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I drove to Seattle the other day to pick up some parts guns I found on AL while shopping for my M1897 project and possibly restoration projects.The whole front half of '97 is pretty rusty and pitted, but the buttstock, reciever and all the internals appear to be completely serviceable, so score! It alone would fetch way more in parts than I paid for the lot.
part of the package included a very decent looking Remington Model 550-1 22. made in 1953.
It was also something the guy cast aside to be parted out because he lost what he called a bag "full" of parts. I grabbed it as an afterthought, more interested in the '97, but I think I may have lucked out on this one. I noticed when I got home that it is rated for .22 short, long, and LR... I have never seen a semi-auto that made that claim before, but it has what they call a "floating chamber" that makes it possible. He told me that it wasn't cycling... that it would fire, but wouldn't eject. I had that issue figured out as soon as he handed me the bolt... The extractor was seized. a little CLP cured that in seconds. Another issue that these had was that floating chamber getting stuck, and indeed this one was as well. I stripped everything down, and cleaned it up and now it cycles great. I just have to use a punch to work the bolt, and I obviously can't shoot it until my parts come. I looked over the schematic on Numrich's website, and all that is missing is the firing pin, and the bolt handle. It appears that he took off a scope mount and the shell deflector too, probably the other parts in his lost baggy. I couldn't get the bolt to go into the action, and realized that the scope mount screws were protruding in the way, and as soon as I took them off it slid right in. The shell deflector isn't a necessity but I'm ordering one anyway. It has minimal surface rust, and the stock could use some tlc, so I plan on threading the muzzle 1/2x28, stripping it down reblueing all the ferrous parts, and refinishing the walnut stock... It should make for a nice little project.
The reason this gun is really interesting me is the fact that it can shoot shorts, longs and LRs.. and looking at the muzzle, they all too conveniently set the front sight back an inch or so.
It all but begs to be threaded for a suppressor!
Anybody have any experience with these things, or seen or heard of one suppressed? Looks like they are not super valuable, but it seems to be very well made. I can see how if not cared for properly, one might have reliability issues, but I think if you keep it clean and lubed it might just be a good little rifle. It's a 65 year old gun, and to me worth the money and effort to restore... even if it's just for the experience, but I wonder if it's worth threading for a can?
