I've had my 552 since 1989 and I like it a lot. It's not difficult to disassemble, but it is different in comparison to others, but you'll get used to it. Mine runs very well on anything BUT Remington ammo, which it just won't cycle. Does well with just about anything else, though. Really likes Mini-Mags, Super-X, Federal automatch, and Aguila Super Extra.

I've compared it to a couple of 10/22s when plinking with friends, and there's no way I'd trade.

 

I have one from the late '70's and love it. The only issue is it has no bolt hold open so when shooting at the range you have to put a spent shell in the ejection port when going down range.

 

Lowdown 552

I like mine at least as well as my 10-22. My 552 is stock with a lightened trigger spring. It's as reliable and as accurate for all practical purposes as my 10-22 that's been bedded, has a trigger job and an aftermarket barrel. I like both rifles but if I could only have one it would be the 552.

That said I wouldn't pay new retail price for a 552. There's plenty of good used ones out there for a lot less money and the older ones without the raised stock are a lot easier to shoot with open sights. My older BDL is grooved for a scope but if I want to shoot open sights the sights are big enough to work with my 70 year old eyes and the rear sight is adjustable for windage.

 

I had one for 6 months in '91. It shot Federal shorts quieter and faster than I could afford them. Sold cuz I was married with kid and a $50 profit bought a lot of formula and food back then. Was a great handling rifle wish I could have kept it.

 

I have the 552 BDL Speedmaster
Fantastic .22 rifle !
Mine is 100% reliable and it will never be leaving my collection.

 

If you are looking at one to buy, you better get it!

As mentioned already, the bolt does not lock open when the mag is empty. What I do is load the maga zine with LRs with the last round being an Aquila Super Clibri (they have no powder, just primer). So when I shoot the gun goes bang, bang... bang, bang, pffft! This way I get get no dry fire and the round doesn't hit the 50 yd target which doesn't mess up my groups.

My Speedmaster was built in 1979 and it is accurate and consistent. It's a lot of fun to shoot too!

 

Bought a new one few months ago traded a 550-1NIB plus $200 and change ,real nice rifle cycles even cb shorts,trigger was not 100%to my liking sent it back to Remington,they're doing me a trigger job for $65 with a 3lb break,should get it back first part of October,shoots perfectly for my hunting only needs,22cci short hp's hits the golf ball all day at 50yds,all within 1/2 inch of each other under ideal conditions.Best autoloader available in my opinion,and that includes the CZ,512 of which I had two,and now have none.Blows Ruger away,Marlin,same Thompson same:t,talking stock gun only. The only modification will be the trigger job.

 

My neighbor offered to sell me a very nice 1959 model. I wanted to shoot it first, and he gave it to me to try out. I gave it a thorough cleaning (it was filthy inside!), and took it to the range. I shoot left handed, and noticed that the shell deflector was missing, but didn't worry about it.
If I hadn't been wearing shooting glasses, I probably would have ended up in the emergency room that day. The right side of my face kept getting stung by hot gas and grit, shot after shot. At least I wasn't hit in the eye!
I gave it back to him. No thanks!
Over the years, I've fired a lot of different models of semi-auto .22 rifles, but the 552 is the only one I consider dangerous for left-handed shooters.

 

.....
Over the years, I've fired a lot of different models of semi-auto .22 rifles, but the 552 is the only one I consider dangerous for left-handed shooters.

I shoot left handed and my 552 does have the deflector shield which probably makes a difference. You could buy one for less than $10 at Numrich. If there was a good deal on a 552 that needed a deflector, that's what I would do.

"Dangerous" is a bit of a stretch don't you think? A friend let me shoot a right handed rifle (bull pup chambered in 556/.223) and on the first shot the brass hit me smack on the nose. I handed him the rifle, told him it was cool but I can't shoot it and thanked him. At no time was I in fear of my life or bodliy harm.

Oh, if you were just poking some fun, then forget the last part!

 

The force with which that hot grit stung my leathery old face convinced me that my unprotected eye would have been damaged if it weren't for those glasses.
That, plus the fact that the action doesn't lock open after the last shot makes it a dealbreaker.
Was this rifle designed by a committee?
I've also heard your scope will lose its zero when you separate the barrel from the receiver for cleaning.
Too much weird stuff for me to deal with!
There are better choices out there.

 

Fair enough ,now what are the choices and have you had experience with them that can enlighten us here?

 

I've always wanted to get one of these. My uncle has a tube-fed .22 auto and I think it might be one of them. I shot it once and it was really fun.

 

There are guns that I don't like, be it the way they shoot or by their design, and that doesn't make them crappy guns. Nor would I ever imply that someone must be an idiot who owns a gun I do not like. It is quite possible to not like a gun and still allow and encourage a person with that gun to enjoy their ownership.

Back to the OP's questions, this I didn't mention earlier: The 552 can be a little difficult to clean since the bolt does not lock open. That;'s where your third arm comes in handy (what, you don't have 3 arms?). If you use a bore snake, that job can be done much easier. Also, you sdon't have to take the gun apart every time you shoot it. Take your time to clean the parts you can reach and you can shoot many, many rounds before a complete take down.

I don't find it difficult to breakdown, but like any gun you need to take your time when doing this.

As for accuracy, you won't need a target larger than a 3 inch target to record your groupings.

 

Lowdown 552

Takedown for cleaning requires a little thought until you're used to it. I'm not sure how many rounds mine will go without requiring a takedown cleaning to function but it will routinely go though a brick or more with no malfunctions before I feel like I probably ought to clean it.

