[bodab20]

OK. THE title should say it all, I WAS window shoping @ cabelas in gonzales, LA and i noticed a 597 .17. I WENT looking for a CZ american but the auto would be better but it was the plan black on black model and it FELT CHEAP, the only way i could get the bolt to close was to take out the mag. then close it. I really hadnt heard of them intill i saw that one, i plan on hunting with it so shooting groups want be on the top of my list but quality is. Now i know it want be as high as a quality as a CZ and remington doesnt build junk but is it worth the $$$?? i'm going today to buy one so please post fast..thinks guys.

 

[Remman716]

ok, preface - i do not own a 17 HMR 597...just the 22LR version. Since no one else has chimed in yet, here's what i have heard about the HMR version though.

1) You have to keep it clean. It is a blowback semi-auto utilizing a bottleneck style case. If the rifle is not kept clean, especially the chamber, you risk an out of battery explosion (easiest image, you pull the trigger and pieces go flying while you hear a big bang). This is caused by the case neck expanding and parts getting stuck while a new round is being loaded. As a result, the firing pin detonates the fresh round prematurely.

2) If i remember correctly, Remington is no longer producing the 17 HMR (someone correct me if i'm wrong). That means if something goes wrong, rather than a new rifle, you get a check or a diferent rifle, not another 17 HMR

3) From what i understand, bolt action 17 HMR's are the best route to go. Check out Savage and try some other CZ's. Although you may sacrifice the speed capablity, they will be more reliable and less likely to suffer an OOB or failure to eject

 

[54118]

Cz=

i would definately go for the CZ instead, i've had a chance to handle one of my buddies' and the trigger and action was nowhere near as good as my CZs' was out of the box
get the CZ

 

[54118]

plus, wood is better than plastic, especially if the plastic feels like a toy

 

[donhudd]

I own a 597 and a CZ 452 both in 22lr. I like the feel of the 597.

The accuracy of the 597 is only fair compared to the 452.

The trigger on the 597 stubbornly resists all efforts to get a decent pull (less that 4 lb) I have installed the VQ hammer, had a gunsmith work it and I have worked it several times. The trigger is still awful. The only replacement trigger is the Jard which costs more than the entire rifle. I have had and continue to have magazine feed problems if I load more than 7 rounds in the 10 round mags.

The quality of the 452 is far greater than the 597 in terms of materials and construction methods.

The 597 in 17 has had problems firing a round that was not fully chambered and there is nothing that can be done to positively prevent this occurance. For this reason alone I would not buy the 597 17 cal.

 

[bodab20]

thinks people. i guess all of these problems are why no one else makes auto .17's. If ruger made one i would have one already. I THINK i'm going to get the CZ

 

[Remman716]

although i don't own a CZ, i hope to get one someday. i don't think you'll be disappointed. head over to the CZ forum and see what people have to say

 

[grandparem]

I am a firm believer in the 597 in .22LR and even the .22WMR, but I would stay away from the .17HMR.
Someone had mentioned the problems with "out of battery" shots and they seem to be much more common in the .17HMR and not due to any neck expansion, but because of a buildup of burnt powder in the bottleneck area after several rounds have been fired. With no bottleneck in the chamber or cartridge case as in the .22LR or WMR, it is pretty much "self cleaning".... the straight case will keep "crud" from building up. But in a bottlenecked chamber as in the .17HMR, with the necked down shape of the case, the chamber will not stay wiped out by the next case and can build up in the chamber shoulder area. Any blowback semi-auto can fire with the bolt slightly open and the design or geometery of the 597 hammer to firing pin will allow the hammer to hit the firing pin when it is still about .070" to .075" open... therefore, the high number of OOB reports on this rifle.
I'm about as big a fan of Remingtons as anyone, but if you want a .17HMR, buy a bolt action.

Kaboom!!! (added so if anyone does a search for it)

 

[menof2amendment]

no

 

[bodab20]

no

my kind of post simple.... i went with the CZ thinks all

 

[grandparem]

my kind of post simple.... i went with the CZ thinks all

Smart move :t .

