Author Topic: Remington 597, how are they these days? (Read 1817 times)

His lordship. · « **on:** May 13, 2008, 11:15:06 AM »

I used to have a Remington 597 in .22 r.f. several years ago, it was ok, it came with the metal clips so I did not have to suffer with the early plastic ones. I was looking to make room in my gun safe and took it to the range in the winter time. It might be that I was using too much lube, but the bolt and clip acted like it was drenched with molasis, as it was real sluggish and jambed alot. I had a hard time selling it to the gun dealers and the gunshow crowd as the 597's did not have a good reputation at that time.

Thinking of adding one again, no ones seems to be complaining like they used to about them, and it might be that I used too much lube last time. In warm weather the rifle worked just fine, reliable, accurate, etc.

Are they better now in quality?

Thanks.

DCRthe3rd · « **Reply #1 on:** May 13, 2008, 11:35:52 AM »

Heres my 2 cents , I owned one yrs back , and it was in fact junk and youre not lying about the dealers not wanting to touch it , seen that myself.
How are they now? You know I'd never buy another cause if it turned out junk , well I suppose I would deserve it , after I unloaded that junk I went with the tried and true 10-22 and that's EXACTLY what I'd do again if I needed another semi 22lr
Fool me once ...... shame on you
Fool me twice .... then shame on me
Oh , and some ppl say the 597 is a great rifle , ya whatever

coyotehunter223 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 13, 2008, 01:55:53 PM »

I have the 597 magnum. Excellent rifle. Most who claim they are junk simply do not take the time to learn the proper maintenance and operation. About 99% of the time the owners never understand the importance of properly adjusting the 2 guide rods along with gooping tons of oil in it in a attempt to make it function. All they are doing is compounding the problem.

Chris D. - You'll have to make up your own mind whether to buy one or not, but don't take a few misguided peoples opinion as gospel. For everyone who is dissatisfied with the 597, there are tons more who love theirs.

NONYA · « **Reply #3 on:** May 13, 2008, 05:34:47 PM »

The mag and the 22lr are two different animals,those who dont know this and try to make the 597 22lr sound like its worth more than the box it comes in are sadly mistaken.

Brithunter · « **Reply #4 on:** May 13, 2008, 10:06:26 PM »

Hi All,

Never brought the 597, was going too but a friend who works in the shop advised against it as they had seen too many come back. In fact they stopped stocking them. Now I moved from that area two years ago so don't get to visit the shop now very often ( about twice a year at most if I am in the area visiting friends) now I see that they are hyping the 597 in it's new guise up in the shooting press. Hmmm that makes me suspicious, it's too hyped? if I wanted a semi auto 22 rimfire it would not be a 597 as there are others out there with proven track records. Sorry but that's it.

Drilling Man · « **Reply #5 on:** May 14, 2008, 01:56:38 PM »

I bought a 597M years ago, and it's worked perfectly to this day... I've not owned a lr 597, but i do have a 10/22 and it doesn't get carried much, as i just hate the way that "beached whale" feels in my hands!

I do like my Rem. 552 though, it's very accurate and reliable, and carries really nice...

DM

bearman49709 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 18, 2008, 03:57:47 AM »

I bought a 597 and a 10/22 in 1998, had both at the same time. After about 6 months shooting and hunting with both it was time to make a choice, the 10/22 is gone, and the 597 is still here! Not saying the 10/22 is junk, it just didn't stack up to the 597. The 597 has a better trigger, better accuracy, better magizine (yes the plastic one10 years and never had to clean it once still holds 10 rounds and loads perfectly) and a better stock.
Chris D if you buy a new one use a dry lube, no oil or grease.

