[RTH]

Picked up a used Remington 597 .17hmr with green laminated stock and standard contour barrel. Wasn't shopping for one but fellow was selling for $250 with chinese tasco varmint 2.5x10x42 scope and some old ammo. Condition was fair so I jumped. Trigger was 5+ pounds, stoned down to a little less than 2# on the fourth or fith try with no creep, hawoo! Don't own a 17 cal cleaning rod so after gut/cleaning reciever it's the old patch pull string. First muzzle to breech then a couple breech to muzzle with Kroil. Man those guide rod springs a pain in the ace. Hope this works out. Yesterday morning was first chance to shoot and it was a crappy morning, 10-20mph shifting winds.

Burnt about 3 clips into dirt bank to get scope on paper, foul barrel, and just because it's almost to fun to stop! Ok, first up is CCI 17gr TNT the wind is hard and shifting but in my face most of the time. 5 @100yds=group strung horizontal 3" only about 1" vertical, this is looking much better than expected. Next CCI 17gr V-max. Wind got steady so I rack off 5 pretty fast, leave the bolt open and walk down range. All 5 are less than 7/8", poi is 1.5" up and 2" right from the TNTs. I'm happier than a pig in poop at this point. Now the Federal premium 17gr V-max 5 shots in 1 3/8" nice round group with amost the same poi as the CCI v-max. Dope change with 5 shots in 1 1/4" horizontal 5/8" vetical. 5 more with the TNTs real fast just to confirm poi, just under 2" group.

At this point about 50 rds down tube without one jam/FFF/FFE. Trigger still breaking consistently and crisp at a little less than 2#. Plinked about 20 rds and had one light strike on the last stinking round. Not really happy with the dents it's putting in the primers. Gotta work on that, any tips on light strike problems with 597? I had turned the guide rod screws down finger tight until it bottomed out and back 1/4 turn. May have to do some bolt or trigger work there.

Is copper fouling usually a problem with these .17s? Do they shoot best with filthy barrel like lr does, what's the consensus on cleaning these? I don't know what the is twist on this rifle but I'm gonna try some 20gr bullets and see how they shoot. I'm interested in converting this one to .22 mag and from what little I've read it looks like all I need to do is swap barrels. Still haven't found a straight answer on that though.

Any help appreciated. Thanks.

Richard

 

[MI VHNTR]

Richard, I had a 597 Mag in 17 HMR a few years back. I bought a factory takeoff 22 Mag barrel for it and the swap between the two calibers was as simple as changing the barrel. I experienced no problems doing this. You might want to take a look here for more rimfire info:


http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/

MI VHNTR

 

[RTH]

Went back today, still windy but managed to shoot some nice groups. POI dropped 5" south of yesterday. Took it out of the stock last night and didn't torque the screws nearly as much to see what it likes. I knew it had a bedding problem but that's OK I was going to bed it anyway. It obviously doesn't like the TNT bullet as much as the V-max. I'd like to get some of the 20gr bullets out there and try them to. The one right in the middle of the center middle group, the bullet hole that's just the outer liine of the 8 ring is the first shot from cold barrel. I like that. In that group I had bad timing with the wind on at least 2 shots.

I'm very pleased with this at 100yds. Can't wait to get it bedded and try it out on a nice calm morning.

 

[Doug Roberts]

17 HMR semi-auto

A good shooting HMR semi-auto is a real blast (pun intended) to shoot. I don't have a 597 but love shooting my converted Ruger 10/22 magnum. The only negative thing I've ever heard about the 597 was that there were some problems with plastic magazines. Remington reportedly fixed that by going to a metal mag.

All my HMRs have shot the Hornady 17 gr VMax very well. I don't even consider trying anything else anymore. It's pretty cool having a rimfire that shoots under an inch at 100 yards. They are hard to put down. BTW, I use a Boresnake and a Patchworm.

Good advice about going to rimfire central.

 

[JoeRobbins]

My 597 is a 22LR

But the accuracy tricks should work in yours also. Tighten only the front action screw. Just snug up the rear so it doesn't back out when shooting. Also on the guide rails, just snug the allen screws that hold them in. When mine is "in tune", it hums right along and is very accurate for a semi auto.

I let someone use it once and they cleaned it up afterwards and we spent an afternoon getting it back shooting right. I make sure now that I'm the only one who takes it apart and reassembles.

Joe

 

[RTH]

Thanks for all the help fellas, that group on rimfire central sure is a lot of help. It's setting tight in a fresh bed of Devcon 10270 tonight. I'll take it out and clean it up tomorrow but it'll be tuesday before I get to shoot it again. Wonderin if those new FMJ bullets or that gamepoint bullet might work for tree squirrels without to much damage.

Richard