Granted they're not perfect. I probably wouldn't want one if I shot left handed and a last shot hold open feature would be good but you can find negatives with any semiauto 22. Remington's been making the 552 for close to 60 years and new ones are still selling at, IMO, too high a price. IMO that wouldn't be the case if there wasn't a lot to like about them.

 

Granted they're not perfect. I probably wouldn't want one if I shot left handed and a last shot hold open feature would be good but you can find negatives with any semiauto 22. Remington's been making the 552 for close to 60 years and new ones are still selling at, IMO, too high a price. IMO that wouldn't be the case if there wasn't a lot to like about them.

I DO shoot left handed, and i really like my 552, that i bought new in the 70's...

DM

 

new to me 552 speedmaster

LGS, traded in by an older guy today while i was there. after he left i looked it over and took it home for $230. looks to be about 85%, no rust or major marks, just mainly use/handle wear. it is marked 552 speedmaster, NOT a 552A, C or BDL. how can i tell how old it is? where would a serial ## be located? it has a low comb stock, dark wood with simple plain design impressed checkering, no white line spacers, black pistol grip cap. sights are fairly plain, ramp front with a step elevator on rear sight and looks like windage IS adjustable with a tiny screw on rear sight. there is a stamped ##"329**" on the side of the barrel about half way to the muzzle, just above the magazine tube. under left side of barrel under sight is a little symbol that looks like an anchor. one letter i cant read due to light strike, next letter looks like a "P" right at the junction where the barrel meets the receive is the number "55". is this rifle maybe an early BDL?? this is a new one to me, can any of the remington experts out there offer any help with the age and ID of my new rifle. it will get a good clean/lube tomorrow before its first range trip. LOOKING FORWARD TO ANY INFO YOU GUYS CAN HELP ME WITH!! thanks!

 

1967 552 bdl

i finally found some great info on the remington society web site. no serial ## due to early 1967 mgf date. it IS a BDL, but a 1967 version, does not have the high comb butt stock or the later centerfire type sights. it has a fully adjustable rear and a long ramp front. i gave it a very good cleaning today, the 30 minute job turned into 2.5 hours, this thing had such a dirty bore i had trouble even getting a patch through it at first! i looked through it with a bright LED bore light and couldnt even see any rifling! i remembered that the owner of the gunshop told me that the guy who traded it in ONLY shot ratshot shell in it. WOW, that is some NASTY stuff, i finally got it clean back to great condition. action WAS clean, but i dont think the bore had ever been attended to. he told me the old guy was a 30 year veteran--ARMY-- with korea and nam tours, you would think someone like that would take better care. oh well, it is mine now and cleaned up very well, i would say maybe 85%- 90%. minor handling marks on wood and everyone knows how the painted receiver shows wear!! a black felt tip pen can work wonders on tiny defects. thanks for listening to me, i guess you can tell i am excited about my $230. find.:bthumb:

 

Don't forget you need to do a range report!

 

:yeahthat:

And pics of the gun!!!

 

Do all 552s have a ramp rear sight? Mine has now rear sight and has a dovetail cut out with a flatpiece in it. Nothing else didn't know if it may have had a peep sight?

 

I don't believe any 552's were built in standard production at the factory with a peep sight, though I suppose one might have been able to special-order one so equipped.

 

all 552s have a ramp rear sight

it ranged from very plain/simple on the early base models to a nice one on the BDL model. that bdl sight was adjustable for elevation AND windage. i dont know if there was EVER a dovetail mounted rear sight, they were screwed on. the basis model FRONT sight WAS in a dovetail. the receiver is grooved on ALL models, i have seen a vintage peep sight that mounted there. wish i could find one of those for my 552! all i can find are the peep sights that you have to drill/tap the receiver to mount. NO NO NO!!! dont want to mess up my beautiful rifle.:bthumb:

 

If you remove the rear sight (the elevation only type, with the real wide center section), you may find that it has been already dovetailed. You can install a barrel mount peep here or other sight.

 

Well a friend of mine was bragging about 1/2" AT 100 YARDS groups from his grandfathers speedmaster so much that I invited him to the range. It turns out that the rifle made 1/2" groups at about 25 feet ???? he never hit the target in 5 shots at 100 yards ??? Pretty embarassing for him since I hit the target 2 times out of 5 with a .22 pistol. The target was a standard size white paper plate so my hitting it was not a great feat of marksmanship and I was lucky too. no scope on either gun, same ammo, off the bench etc.. But that rifle is still " sure death on gophers, ground squirrels, etc. etc. "

 

Classic.

Real world accuracy in my two Speedmasters off of sandbags is about 3/4" at 50 yards with CCI-SV. The way the barrel fits the receiver precludes higher precision, in my opinion. That said, I won't sell them - they are my preferred squirrel rifles.

As far as cleaning - I don't worry about the boresnake and it's attendant "bolt hold-open" conundrum. The action fouls much quicker than the barrel, so the rifle gets torn down after every shooting session.

 

I have a 552 with the deflector which I consider essential even for right handers. The deflector is an easy find.

Teardown for cleaning is very easy: 1 screw to release the barrel group, and 2 pins to remove the trigger assembly. You do not have to remove the forearm or action arm (these disconnect from the receiver along with the barrel).

If you are considering a scope, take a look along the receiver top to see how it aligns with the barrel-mounted sights. Mine has too much misalignment due to wear to make a scope worthwhile. Besides, the iron sights work well. You may find a barrel mount (dovetail base) peep sight you can put on in place of the rear sight. The slot is covered by the sight base.

If you get one without the bullet ramp (held onto the barrel with the rear magazine tube mount), don't worry about it. It will still feed just fine.

The only ammo mine balks at is any lead round nose; it loves Golden Bullets.