Every now and again, we have the opportunity to get our hands on some old treasures. And by treasures, I mean those guns (and gear) that were never really “classics” but have become something of a rarity. Blips on the radar, if you will.
For me, that opportunity came while visiting with my 80-something-year-old grandpa over a cup of Joe at my mom’s kitchen table. Papa, as I call him, doesn’t get out much anymore, but when he does… oh, the stories he can tell. He’s a retired KCPD patrol sergeant, and he’s served in both the United States Marine Corps (active) and the United States Air Force (reserve). To call him a “tough old mule” would be an understatement. And, I think it’s safe to say the man has spent more hours on a firing line and sent more lead down range than many of us.
So, while we sat there at Mom’s kitchen table swapping stories, Papa looked at me and said, “Hey, Guy. I’ve got a few rifles I want you to take a look at.” Naturally, this piqued my interest. “They’ve been in my safe for 30 years, I think. Just sitting there.”
Now, I know what you’re thinking. 30 years in a safe? That can’t be good.
Nervously, I followed him home to his house on Pink Hill Road, wondering what he had for me. When we got to his wood shop, where he’d laid the rifles out for me to take a look, I was shocked to see several rifles with their original purchase papers and leather gun cases, all in near-mint condition.
While I salivated over the gorgeous boomsticks in front of me, I peeked over my shoulder to ask Papa, “What do you want for these?” Either he didn’t hear me, or he ignored the question, instead turning on his wood lathe and getting back to work on some custom spindle or something. I ended up with several rifles, but one that caught my attention was this neat old Remington 550-1 that, from what I can tell, was manufactured in November of 1949.
After 30+ years in storage, I found the bore still shiny, the wood stock in perfect condition, the action still smooth, and the original scope still crystal clear, though the crosshair is canted to the left a bit (a factory defect, I think).
Naturally, I took it to the range just as soon as I could for a bit of plinking fun and to share my thoughts on this near-80-year-old gun. While it’s just an old run-of-the-mill .22, it’s a weird little gun that’s definitely worth a word or two. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.
The 550-1: A Little-Known Rarity
Calling the old Remington 550-1 a bit of an odd little rarity is an understatement. When looking for information on the pea shooter, I think I spent more time in Reddit forums and other rabbit holes than anything else. There’s just not a lot of information out there about it.
The best I can tell is that the Remington 550-1 was first introduced in the early 1940s (some sources indicate a release date of 1941, while others claim a date of 1945 or 1946), and little more than half a million were sold before production ceased in the early 1970s.
It was originally marketed toward small game hunters, but it was also popular among target and sport shooters, as well as youth shooters. Some forums even claimed it was widely used by the Boy Scouts throughout much of the 1950s and 60s, though there’s no indication of this anywhere outside of those forums.
Never a Blockbuster
Regardless of its initial popularity, due in part to its highly versatile design, the 550-1 never really became a resounding success like the Ruger 10/22 or even the Marlin Model 60. I’m not entirely sure why, though. The 550-1 was surely sturdy and reliable enough, but I suppose the advent of rotary magazines and other more modern features of the era pushed the old Remington to the sidelines.
I’d also imagine that the 550-1’s odd action was fairly costly and more difficult to produce than those of its Marlin Model 60 and Ruger 10/22 competitors, both of which were released in the 1960s, shortly before the Remington 550-1 ceased production.
However, that, too, is difficult to verify. Perhaps that’s the most fascinating thing about this little plinker: its lore and unverifiable past. While it’s not overly rare when compared to other collectible arms out there, the 550-1 would sound more like an urban legend had I not gotten my hands on one.
Operational and Cosmetic Features
The gun is a tube-fed rimfire rifle, much like the more widely known Marlin Model 60. However, unlike most of the rimfire rifles I’ve handled, this little devil is kind of unique in that it’s chambered for .22 Short, .22 Long, and .22 Long Rifle. And it’s actually very capable (and fairly accurate) with all three chamberings, which I found to be a pleasant surprise.
Mechanically, the 550-1 is pretty simple. It features a reliable blowback action with a slim (and kinda silly-looking) charging handle on the right-hand side of the gun, similar to most non-left-handed rimfire rifles I’ve seen. Not a lot of fuss involved, that’s for sure. The tube-fed system, as expected, is pretty straightforward.
To load the gun, simply twist the tube cap loose, slide the rounds in, and close ‘er up. It might not be as fast (or even as easy) to load as a detachable box mag, but it’s not difficult, either. For those of us who grew up shooting the old Red Ryder carbine, it’s no sweat.
As far as the cosmetics go, the 550-1 is definitely unique. The classic wood stock is nothing fancy, but it sure looks nice. The 22-inch barrel is a bit long and clunky, especially when compared to the shorter barrel of the 10/22. But it offers great accuracy, so I suppose I can’t complain too much.