 

[John Gyde]

I guess I've been lucky. I admit to being the worst at gun cleaning. I'd much rather shoot than scrub. I need to get over it... But, since I got the newer mags my M/597 17 HMR functions great. I have shot over 1000 rounds through it with touching the bore. Before you all beat me up too bad, I promise to clean it before I shoot it again. I will do better. Honest!!!

 

[MemphisJim1]

Last year BassPro had a sale on R-597 .17HMRs so I broke my own rules and raced up to the "big box" to get one. It's a plain Jane starter version with standard barrel and synthetic stock. I've put almost 1000 rounds through it now. With scope I shoot 1" or less groups at 100 yards. Initially I had some failure to feed issues with max loaded magazines. I saw advice on another forum to limit mags to 5-6 rounds. Since then, I've had no issues with it whatever. I, too, have seen numerous posts about out of battery fire with the17HMRs. I'm kind of anal about thoroughly cleaning after every range session, including a good bore scour, so I'll just keep happily shooting it.

 

[natman]

Do a search on the word KABOOM . That ought to make up your mind.

 

[52918]

that kaboom problem was not just because of the HMR, it could have been the 17 HMR round. I get sub moa at 75 yards with my 597 17 HMR. I keep it clean it it does its job well. Your other options is a 10/22 mag conversion or volquartsen.

 

[CajunBass]

thinks people. i guess all of these problems are why no one else makes auto .17's. If ruger made one i would have one already. I THINK i'm going to get the CZ

Apparently Ruger made a 10/17 for a while. The manual for my Wally World 10/22 is on my desk here, and it's for a "Model 10/22 & Model 10/17." And the 17 is listed at 17HMR.

 

[54485]

Newbie with a 597 17HMR

My first 5 shots grouped like the center black clubs symbol on an Ace of clubs. It amazed me even at 25 yards that I could easily cover the pretty pattern with a quarter. I've run some 200 rounds through it by now and just love it. Can't wait to find the time and a good place to do some varminting a round here soon.

Yes, it as a bit of an opportunity buy at a local gun show where I was really looking for a 22 WMR semi ... but I also knew this should be a reliable shooter compared to the Ruger which was discontinued. So it has been. Not a single misfire. I just naturally hated stuffing my mag with more than 6 rounds simply because it just got a bit hard on the fingers and just didn't feel right. So far I haven't had a single misfeed or misfire and I just love it.

Recently I picked up a couple more 8 round magazines and started to wonder about two things.

1) why aren't there bigger clips say 15 or 25 round clips available for the Remington 597 17HMR? (I've even been considering patching my three mags together to make my own 15 round clip.)

2) Given the fact that the Remington 17HMR and 22WMR use the same everything except for the barrel wouldn't a simple barrel swap make for a convenient way of having the best of both worlds?

Any and all answers/comments are greatly appreciated.

Bjorn :t

 

[54305]

my kind of post simple.... i went with the CZ thinks all

If you don't mind me asking, where did you get it and what did you pay?

 

[natman]

Apparently Ruger made a 10/17 for a while. The manual for my Wally World 10/22 is on my desk here, and it's for a "Model 10/22& Model 10/17." And the 17 is listed at 17HMR.

Ruger may have planned to make a 10/17HMR, but it never reached production. There's no 17 HMR listed under Rimfire Autoloading rifles in Rugers caliber history:

http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/PS-GaugeCaliberHistory-RI.html

 

[CajunBass]

Ruger may have planned to make a 10/17HMR, but it never reached production. There's no 17 HMR listed under Rimfire Autoloading rifles in Rugers caliber history:

http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/PS-GaugeCaliberHistory-RI.html

That's interesting. I had the manual out last night to look for an answer to another question, and just noticed the reference to a 10/17. According to the manual it was (or was to be) built on the 22 magnum steel receiver, had an integral scope mount, a 20" barrel, and a "centerfire band-type front sight." (I have no idea what that means.) The magazine was the longer 9 shot magazine used for the 22 magnum.

For what it's worth, I like my 597 22 LR. :bthumb: