I went out to the range today to sight in the Remington 597 I got a few months back (just getting around to it now unfortunately.) I couldn't get this thing to hit the same spot twice. I had it on a bench rest, real steady, and one shot would hit a location, the next would be 6" off, with no rhyme or reason for it. This happened at 25 and 50 yards. There was a slight breeze, nothing major. I was using cheap Remington golden pack cartridges, and I suspect this could be part of the problem. Can the gun really be this inaccurate? Could the cheap cartridges cause this? What are your favorite .22 cartridges for all around plinking and small game?
Ely limited (now made by Remington) is a good match rimfire target round. Very accurate out of Kimber and Anschutz heavy bbl guns but I cant speak for the 597. I am really surprised that you got that kind of inconsistency? Get different rounds and try them. Lots of the bulk cheapy stuff is inconsistent and dirty in your gun.
I'd say, check the scope mounts first, then maybe try some CCI MiniMag HP or Winchester Power Points, at least, for hunting ammunition. Wolf Match is good, inexpensive target ammo, I've done some wondrous things with it in a 77/22 at 100 yards. Honestly though, for that much deviation, it sounds like a scope mount/scope problem, what type/brand of scope is on the rifle, and how's it mounted? I don't know much about 597s, but have heard rumblings about mounting problems with them, something about the receiver flexing somewhat, or the barrel fitting loosely in the receiver. Check all those things, then try some different ammo (not that your ammo is bad, it's just that rimfires are VERY fussy about what they like). If those things don't resolve the situation, then you might ask around over on www.rimfirecentral.com, they have a section of their forum devoted to Remingtons, old and new.
Whoa! I don't think that the rounds can kick it off that much at 25 yards! Thuderheads in my 10-22 will do better than that at 50. Wish I knew how to tell you to fix it...... Like rat said though, buy some match ammo, and if that doesn't have 'em hitting a quarter at 50 easy, its either the gun or the scope. Parker
Parker, I was thinking of the gun as well, however I did not think this would be the problem because then it would appear that it would give consistent groups at least somewhere on the paper. What do you think?
I have a friend that bought the 597 bout 6 months ago and he is fairly satisfied with it.... seems to be a good tree-rat shooter and it is scoped. Lets not knock the gun until (as glenn says) we find out more about the scope, mounts ect. At 25yds with stable benching, you should be able to tell if you are getting good or bad groups out of the gun with just the iron sights. If that looks bad, it may be the rifle.
I'm not high on Remington rimfires, my brother had a 552 that you could not get to zero at 25 yards with iron sights, and scopes were way off internal centers when you DID finally get it zeroed. How my brother could shoot this thing, I never knew. I couldn't figure it out, except that the receiver was made crookedly inside, and knocked everything off kilter. He loved that rifle, it was his favorite .22 and he had a bunch of them. I liked the old M24 that he gave me before he passed, but it shoots like an 80 year old rifle (and that it is!). It's built just like the little Browning .22 autos, ejects out the bottom, and all that, it's a short-only model (gallery gun).
If you are using a scope that is mounted on the receiver, take it off and try the irons. "Unique attachment system rigidly joins barrel to receiver for perfect alignment and enhanced accuracy." Might not be so rigidly attached. My brother's old Nylon 66 shot fine with irons but a scope would float rounds all over the place.
Assuming you were trying for 3 shot groups and not cranking a sight around chaseing single shots my guess your problem is not in the ammo you are using. I have used a lot of Rem bulk ammo in a lot of rimfires and had no problems such as you described. Did have a few nonfires and stovepipes. I now use Fed American Eagle in all my 22's now and am completely satisfied. My first guess is also that you have a sight problem, however I would think you would have noticed something loose enough to throw the type pattern you described. How bout describing the type sights you are using.
Thanks for the feedback guys. I've used the bulk ammo in other 22's with iron sights and could pick off cans and such just fine. The scope is a Simmons 8-point, and is mounted on the receiver with a one-piece Weaver base, and Weaver 1" rings. The scope is tight all around. I just wasn't getting good groups at all. It was very odd - the sights set in the exact same place on the target, and the occasional round would land right on - the others would be all over the place inconsistently. I could take the scope off and try the iron sights out. I never tried sighting the gun with the iron sights. A guy on the site Parker gave above was having some similar problems, he called them "fliers" but they were only happening on the first couple of rounds shot. He ended up sending the gun back to Remington. The other issue I have is the action - I am not sure if this would matter or not, but the action doesn't hold open after the last round is fired. It is very stiff. The lever inside the action that the follower is supposed to move to hold the action open - I can hardly even move it with my finger. Disappointing for a new gun!!
Sounds like a defective scope (it happens more than we like) but I'd try some other ammo first, always try the cheapest thing first, is my rule for problems that I might be able to fix. Does the barrel float on this model? Can you run a dollar bill under the barrel all the way back to the receiver? That'll mess up a centerfire, but it's usually not a big problem with a rimfire. It still sounds like a scope problem to me, but if you have a Remington warranty gunsmith nearby, it might be worth the trip over to his shop.
all good advise, one other item i would ask and only because i don't know how much you know about shooting so please forgive me if it is insulting. when you are shooting from a rest as you stated, you are resting the forearm of the stock on the rest and not the barrel right? also on your scope, the 8pt is a centerfire scope set paralex free at 100 yds, if you're not looking through the scope the exact same way each time you could get shots all over the place but not 6". have you tried cleaning the barrel really well?
I agree! Thanks for the advice everyone. The stock was resting on the rest, not the barrel. And the barrel was very clean when I started. I tried my best to look through the scope the same every time, some times I didn't move my cheek off the stock between shots. And yep, a good 6". I'll try the iron sights, different ammo, then go the Remington warranty route.....
hey one more thing, give the crown a good look over. feel the edge with your thumb or finger to check for a burr. make sure it was crowned square to the barrel.
What you described in your last post makes me ask this. Was the scope mounted for you? I mean you said you tried to look threw the scope teh same way every time. If your face is not on the stock in the same position every time so you can look threw the scope you will get inconsistant sight picture giving you incosistant shooting patern. remount scope to your hold.
