Remington 597 .17 HMR

4645 Views 19 Replies 6 Participants Last post by 84 C4, Jun 9, 2004

Rich Z

Discussion Starter · Apr 19, 2004

GRRR... :angry:

I don't know what it is about this gun, but I'm about ready to bend it around a tree. I keep on feeling like this gun and I should get along real well, but every time I turn around it kicks me in the shins.

I found out the other day that my scope mount was loose, so that was certainly causing my groups to wander all over the place. The rifle came with the scope mount attached, and I am certain I checked it out before mounting the scope. So why would a .17 HMR shake it loose? Worse than that, when I went to tighten the three screws holding it down, I found out that the rear one was stripped out. Supposed to be a new gun I got, but something tells me it's not.

Well the two remaining screws seemed to hold the mount fairly well until I could get with Remington about this problem, so I sighted it in and was getting some real decent groups with it at 50 yards, which is typically what I am shooting at squirrels at. So I was feeling pretty confident about this gun.

Well today, that sucker cost me two squirrels! First one was a dead on shot with the squirrel'a back to me. Clean miss on an easy shot with a good letoff. WTF???? So I was going to let loose another shot and the damned thing was jammed! Rammed the darn projectile into the case and jammed in the magazine. I had a spare one in my pocket, but by that time the squirrel was certain he had other things to do elsewhere.

So I was walking back to the house, kind of glum, and there was another one sitting in a tree gnawing on something. I crouched down and got into a stable kneeling position and let loose with the crosshairs dead on and a steady squeeze of the trigger. Dang it all! Missed! The squirrel just twitched and then flattened out on the branch, another easy shot, but the next shot didn't hit it's mark either.

That's it! Heck with this thing. I believe I have taken shots at at least a dozen squirrels with this gun and only one has fallen from a tree. Now I have gotten my share of squirrels with my .22 rifles, so I know I CAN hit one when I try to. I don't know what it is about this gun, but I have completely lost faith in it now.

Guess it's time to use something else for the job.

Just venting..... The squirrels are chewing up my bamboo right now and it really pisses me that they are still alive to chew up some more tomorrow, when they really shouldn't be.

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1 - 20 of 20 Posts

Clint Boyer

· #2 · Apr 19, 2004

That sucks........

Seems you and that gun were just not made for each other. Pull out old reliable, I know you have to have one! I'd leave that .17 for range work till you can get it ironed out. No sense letting those vermin tear up you bambo!

Rich Z

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 19, 2004

Yeah, pulled out the side by side coachgun 12 gauge. Doesn't seem as sporting, but this isn't about sport any longer. It's really a pisser to see those 4 inch diameter bamboo shoots killed off by a damned tree rat.

Death to the tree rats!

41mag

· #4 · Apr 20, 2004

Doesn't the 597 have open sights?What happens when you take the scope out of the picture?

Rich Z

Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 20, 2004

No, this one doesn't have open sights. I'm getting a prepaid return ticket from Remington. Since the screw hole threads for the scope mount are stripped out in that one position, they will probably have to replace the receiver. When I get it back, I'm going to have to really wring that thing out to see what the problem is. Maybe it's just me and the gun don't mesh well. Either that or I am shooting at super squirrels and hitting them, but those .17 HMR bullets are just bouncing off of them.

Guess I could take out one of the .50s after the suckers. Wouldn't matter then if they were hiding on the other side of the tree trunk... 'Course, lugging one of those through the woods and shoulder firing it will be an interesting feat. Especially holding it nearly vertical to shoot up into a tree. I'll either get a broken collar bone or be driven 4 inches into the ground. :bird:

41mag

· #6 · Apr 20, 2004

Well,you could just try shooting blanks in the 50.muzzle blast 'em outta the tree

G

· #7 · Apr 20, 2004

ever heard of snares? Squirrels can

rarely resist a staked out ear of corn, or a handy post leaned up against a tree, at just the right angle for running up and down it, the corn at the top. Use a fairly stiff wire, make several slip nooses, nail them to the post, one every foot or so, with the nooses up in the air, right about head height, on a running squirrel.

Get some stiff metal, quart cans, or a bit larger. in one end, poke a hole in the center. Wire a nail, drop the nail inside of the hole, tie off the other end of the wire. In the other end of the can, cut about a 2" diameter X" in the metal, bend in the 4 "ears" of metal a bit, put some peannuts, corn, peanut butter on crackers inside the can. When he pushes in the "ears", they painfully catch behind his skull.

You can likewise use Conibear, #1 mink traps, set in forks of trees, unlikely to catch anything but squirrles, or box traps to catch them live.

41mag

· #8 · Apr 20, 2004

Yeah,capture them live.Then you can torture them into giving up the whole cell.

Rich Z

Discussion Starter · #9 · May 20, 2004

Well, I got a phone call from the repair depot I sent that Remington 597 off to. The guy asked me who mounted the scope mount on the rifle. I told him that it was already mounted on the rifle when I got it. I took a look at several GunBroker ads for this rifle and they all apparently show the scope mount on the rifle, so I assumed that was normal. The guy asked me if I bought it as new, and I told him that yes I did. It was sold off of GunBroker as a NIB rifle, and I had enclosed the auction paperwork with the gun to show that.