30-30man · « **Reply #7 on:** May 18, 2008, 02:45:24 PM »

The 597 was the worst 22lr I ever owned. It never shot more than three shots in a row before hanging up. I sent it back twice for repairs and there was no fixing it unless I bought aftermarket parts. . I've owned about every make and I never had the problems with any gun as I had with the 597. I even had the newer metal mags. The problems as stated to me by the oldest Remingotn repair center in the USA was that the problems were related to poor machine work and the ejector. It is ground wrong from the factory. The guide rods can make one hang up but only if you tighten them enough to bend them. Most hang up because of the ejector. My dealer bought mine back from me in trade and doesn't stock them anymore. When the oldest dealer of Remington Arms won't stock them, there is a problem with them. He told me that he never met anyone happy with one out of the box and it was a gun that required aftermarket parts just to function. It was the last Remington I'll ever buy.... Remington will soon move to a new version or give it a new model number when people quit buying them. They've done this over and over with there cheap 22lr.....Buyer Beware...

NONYA · « **Reply #8 on:** May 18, 2008, 07:41:18 PM »

Quote from: bearman49709 on May 18, 2008, 03:57:47 AM

I bought a 597 and a 10/22 in 1998, had both at the same time. After about 6 months shooting and hunting with both it was time to make a choice, the 10/22 is gone, and the 597 is still here! Not saying the 10/22 is junk, it just didn't stack up to the 597. The 597 has a better trigger, better accuracy, better magizine (yes the plastic one10 years and never had to clean it once still holds 10 rounds and loads perfectly) and a better stock.
Chris D if you buy a new one use a dry lube, no oil or grease.

I think I can safely call BS on this one,99% of 597 owners will back me up.

Drilling Man · « **Reply #9 on:** May 19, 2008, 04:03:34 AM »

Quote from: NONYA on May 18, 2008, 07:41:18 PM

Quote from: bearman49709 on May 18, 2008, 03:57:47 AM
I bought a 597 and a 10/22 in 1998, had both at the same time. After about 6 months shooting and hunting with both it was time to make a choice, the 10/22 is gone, and the 597 is still here! Not saying the 10/22 is junk, it just didn't stack up to the 597. The 597 has a better trigger, better accuracy, better magizine (yes the plastic one10 years and never had to clean it once still holds 10 rounds and loads perfectly) and a better stock.
Chris D if you buy a new one use a dry lube, no oil or grease.
I think I can safely call BS on this one,99% of 597 owners will back me up.

Don't bet on it, from what i'm reading on other forums, owners like there 597's. I keep reading that they are now reliable and accurate.

I personally hate the way a 10/22 feels in your hand, and it's very unhandy to carry... The average one isn't all that accurate out of the box either...

DM

30-30man · « **Reply #10 on:** May 19, 2008, 11:32:52 AM »

Nonya, I agree....I've never seen a 597 that would shoot an entire clip without hanging up. I have owned many cheap 22l's. Savages, Mossbergs, Stevens, Marlins etc...All of them would shoot anything I fed them. The cheapest is a Mossberg 702 Plinkster and even it as cheap as it is, will shoot anything without hanging up. The Remington is terrible and everyone I've ever seen out of the box was the same way. Anyone that has one that shoots, they've replaced the hammer and ejector thus spending more than the gun was worth to begin with.

NONYA · « **Reply #11 on:** May 19, 2008, 03:18:05 PM »

imo ANYONE WHO BOUGHT A 597 22lr and likes it has #1 very low expectations,#2 got extremely lucky and got one that worked or #3 isnt willing to admit he owns a POS or never shoots it enough to know what its really like.I know several former 597 owners,(myself twice included) and 100% of them will agree with me.

Keith L · « **Reply #12 on:** May 19, 2008, 09:34:40 PM »

The guy may have gotten lucky and go the one that works. Lets talk about the gun, not the person. You made your point Nonya.

Drilling Man · « **Reply #13 on:** May 20, 2008, 04:13:40 AM »

Here's what some "owners" had to say about there 597's. http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227857

DM

DCRthe3rd · « **Reply #14 on:** May 20, 2008, 04:59:19 AM »

My gun actually went back to rem , I had more problems than just the typical feeding and mag issues.
They returned it and said it was fixed , less than 10 rds later it was broke again , they wanted me to return it again. I figured the constant shipping charges were going to be worth more than the gun.

