The Remington Model 597 is a semi-automatic .22 Long Rifle made by one of America's great gun makers. The Remington Model 597 has proven to be a good competitor to two of the most popular guns made: the Ruger 10/22 and the Marlin Model 60, as well as numerous other competitors. The Remington Model 597 is sold in the $160 range in my area which makes it more of a direct competitor with the Marlin than the Ruger. The Remington Model 597 is also available in .22 Magnum and .17 HMR, as well as other .22 LR variations though the gun that I have direct experience shooting is the standard .22 LR version.
The Remington Model 597 comes with a synthetic semi-pistol grip stock that some find less than aesthetically appealing, but it is quite functional. The stock and gun are sleek looking with the magazine latch fitted into a cutout of the stock instead of protruding under the gun as with some .22 rifles. The staggered detachable magazine holds 10 rounds, with higher capacity magazines available. The gun has an overall length of about 40 inches and has a 20 inch barrel. The 597 weighs in at under 6 pounds. A push button safety is located at the rear of the trigger guard and the 597 comes with a key that can lock the safety to keep the gun from being used without permission.
The Remington Model 597 has one of the best factory sights that I have seen on a .22. To move the sights a set screw must be loosened and the sight adjusted then again locked into place which is a bit cumbersome, but the sights provide more precise adjustment than commonly encountered .22 sights and provide a great sight picture. The Remington 597 is grooved as well as drilled and tapped for scope mounting.
The Remington Model 597 was test fired with Remington Thunderbolts and Yellow Jackets and CCI Mini-Mag hollowpoints. The 597 seemed to prefer the CCI Mini-Mags of the three shooting some very good half inch groups at 50 yards with the open sights. The Yellow Jackets shot into less than an inch consistently and the Thunderbolts stayed around one inch. As the hyper velocity hollow point is the preferred choice by most small game hunters, the Remington Model 597 shooting them so well is a good sign.
The Remington Model 597 appears to be a great choice for those looking for an affordable semi-automatic .22 rifle for plinking or small game hunting.
Thank you for your review! Here is good list of Remington 597 Upgrades and Accessories for you.
ReplyDelete