Well, apparently ALL three screws holding the mount to the receiver were stripped out. So it is real doubtful that I got a new gun from that dealer. I checked my records and the dealer is listed as KsTactical, but the dealer's info is:

Wilson & Associates
Stillwater, OK

Anyway, the guy at the repair depot said they have to send it directly back to Remington and they will likely have to replace the receiver.

I guess that certainly explains why I just could not get that gun to stay zeroed. So who mounted the scope mount on that rifle? Remington before it left the factory, or the dealer when he got it? Does the 597 typically come from the factory with the scope mount already in place?

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andy

· #10 · May 20, 2004

I'd have just drilled and tapped it for

the next size larger screw. Fixed in an hour

Paco

· #11 · May 20, 2004

.41 mag!!!

"give up the whole cell"

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rich Z

Discussion Starter · #12 · May 23, 2004

I'd have just drilled and tapped it for
the next size larger screw. Fixed in an hour

Yeah, but that is an hour I could be better spending on something else. The gun was still under warranty, so I'll let Remington deal with it.

I did get an email from the place I bought it from and he said those rifles come with the scope mounts already in place from the factory. Maybe Remington had someone new working the assembly line that day that was a little over ambitious about tightening those screws.

andy

· #13 · May 24, 2004

u spent an hr taking it back, another

hour going and getting it again. The factory bozos are the one who let it out that way, right?

Rich Z

Discussion Starter · #14 · May 28, 2004

Nope, not at all. I just put it in the box, UPS picked it up off of my porch, Remington replaced the receiver, and it showed back up on my porch this morning. All total I probably spent maybe 20 minutes max packing the gun up to ship it and on correspondence about sending it back. Remington paid for shipping both ways, so it didn't cost me a dime.

Now, if I had screwed up the receiver more by trying to tap for a larger screw, then I would have been up the creek with no real recourse. I would have had to locate the correct size and shape screws, find the correct tap for the holes, plus take the receiver apart and put it back together again afterwards.

I was far too busy the last seversal weeks, so I believe this was the best course to take. Besides, my philosophy is that if I can get someone else to do the work, especially for free, then that is the way to go.

Maybe tomorrow I will have time to put the scope back on it and take it for a test drive.

84 C4

· #15 · Jun 5, 2004

I have a Remington 597, as well, but I don't believe I've had the problem you describe. I've always had alot of problems with feeding and ejecting. I clean that beast all the ****ing time, but it doesn't seem to help. 3 out of every ten rounds fails to properly extract or feed. Have you had a similer problem? The feed problem is probably related to the magazine, but I can't figure out the extraction problem.

Rich Z

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jun 6, 2004

I have only had one failure to feed while I have had the rifle. Jammed the projectile right into the case. That happened right before I determined I needed to send the rifle back to Remington, so I mentioned it in my letter to them. I don't have the repair order in front of me, but I believe it mentioned something about shortening something..... Heck, I'll see if I can find it tomorrow and will let you know what it says.

BTW, the ONLY cleaning I have done with it was to run a boresnake through the barrel ONCE.

I've fired about a box of ammo through it since getting it back, and not a hiccup at all. Seems to be holding zero, but I need to build my confidence back in it before I say everything is just honky dory. My gun seems to like the Federal ammo slightly better than the Hornady stuff.

I saw an ad for the Ruger 10-17 the other day. Hope their street price is considerably less than the list price they showed.

andy

· #17 · Jun 6, 2004

polish the feed ramp with Dremel

and polishing point. CAREFULLY "true" the gray polishing point, degrease the chamber, and CAREFULLY make about 2 "passes" around the circumference of the chamber. check the extractor tenison and fit, compared to another .22 rifle. Those 3 things fix well over 90% of problems (that aren't caused by fouling lack of proper lube, or poor mags). On tube feds-.22's, run some pathes down the tube now and then. The outside waxed .22 ammo puts gunk inside the tube, that can eventually slow down the cycling of the gun. I aint exactly up to date on what's what in .22 rifles anymore, as far as model numbers.

84 C4

· #18 · Jun 6, 2004

Thanks for the advice guys!!
Rich, you mentioned that you use federal ammo, I use the remington stuff that comes 500 to a box ($8), could that be a contributing factor? I always thought Remington rifles would do well with Remington ammo.

Rich Z

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jun 9, 2004

Never tried the Remington ammo, so I can't compare with the Hornady and Federal I have tried.

I checked the repair invoice from Remington to see what they said about my complaint about the jam I had. They stated that they shortened the bolt buffer. Part used was F305001 BOLT BUFFER (WIN-MAG).

So far I have had no glitches. Seems to be holding zero for me but I need to shoot a couple of more sessions before I feel confident about it.

84 C4

· #20 · Jun 9, 2004

thnx,

I'll replace that part and tell you how it turned out

(might be a while, I'm pretty busy these days

)

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