Remington 550-I Fixer Upper

[AlabamaDan]

I inherited a Remington 550-I from a relative that passed. I loved him and want to repair the gun, should I say "spruce it up." It works fine as a gun. I've shot quite a few round through it. But, it's had a hard life. I don't think it's ever been cleaned and I don't really know how. I've never had a semi-auto, just bolt actions and double barrell shotguns.

The stock has some dings in it and the varnish/shellac or whatever has cracked and peeled in places. I think the bluing might be ok with some oil and steel wool to polish it up. I have two questions.

First is how does this thing come apart? I've never taken a rifle apart and can't find anythign online that's step by step. It's got this big screw on the bottom that begs to be taken out, but I did read somewhere that this is more than just a screw that holds the stock on. When I say come apart, I haven't even taken the stock apart from the barrel mechanism. For some reason I'm intimidated.

Second, once I get it apart how do I refinish the stock? Should I sand it down or use some type of chemical stripper? Isn't there a way to get the dings in the wood to come back up?

This will be my first gun restoration project, but not the first. I've got several guns I've inherited the last couple of years that need TLC. All functional, but just rough.

Thanks ahead of time.

 

[Harold Mayo]

http://www.ask.com/questions-about/Remington-550-1-Disassembly

 

[shiftyer1]

I had/have one but I never took it apart or cleaned it for that matter and it just ran great for 50? years until a friend decided to take it upon himself to spruce it up. He lost half the parts but I do still have the terribly refinished shortened stock he thought I needed and a barrel. This was 20 years ago and I have never spoken to him since.

It was the rifle I grew up with.

I have disassembly instructions here somewhere, trying to find them for you.

 

[gyvel]

You will find detailed instructions in the NRA Firearms Assembly...Rifles and Shotguns book. It may be at your local library, but, if not, it is available from the NRA. If you are not an NRA member, I wholeheartedly urge you to join.

 

[Clark]

In Feb 2011 I got a 550 made in 1952 from the original owner. He got it as a teen ager, and now selling his guns in his 70's.

I really like the rifle. It will cycle CB shorts that sound like a pellet gun.

What other semi auto 22 rifle will do that?

To take it apart and clean out the lead, I took off the stock, then I unscrewed the big cap on the rear of the receiver. A bunch of parts spring out. Keep them in order so they can be screwed back in the same order.

You can see the 550A is a little different
http://stevespages.com/ipb-remington-550a.html

 

[AlabamaDan]

Maybe I should leave the real disassembly alone. I would like to remove it from the metal part from the wood stock in one complete peice if that can be done without alot of trouble. Anyone know how to just do that?

 

[Blue68f100]

That was my first 22 rifle. If I recall you only need to remove the 1 screw on the bottom and maybe one of the trigger guard screws to remove the stock. I had to replace the firing pin in the one I had. I even found the old on in a box a while back.