NONYA · « **Reply #15 on:** May 20, 2008, 08:48:05 AM »

Quote from: Keith L on May 19, 2008, 09:34:40 PM

The guy may have gotten lucky and go the one that works. Lets talk about the gun, not the person. You made your point Nonya.

That is exactly what I just said,im sure a very few get out of the factory in decent working condition,They dont ship any to my town.

30-30man · « **Reply #16 on:** May 20, 2008, 10:48:34 AM »

I just hope they don't screw up Marlin's cheaper 22's the way they have their own. The Marlins are 100% better in every way compared to the 597. The 597 would not even make a good tomato stake.

NONYA · « **Reply #17 on:** May 20, 2008, 04:58:19 PM »

I know a few that make decent dust collectors in the back of a gun safe.

Brithunter · « **Reply #18 on:** May 20, 2008, 10:01:37 PM »

Well it's obvious that there are those who will defend even the 597 but then there are those who defend anything that came from Remington.

I don't know about the US but here in the UK they are now trying to attract the fashion shooter

with bright Blue and Yellow laminated stocks that would look more at home on the"Starship Troopers set" this brings to mind the old adage:-

"You cannot fool all of the people all the time"

It seems Remington is going for at least twice with the 597!

bearman49709 · « **Reply #19 on:** May 21, 2008, 11:29:51 AM »

[/quote]
I think I can safely call BS on this one,99% of 597 owners will back me up.
[/quote]
Well NONYA you lose on this one. As far as not shooting it much, your right in 10year's I've only put 7,500-10,000 rounds threw it.Low expectation
s, lets see it jams once every 400- 500 shot's, fire's every time I pull the trigger, unless it's a bad round, from a bench rest I can cover 10 shot's with a quarter.If this is YOUR definition of a POS, then I'll gladly admit I own one.One more thing, other than a scope every thing is factory original.

30-30man · « **Reply #20 on:** May 21, 2008, 02:06:52 PM »

Quickly put your 597 behind some glass and call Remington..They may want to buy it as it is a rare valuable firearm...It is the only 597 I've heard of that functioned.

NONYA · « **Reply #21 on:** May 21, 2008, 02:34:46 PM »

Quote from: bearman49709 on May 21, 2008, 11:29:51 AM

I think I can safely call BS on this one,99% of 597 owners will back me up.
[/quote]
Well NONYA you lose on this one. As far as not shooting it much, your right in 10year's I've only put 7,500-10,000 rounds threw it.Low expectation
s, lets see it jams once every 400- 500 shot's, fire's every time I pull the trigger, unless it's a bad round, from a bench rest I can cover 10 shot's with a quarter.If this is YOUR definition of a POS, then I'll gladly admit I own one.One more thing, other than a scope every thing is factory original.
[/quote]
WHEN 99.9% OF the run is junk I will classify it as POS,this 597lr is a perfect example of a POS,as many have stated the large majority of them are worthless,even as dust collectors they leave something to be desired,a good dust collector will work if you need to use it some day.

His lordship. · « **Reply #22 on:** May 22, 2008, 10:34:45 AM »

Since I put this question on the 597 I have bought 2 Ruger 10/22s. The cheaper basic model, only one fail to fire with a bad primer, this is with 3 trips to the range, reliable otherwise. The fancy one with the laminate stock and heavy stainless steel barrel, no jambs after 70 rounds on its first day at the range.

Still, the Remington 597 might be a good project gun, if all it takes is the right lube, proper torque of the slide rods, and a better ejecter. They are not asking much for the basic model here, might be a good way to get a cheap semi-auto gun for the truck. I should have kept mine as it did work well in warm weather, but I do remember how it was tough to sell off.