Rem 597 Range Trip and Accuracy Test with Pics!

[Travis Bickle]

Took my trusty old Rem 597 out today with 4 types of ammo for some accuracy testing.

The Rifle
Stock Rem 597 with standard barrel.
Only upgrades is a set of Tech Sights and I dremeled the stock back a bit around the barrel to ensure it was not contacting.

First hit the 25 meter range to test the 4 ammo types.

The ammo by squares left to right are:
1. Federal Auto Match 40gr Lead Projo
2. Bulk .22 LR Federal 36gr Plated HP Value Pack
3. Old Dominion Arms (DA) Lead Projo NK gr (have had a ziplock bag full of this stuff for a long time)
4. Blazer 40gr Lead projo

All groups are 10 rounds:

Surprisingly, the cheapest "junk" ammunition was by far the most accurate in the 597.
Blazer 40gr Lead discount kicked some serious ass compared to the others. That's 10 rounds in a ragged hole with two little outlyers.
Sorry for the ####ty pic quality:

That's great and all but even an overhyped, overpriced, "tricked out" 10/22 can shoot pretty well at 25 meters.
So over to the 100 meter distance range with the 597 and 16 rounds of the Blazer 40gr

That's 16 rounds fired consecutively with a mag change from the prone off a jobmate bag.
Also of note, shooting 4 different natures of ammo for the testing and then many more rounds after plinking steel plates at 100 meters easily and not a single stoppage. (well one but the casing bounced off my bag and back into the ejection port)

I bought the 597 skeptical for $180 off the EE and it keeps blowing me away every time I take it out. Meter for meter is literally my most accurate rifle by far.
My tuned M14 and my 20" AR15 can't put groups that tight with the irons at 100 meters.
I love me the Rem 597. Definitely on my never sell list.

 

[Sakoman .308]

Congrats, looks like you had a nice trip to the range.
I am curious how they do with a scope mounted.

 

[Travis Bickle]

Congrats, looks like you had a nice trip to the range.
I am curious how they do with a scope mounted.

They originally came with a scope and mount/rings retail I believe for about $200 but that was a few years back.
Mine came with irons only off the EE.
The Tech Sight upgrade made it incredibly accurate. I can explode pop cans at 100 meters with it easily with the Tech irons as long as I can see them lol

 

[oppy]

I am curious how they do with a scope mounted.

I have a 597, and it came with a factory scope that I would rate as "better than nothing". It seemed to have 2MOA lines and I would hazard a guess it used plastic and not glass for the lenses. I could not get a group tighter than 2MOA, three or four MOA was typical.

I then put on a Bushnell AR-22 optic on it, and found my groups noticeably tightened up (not sub-MOA, but definitely better that what the factory scope would give me). I did manage to pass the Mapleseed Qualifying Test twice on the same day with the Bushnell. The only other upgrade I have done to my 597 is I replaced the extractor with a Volquartsen extractor which did seem to help with reducing extraction problems.

 

[Ms359]

What amazes me is you got 16 consecutive shots, I'm lucky if I can get 2 with my 597 no matter what kind of ammo or mags I use.

 

[thenerdboy]

Friend of mine raves about his 597. He says excellent accuracy for money!

 

[photog_shooter]

I have 2 of the 597's, one with iron sights and the other with the hi-viz sights. Both shoot amazingly well and have no feeding or ejecting issues. The 597 might be a cheap gun but you definitely get a lot for what you pay for!

 

[Travis Bickle]

What amazes me is you got 16 consecutive shots, I'm lucky if I can get 2 with my 597 no matter what kind of ammo or mags I use.

I've never had a stoppage that wasn't from a casing bouncing off my jobmate range bag back into the ejection port lol
Well over 2,000 rounds through it and not a single problem using any kind of ammo.

I still say best semi auto in stock condition for the money. I hear a few people have had feeding problems. The set screws in the back of the receiver which hold in the guide rails have to be tightened until they just sit flush with the back of the receiver and not more.
Accuracy is incredible though. It's literally my most accurate rifle I own. I have a tuned and bedded M14 and a 20" AR15 with a precision front post that can't shoot groups that tight at 100m with the irons using good quality ammo.

 

[laker415]

I love me some 597. I'm on my second one, the hb version, and with cci sv or eley team at 50 yds, its impressive. No complaints for $249

 

[a j cave]

Just sold a Yellowjacket model that would do about 1/2 at 50. Never made the challenge though. Prob me not the gun. VQ extractor & trigger helped lots. Only sold because I have a VQ 10/22 that has a 18” barrel. As for FTF or FTE or jams no problems but did back off guide bars.

 

[Pearson4]

I just picked up one of these guns for $120. It looks pretty minty but didn't come with a magazine. I went to the Salmon Arm gun show today and found a 30 round mag and 22 round mag for cheap. I heard that the ten round mag was more reliable but I couldn't find one. I stopped at Del Selin in Vernon on the way home and he told me that they don't make a ten round mag....I've seen them... He also decided to tell me that the gun was crap and I should have never bought it. He said it will fail and I wasted my money. Not sure if he had a bad day or he was upset that I came in late. Either way, I am looking forward to putting some rounds through this thing to see how it does. I have a Ruger 10/22 as well, just wanted another 22. The mag capacity and price were enticing as well.

 

[johNTO]

I owned one many years ago. It was a threaded barrel model. I liked the feel and look of the rifle and it shot decent but the charging "handle" would occasionally fall off.
It wasn't worth it to me getting it fixed so it got sold.

 

[Travis Bickle]

I just picked up one of these guns for $120. It looks pretty minty but didn't come with a magazine. I went to the Salmon Arm gun show today and found a 30 round mag and 22 round mag for cheap. I heard that the ten round mag was more reliable but I couldn't find one. I stopped at Del Selin in Vernon on the way home and he told me that they don't make a ten round mag....I've seen them... He also decided to tell me that the gun was crap and I should have never bought it. He said it will fail and I wasted my money. Not sure if he had a bad day or he was upset that I came in late. Either way, I am looking forward to putting some rounds through this thing to see how it does. I have a Ruger 10/22 as well, just wanted another 22. The mag capacity and price were enticing as well.

You can buy the ten round mags all over lol
Who is this guy feeding you terrible info?

http://www.cabelas.ca/product/4623/remington-597-magazines

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/r...zine-597-lr-22-lr-10-shot-metal-1750636p.html

Can Tire sells them for $20 each, that's where I bought my 2 extras. If yours doesn't have them ask them to order them in by product number for you.
They also make a 22 round and 30 round. I have no personal experience with them though so I won't talk out my ass. The ten rounders can be stiff sometimes at first but they loosen up and you can fit the full 10 rounds (if you can't fit a full ten brand new don't stress, the spring will loosen up and it will fit 10).

The one single upgrade I would invest in would be a set of Tech Sights but only if you plan to shoot irons with it. Exploding a pop can with every single pull of the trigger using a semi auto .22 at 100 meters is one hell of a feeling. Especially shooting bulk junk ammo in a rifle that costs about $200!

 

[Vigilant]

I love my 597! I've taken mine hunting and its taken a few grouses and partridges. I have a Bushnell 3-9 Trophy XLT and its been great.

I just don't have good luck with the 30 round Rem mags so I stick with the 10 in instead.