Remington Model 522 Viper .22 LR Semi-Automatic Rifle – Lightweight Polymer Receiver, 20" Barrel
The Remington Model 522 Viper is a 1990s rimfire semi-automatic that pairs a permanently bonded polymer receiver with a 20" steel barrel for a notably light 4.5 lb overall weight. Built in the United States for only a few years, it offers a last-round bolt hold-open, built-in optics rail, and modern safety features that set it apart from earlier Nylon-series rifles and foreshadow the later Model 597.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good – shows signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Good – clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Rifling Condition: Good – intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: The rifle exhibits typical handling marks, and no magazine is included.
What’s Included
- Remington Model 522 Viper .22 LR semi-automatic rifle
Introduced in 1993, the Model 522 Viper served as Remington’s bridge between the classic Nylon series and the later Model 597, with roughly 244,000 units produced before production ended in 1997.
Its polymer receiver is chemically bonded to the 20" steel barrel, resulting in a rigid barrel interface while keeping overall weight low. The single-piece steel bolt cycles via a blowback system proven reliable with high-velocity .22 LR loads.
An integral 3⁄8" dovetail/Weaver rail is molded into the top of the receiver, giving the shooter an immediate option to mount optics without additional hardware. Standard iron sights include a ramp front blade and drift-adjustable rear notch.
Controls are straightforward: a cross-bolt safety, a magazine disconnect safety, and a cocking-indicator post ahead of the bolt. The action locks open after the last round, a feature uncommon on many rimfire semi-autos of its era.
Original Viper magazines and parts have become scarce, so complete rifles such as this example remain in demand among shooters looking for a lightweight plinker and collectors tracking Remington’s polymer-frame lineage.