Got curious and did a little research on the 597. Some good info here:
http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/22-rimfire/21662-remington-597-what-do-you-think.html
Seems like most of the reviews/opinions can be boiled down to:
1. The 597 is well built.
2. The 597 is more accurate out of the box than a 10/22.
3. The 597 magazines suck, and seem to be the cause of a lot of
frustration with the gun. But they are allegedly getting better.
Apparently the first generation of 597 mags were miserable failures.
Gen 2 mags were hit and miss. Third generation mags are a major
improvement. Made of steel, not plastic, and are a total redesign.
(I wonder if Ruger went through this sort of a learning curve with
their rotary .22LR mags before they reached the bullet-proof
design they have now.)
4. The 597 in .22 magnum or .17 HMR is nothing short of dangerous.
(OK, somewhat off-topic, but still worth mentioning). Numerous
reports of them firing without the bolt fully locked, resulting in the gun
"blowing up" as a result. .22 magnums are notoriously difficult to
get right. Ruger had similar problems with their 10/22 magnum, and
discontinued it.
==> Vgun: Given that you bought your 597 6 years ago, you probably have
the older style mags. (There's info in the discussion board link I posted
above on how to tell which magazine you have.) Maybe buying a couple
of newer mags will salvage that gun for you.
And yeah -- almost hate to jump on the bandwagon, but you really
can't go wrong with the Ruger 10/22. I'm familiar with a fleet of about
10 of them (either personally own, or owned by friends). Each and every
one of them is a keeper. They span a pretty good range too. Seen a
variety of older ones and new ones, and they all run great. (One of mine
is 1983 vintage -- runs great and just about always a favorite "must-have"
at the range.) Just find the ammo that they like (most .22 semi's are a
little finicky), and they'll treat you right.
My latest upgrade to the old 10/22 is a set of tech sights.
http://www.tech-sights.com/
Wow, lose the scope or the red dot and try a set of these.
You'll never go back. (Another benefit of the 10/22 is that everyone
and their dog makes aftermarket parts for them. Not so much with the 597.)