wasn't anything left to shoot

My 597 works well and accurate. Early mag had issue, stick with metal mag. Only hand tighten the 2 guide rails; otherwise, it won't cycle well.

I bought a 597 and a 10/22 in 1998.Sold the 10/22 the same year and still have the 597.
Over 30,000 rounds threw it with no problems a cleaning didn't fix.

I have a bare-bones 597, not the heavy barrel model. But even this one is the most accurate .22LR I have ever shot, so if accuracy is your primary concern then it should be great.

Reliability has been less stellar than accuracy, though; it is very picky about how it is assembled and lubricated (the bolt guide rods have to be *loose* for the gun to function, as in tighten the retaining screws finger tight, then back them off a turn until the guide rods have some play in them), and the thing needs to be either kept well greased and clean, or run wet with a well-lubricating, fouling-dissolving oil like Mobil 1. Trying to run it dry-ish, or with Rem Oil for very long, has been an exercise in futility for me, and it did *not* like a no-name aftermarket clear magazine I bought for it. It likes certain types of ammo and dislikes others (it likes CCI Mini-Mags, and ironically, runs great with Thunderbolts, which seem to jam everything else).

The Remington 10-rounder it came with feeds reliably, but sometimes thinks it's an 8-rounder (I think due to the aluminum body binding the follower on the way down). The Remington 30-rounder works pretty well also, if the rifle is clean and the guide rods are properly adjusted.

If it weren't for the exemplary accuracy, I might consider selling it for a 10/22. But from what I've read, you would typically have to put a lot of money into a 10/22 to get it to shoot this accurately, so as far as I'm concerned mine is definitely a keeper.

And FWIW, I would pay good money for a quality steel 20+ round magazine. (Remington, I am talking to you...) The magazines leave a lot to be desired, and I am very surprised that Remington hasn't put the time/effort into making the magazines better.

I bought a 597 about 6 years ago from Dicks, a standard with a scope and I had a smith install Tech-Sights/REM200 with Inserts as the barrel needed to be drilled and tapped.
I have shot many thousands of rounds with it. I love the way the gun fits and shoots. I installed a sling and attended the Appleseed program to learn marksmanship.
As for problems I have had some fail to load the last round due to a dirty mag or action and a single out of battery that I blame on a dirty chamber.
A couple years ago I bought a heavy barrel from Fleet Farm and installed a Tundra thumbhole stock, DIP rail and the scope from my other 597, What a Nice Gun, a better scope would be nice.
On any given day I can get 3-4inch groups at 100yds with bulk ammo.
I did have to send it back as the barrel was loose, all better now.
For the magazines I like to rub hard wax on the internal wear surfaces, keep the action rail screws loose and use a .27cal brush to keep the chamber clean.
As for ammo gota love all things CCI.

http://www.shootersdiscount.com/cart...l-cayenne.html

These guys have all the 597 answers
http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums...er=desc&page=2

These guys will show you how to shoot like a "Rifleman".
http://appleseedinfo.org/

I bought my youngest son a Rem 597 with a heavy barrel about 6-7 years ago as a Christmas present. I also have used an older Ruger 10/22 and I own a 10/22.

The Rem 597 is fussy with ammo, it shoots fine. It is not the quality of my 10/22.

There are many older .22LR out there. If I did it all over, I would find a good old one. I would pass on the 597.


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My nephews own one, and it is the most unreliable firearm I have ever had gthe displeasure of shooting. When it works, it shoots reasonably accuratelhy, but rarely does one finsih a ten round magazine without ine of many assorted failures....ftf, fte, light strikes, you name an issue, this gun has likley suffered it. I would never buy one, and would look to get rid of any I was given!

I've had one for 17yrs. Out of the box, I think it's a better, more accurate rifle than the Ruger. Once you factor in the ability to fine tune the 10/22 with aftermarket parts, thing change substantially.

ontarget

Mine was an early model so that might explain all the problems it had but even from looking at some of the more positive experiences some folks have had with them, I would still be very reluctant to consider getting a new one.

I currently own 3 of them; two basic ones and a heavy barrel version with a laminated stock (LSHB). Magazines at one time were a bit of a crapshoot but I was able to smooth up the ones that weren't reliable and also buy a number of the later ones that are. I do disassemble and clean/dry lube the mags every couple of years to keep them running well. Factory 10rd mags seem to be trouble free for the last several years anyway. Aftermarket hi-caps are not worth the trouble however (IMHO of course).

I wouldn't say any of them are fussy but when reassembling the bolt you do not want the dual guide rods completely tight. They should float a tiny bit back and forth to account for expansion. I also lube the internals with dri-lube and I can fire hundreds of rounds before I feel like I need to disassemble and clean the receiver. They are all very accurate shooters, way more so than either of the stock 10/22s I've had. They also feel heavier and more substantial to me than the 10/22. The two plain ones have very good iron sights; muich better than the first gen models had. Only the HB one wears a scope.

My brother also has one and he has been very happy with it, other than the aftermarket magazine he bought. It works but does misfeed fairly regularly. No trouble with factory mags though. Not too picky about ammo either.

I have the heavy threaded barrel version. It has been as reliable as any of my 22LR auto loaders. I wasn't aware of the issue with the guide rails. I just screw them in with an allen wrench and tighten them as I would any other part.

Loading the mags is a real PITA, especially when they were new. Once loaded though they don't cause any failures, at least the 3 that I have do not. I have not tried any aftermarket mags.

Accuracy is about the same as my 10/22 and Marlin 60. Not as accurate as my CZs but that shouldn't be a surprise to anybody.

Mine is a 22WMR SHOOTS AVERAGE 1&1/4" HUNDRED YRD LAMINATED STOCK . USED TO BE A 17HMR but rem had a recall & didn't offer me enough for mine so they replaced the barrel to 22WMR. NO PROBLEMS , but is not a caliber I have a use for

WMR

I bought a 597 for my son as his first rifle. I had the same magazine problems that others have reported. I discovered there were plastic body and metal body magazines. The metal body ones have worked flawlessly for us. The plastic body ones seem happy enough when loaded with nine rounds rather than ten.