Remington 597 VTR

[cat_IT_guy]

So was browsing guns at Gander Mountain this morning (always a dangerous activity, for the wallet anyway) and I stumbled upon a Remington 597 VTR. Looks like it could be the perfect cure for the AR itch on a .22 budget. I also know the 597 is a long time tried and true performer, although it doesnt get quite the attention the Marlin 60 and Ruger 10/22 get. Gander Mountain had it listed at $499.

Anybody have one of these? Would you buy it again if you could do it over? General opinions? How about the price, I know Gander Mountain is not known for bargains?

 

[OrangePwrx9]

Don't have one of those. Do have a garden variety stainless 597. It came with a 10 round magazine. The gun is very reliable if the magazine is loaded with 5 rounds or less. Anything more and I get at least one jam per magazine. It's not the gun to choose if high-capacity is important. I've tried new versions of the magazine (there are a few); they all work/don't work about the same.

Mine is quite accurate, but it has a mushy and heavy trigger pull...kinda the opposite of crisp. Feels like the result of using too much plastic in the fire control group. Not bad at the range where you can get accustomed to it after 5 or 10 shots, but a poor choice for hunting where shots are taken offhand and you likely haven't squeezed one off in the last 5 or 10 minutes.

This may be an entirely different critter; but it would pay to ask questions before spending nearly $500. IMHO, a 597 is, at most, a $200 gun.
Bob

 

[cat_IT_guy]

Yep based on what I read it is basically 597 internals with some aesthetic changes and a much higher price tag. Saw a Colt M4 .22 also, might be worth the little extra money.

 

[MCgunner]

I traded for a 597 Magnum some time back, had a Bushnell Trophy 3x9 on it and I figured I could use the scope if I didn't like the rifle. Well, after firing it, I decided even though I have no use for a .22 mag, I'd keep it. It's 100 percent reliable, plastic mags and all, with CCI, and it shoots 1.5 MOA at 100 yards. Makes for a great practice rifle and I just like shooting it.

It came with a stiff, but crisp, trigger. It was so stiff, it required concentration. I put a Volquartsen trigger/sear in it and now it breaks crisp at about 3-4 lbs, excellent, great improvement for about 35 bucks from midwayusa.com .

I gotta say, though, you can keep the tacticool crap. ROFL! It does absolutely NOTHING for me. Now, if you just want something tacticool, have you looked on the Kel Tec web site? 9x19 ain't that expensive to shoot, either, and this gun could be useful if you keep one of those BOBs all the end of the world fanatics talk about. Be great for shooting zombies after a hurricane or something. We all know what a problem THAT can be.

http://www.gunblast.com/Kel-Tec_Sub2000.htm

http://www.midwesthuntersoutlet.com/item.aspx?pid=77509

 

[cat_IT_guy]

Not specifically looking for anything I just found it interesting and that Kel-tech does exactly nothing for me. I do have some tactical stuff (I limit it to guns though - no BDUs, no holsters, etc), its purely for fun - they're just toys to me. Not too concerned about the end of the world. Lol zombies after a hurricane.....

Also sick of watching .223 prices go up, and up, and up.....maybe I should be looking into reloading, not .22s lol.

 

[MCgunner]

Well, I do have a tacticooled AR7 and a SKS Carbine with a folding stock. 7.62x39, when you can find it, ain't gettin' any cheaper, either.

Here's my AR7 toy and it didn't cost 500 bucks. You can tacticool a 10/22 a lot cheaper than that Remington, too, and there's a LOT more aftermarket for it out there, big magazines, folding stocks, all sorts of stuff you can get crazy with. The 10/22 would be a good way to go IMHO. I got this from a friend after mine got ripped off. It's a good little gun as was my old one, but no comparison to a 10/22 for quality. I got it for special uses backpacking and motorcycle trips. I've kept my stainless 10/22 traditional, but did add a Hogue stock which I like a lot.

 

[rangerruck]

I would not get it over the plane jane 597, which we know works, has 25 or 30 round mags, and costs 150, and they come with a fully adjustable set of rear and front sites. the only advantage I see to this, is to add a front rail, for a nice small, green laser light.

 

[rangerruck]

it looks like you are paying an extra 250 for a target style bbl, a collapsible stock, a positive bbl/receiver lockup assy.,a pcctny rail, and a much improved trigger pack.
if this sounds worthy of an extra 250 in gear you would upgrage a 597 with, then go for it.

 

[airman767]

Poorly assembled

I recently purchased this rifle with no issues in firing the weapon. The problem I have with the gun is the disassembly and reassembly for cleaning. What a pathetically designed gun. I cleaned 2 handguns and an AR in half the time it took me to break this thing down, clean it, and put it back together. To make it worse, the right side plate was misdrilled. I had to keep the front and rear takedown screws loose (opposite of what the manual says to do) in order to get the side plate screwed back on. I don’t how it got past inspection at the factory. I like my S&W 15/22 way more.

 

[kwelz]

Run away fast. I love the normal 597s but the VTRs are an abomination that should not be built. Check out how the barrel swings side to side in the free float tube.

 

[aka108]

The regular 597's are nice looking full size 22 rf rifles whose good and bad points have been detailed in the above posts. The 597 ATR is something that is trying to look like something that it isn't. Frankly I don't know who would want the thing.