I think what gets me, though, is the strange little brass deflector that looks like something from the flintlock-age. Don’t get me wrong; it does a fantastic job of tossing spent casings well away from my face, but it’s kinda quirky in appearance.
In reading about the 550-1, though, it seems much of the current stock of rifles found at auction are usually sold without the deflector. So, while it might look a little silly, I’ll make sure the deflector stays put to maintain its original appearance.
Sights and Equipment
The 550-1 came standard with your run-of-the-mill iron sights, though my particular rifle has an old WesternField scope installed. Funnily enough, the scope seems to have either been mounted incorrectly or manufactured with a crooked reticle.
While the rifle itself has a dovetailed receiver, the scope mount itself is kind of weird and appears to be a single piece, and as old as it is, I really have no interest in fiddling with it to find out for fear of screwing it up. So, adjusting the scope to level the reticle is, for now, out of the question.
Thus, the reticle remains canted slightly to the left with no clear way of straightening it out. It’s not great, obviously. But it works well enough for an almost 80-year-old scope. Plus, it really complements that old-school charm, and it’s proven to be quite the conversation piece.
Needless to say, the ole Remington has some age to it, and it’s been ridden hard, which I kinda like as it gives it a little extra character.
The Remington 550-1 At the range
Alright, enough of the history talk. Let’s get our hands dirty with some live fire, shall we?
Now, I don’t know about you, but I feel like rimfire rifles can be a bit finicky when it comes to what ammunition it does and doesn’t like. Shoot, even my old Ruger 10/22 gives me trouble from time to time with certain Winchester and Remington loads. Because of this, I was a little skeptical of the 550-1’s “triple chambering.” While .22 Short is a little less common than .22 LR, and I highly doubt I’ll shoot much .22 Short, I really wanted to see if it truly ran .22 shorts as well as it ran longs and vice versa. You know, for science.
I took it out to the range with a handful of .22 Short, .22 Long, and .22 LR rounds, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would it eat everything I fed it, or, like so many other rimfires I’ve shot over the years, would it be a bit picky?
Much to my surprise, the little Remington 550-1 cycled darn near everything I put through it. I had a few minor hangups with some hollow points (minor, as in a couple of failures to feed), but I got some decent groupings, so I was happy with it overall. The .22 Long Rifle, of course, offered the most consistency in terms of accuracy, but even the .22 Short didn’t disappoint.
I will say, the trigger is a bit stiff and gritty. It has a long take-up before it finally hits the wall with a relatively heavy pull. The oversized trigger guard, however, is a nice touch. While I don’t have huge hands or wear gloves all that often while at the range, this little rifle seems like it’d be fairly comfortable for glove-wearers and shooters with bigger hands. The safety lever is also halfway decent. It’s smooth and easy to actuate with my thumb, locking in place with an audible and tactile “click.”
A Few Minor Hangups
I think, based on the one failure I had, that maybe I’ll stick to FMJ offerings in the future, but that’s really no biggy. The gun performed best with Aguila 40-grain Super Extra CPRN and Federal Gold Medal 40-grain LRN .22LR ammo, both supplied by Ammo to Go. However, I was overall pretty happy with its performance with other offerings, including those .22 Shorts.
Oh, and that weird little brass deflector I mentioned earlier? Well, it ended up being kind of fantastic. It flung brass at velocities I’ve never seen but in an upward and slightly forward direction, well away from my face. It was kind of amusing to watch, especially with those little .22 Short casings.
The canted reticle of the old WesternField scope was kind of hard to get used to, and I noticed I kept tucking the rifle inward, more toward my torso, in an effort to accommodate for it. This, of course, caused me to have a few flyers, which was annoying. But I just kind of shrugged it off and dealt with it, and in the end, I had a blast shooting this little squirrel gun, which is what I plan to use it for in the future.
A Final Word on the Remington 550-1
While the Remington 550-1 isn’t something I would have sprung for at my local gun shop, I’ve grown to love it. Partly because it’s an heirloom, sure, but also because it’s really quite fun and fairly reliable, even at nearly 80 years old. It’s an odd little gun, but from what I can tell, it still has a bit of a cult following and carries a price tag in the ballpark of $250 (more with the factory brass deflector and scope).
It’s definitely not the flashiest or sexiest rifle, and it doesn’t have the same recognition and renown as the Marlin Model 60, Ruger 10/22, and other counterparts, but there’s something about it that feels… timeless. Sure, it’s quirky and weird in comparison to many modern arms, but despite its quirks, it’s a piece of firearms history and classic Americana, and that’s hard to put a price on.
And when you factor in the mystery and lore surrounding its origin (not to mention my personal connection to it as an heirloom), it’s easy to see why I’m a little partial to this little pea shooter. I’ll definitely be hanging on to mine, but should you spot one at your local gun shop, be sure to give it a look.
