I looked at one a couple of weeks ago in the sporting goods store. In my opinion in the hand they feel good they balance well at least for me. They are a little heaver than the average .22, kind of in between most rimfires and a sporter centerfire, I would say. The one I looked at the fit a finish was no better or no worse than the average Remington centerfire of the same price range. The wood was not quite what I would expect on a rimfire of this price, but on a very positive note I did really like the way the magazine and the magazine well were made compared to the Remington 541's. While that all may sound good I really was not overly impressed or overly disappointed. From the accuracy tests that I have read about I think that the average 541 will out shoot the average 504. My 541 will shoot several types of ammo in 1/2" or better at 50 yds. The 541s feel just as good. They are lighter and like I say should shoot better So with the exception of the magazine design I'll take my 541 any day.
BruceP