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First Look

When you first see a Model 504, your overall impression is that it's done in the American classic style. In tact, the stock of the Model 504 very much reminds me of another Remington, the Model 700 "Classic." The walnut stock is made without a check piece and is very straight with a drop at the comb of inches and at the heel, inches--perfect for scope sights since this model carries no iron sights.

There is no forearm tip, but there is a stylized grip cap. The forearm is nicely rounded and the use of a flush fitting, six-round, metal magazine keeps the bottom line clean and uncluttered. The pleasing diamond checkering patterns are sharp and cleanly cut on the pistol grip and forearm. The butt is fitted with a slim rubber pad. The walnut is finished in a low luster that blends well with !he satin blued finish of the metalwork.

With a length of pull of inches, the Model 504 was designed for the adult shooting chin. More importantly, the stock is nicely proportioned and feels good in the hands. The Model 504 is a quick-pointing and fast handling little rimfire.

Here's Where It Gets Interesting

The action of the Model 504 is completely new and quite a departure from the Model 541-S and T that featured a rear locking bolt with 6 lugs. For ease of manufacture the action body is tubular in form like that of the Model 700. What is impressive are the massive .300 inch thick action walls. providing valuable accuracy enhancing rigidity, strength, and bedding contact. In fact, while the first year's production will be focused on the .22 rimfire, Remington envisions this action design as the basic platform for future offerings in .22 Win. Mag., .17 HMR, and even small centeffire cartridges like the .22 Hornet.

Another radical departure from earlier Remington .22s is the method of barrel attachment. Taking a page from the book of the finest rimfire match rifles, Remington has eliminated the threaded barrel shank.

The unthreaded shank of the Model 504 is a slip fit into the receiver ring and is secured by a cross bolt, called a "clamp screw." The bottom of the receiver ring is split and tightening the clamp screw to a specified torque secures the receiver ring to the shank. This permits the factory to precisely center the barrel to the action and to set minimum headspace, which is so important to rimfire accuracy.

Once headspace is established, a small set screw is installed from the side of the receiver ring In permanently index the barrel shank. The barrel shank also features a key slot at the 6 o'clock position that insures that the double extractor cuts are indexed and aligned with the dual extractors of the bolt.

Remington states that this, "unique barrel clamp and set screw design allows retrofitting and customization without sacrificing strength." Indeed it will. What you have here is a design that will facilitate changing barrels and calibers with a minimum of tools and effort. I expect we will see a whole cottage industry spring up around the Model 504, offering a plethora of re-barreling options in the future.

I mentioned that the Model 504 lacks open sights. In their place is a receiver that is drilled and tapped for Weaver-style bases. In fact, for the first production year, a set of steel bases will be shipped with each rifle.

Shout From The Rooftops

Gone is the lawyer's trigger! I couldn't believe it. Old times are not forgotten. The Model 504 trigger is fully adjustable for sear engagement, pull weight and overtravel by, "Authorized Repair Centers."

Trigger pull weight from the factory will be set at to 4 pounds, but it is adjustable down to 2 pounds. Sear engagement can be fine tuned to .010", but then a slop screw stops you. Lock time on the new action is very short. A rocking two-position safety positively returns the trigger under the sear when moved from fire to sate.

My hat's off to Remington to recognize how important a crisp, light trigger pull is to marksmanship and to hitting the tiny targets and small game we generally pursue with an accurate rimfire. Their fitting a fully adjustable fire control system to a superb new sporter is proof positive that a responsive management and engineering team have really been listening to their customers.

The nickel-plated bolt body of the Model 504 measures a generous .604" in diameter. and it is locked into the rear of the stout receiver by the root of the bolt handle. The face of the bolt features dual extractors that insure positive feeding, extraction and uniform cartridge support. There is a very visible cocking indicator that extends through the rear of the bolt shroud, and it's a feature that truly enhances the safely characteristics of the new rifle. The well-designed bolt can be easily disassembled for routine maintenance without tools.

Proven Rifling Form

Years ago, the Remington Custom Shop, which button rifles its own barrels, developed an optimum rifling form for the .22 rimfire called the "5-R." Featuring 5 lands and 5 grooves, 5-R rifled barrels are used in Remington's top-of-the-line Model 40-XR rimfire target rifles. I am pleased to report that the 20-inch sporter contour barrel of the Model 504 is also rifled with the 5-R rifling form plus the chamber is cut with a semi-match profile that reduces free bore, yet permits the use of a wide variety of ammunition.

How does the whole package perform?

I had the opportunity to range test and to hunt with the Model 504. My lest gun was mounted with Kahles' superbly sharp 27x36 rimfire scope. This full size scope is part of Kahles American Hunter scope line. II features a plex-reticle and windage and elevation adjustments that truly work. If you've ever wanted a quality rimfire scope, check out this Kahles model.

At 50 yards, Remington's 40-grain Eley Match EPS ammunition just made one big hole. Almost as accurate in the Model 504 was Remington's 38-grain Subsonic hollow point load that Jeff Stone and I later used for squirrel hunting. The third most accurate Remington load was their 33-grain hyper velocity Yellow Jacket ammunition that consistently punched out a 1/2-inch, six-shot group at 50 yards.

For me, squirrel hunting has always been a rifleman's sport. Yes, I admit to taking a lot of squirrels with a shotgun, but from the angle of pure sportsmanship, nothing beats squirrel hunting with an accurate twenty-two.

Field Test

October is a striking month in West Virginia. The state's endless rolling hills cloaked with hardwoods in all their colorful autumn glory is a feast for the eyes. The Remington Seminar moved from the elegant Glade Springs Resort to a 12,500 acre property known as the Stoney Brook Plantation Hunting Preserve. The Stoney Brook Preserve is an intensely managed, multi-habitat property with lodgings that offers deer, pheasant, dove, chukar, Hungarian partridge, duck, bass and trout fishing. Yet, it's very inexpensive.

My choice was to pursue the fox and gray squirrels that roamed wild along the hickory studded ridges of the preserve. Grabbing a squirrel call, a Model 504, and a box of quiet, subsonic hollow points, design engineer Jeff Stone and 1 walked, sat and called from mid-morning until noon. We fired one shot. It was Jeff's shot and brought to bag was the first gray squirrel ever taken with the new Model 504.

Jim Gardner, the editor of this fine magazine, once remarked that, "if you buy just one upgraded rifle in a lifetime, make it a twenty-two." I agree. Over the years, you will get more pleasure and shooting opportunities with a quality twenty-two than with any other firearm.

And if you're looking for a quality twenty two, take a very close look at Remington's new Model 504. It's a winner.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Glade Springs Resort [800] 634-5233 .com

Kahles Optik North America [866] 606-8779 .com

Remington [800] 243-9700 .com

Stoney Brook Plantation Hunting Preserve [877] WVA-HUNT .com