Remington Model 580?

[Guesser]

I stepped into a Model 580 single shot made late in the production run, maybe 1978. It has been ignored for a long time, judging by the grew on it and in it. My question: How do I get the bolt out of the receiver?
Holding the trigger back doesn't do it!!

[gewehrfreund]

Push the safety forward, then bull the bolt back.

[Guesser]

Thanks, I'll try that.

[Guesser]

After I dismounted the stock and took the safety off the trigger assy I was able to clean the entire unit and all moving parts and get everything moving. The bolt comes out just as describes in post #2. Nice gun, just been ignored for 20 years, no rust just stuff that took root and grew there.
Thanks

[9.3X62AL]

Nice gun, just been ignored for 20 years, no rust just stuff that took root and grew there.

Good news, that. I have a Rem 580-series bolt rifle (box magazine variant) that is an absolute tack-driver with a number of differing ammo makes. They are worth messing with.

[Guesser]

I like the 24" barrel, just don't see that any more, it seems.
I did not need another 22 rifle, but that's the way it goes, it came as a package deal with a Winchester '94. I paid what he asked and we are both very satisfied.

[chsparkman]

My first rifle was a 580 that I got for Christmas at age 13. That was 1973 and it is still my favorite rifle. A few years ago I was squirrel hunting and slipped on a steep slope and bent the front sight. I couldn't find an authentic replacement and it's a pain to load with a scope on it, so I bought a Williams peep sight and mounted it. I had to put a riser on the front sight and also put a fiber optic front sight on it. I'm still testing it but I think I've almost got it shooting straight again.

In recent years I've also acquired a 581 (magazine fed) and a 582 (tubular) and they are both great shooters. I also picked up a 592 (5mm tubular fed) before the new Aguila ammo was available. I converted it to center fire and it shoots great but I've had extraction/ejection problems from the outset. 6 months with a gunsmith had no effect. The gunsmith said he tried it with original Remington ammo and it worked flawlessly. Well, I like it anyway and I would like to get a 591 (magazine fed) to round out my collection. I have lots of rimfires, including 3 Rugers and 2 Brownings but these Remingtons are my favorites. Probably just nostalgic.

[Mk42gunner]

chsparkman,

I think they also made a smooth bore, Model 580-SB runs through my mind. See what bits of almost useless trivia stick in the mind?

Robert

[wv109323]

The 580/581/582 actions were very desired for the 50 yard .22LR Bench Rest guys. With a barrel upgrade they will shoot with anything in the game. The originals were known for their accuracy also.

[chsparkman]

chsparkman,

I think they also made a smooth bore, Model 580-SB runs through my mind. See what bits of almost useless trivia stick in the mind?

Robert

Yes, I'd love to find a smoothbore at an affordable price. The ones I've seen on Gunbroker have been prohibitively expensive. Sure would be fun.

[HARRYMPOPE]

With the 788 style rear locking lugs a few were made into Hornets by some guys.A buddy made one up into a .32 ACP small game gun.

[Nobade]

I have one here that I made into a 9mm for my youngest daughter. Using one of the Green Mountain $35 blanks it's a cheap project and made a nifty little 4 pound, 100 yard small game gun. I bought two others that are still collecting dust until I figure out what to do with them. I was thinking 5.7X28 or 22 Squirrel but haven't decided yet. Buy those things whenever you can if the price is right, I often see them for less than $100 in poor shape. They are wonderful for interesting project rifles.

-Nobade

[selmerfan]

Tell me more about the conversions. I've got a 580 single-shot that doesn't get used much - good condition - and if they handle a Hornet I'd be game for the upgrade.

[Nobade]

It's pretty easy. I thread the receiver, make a new bolt nose out of 1144 that I heat treat. New firing pin (last one uses a turned down 1911 pin) For the 9mm I used a sako style extractor but it really doesn't need one, you can just pull the cases out with your fingernail. Modify the trigger so it's adjustable like a M700, and I like to use a separate bolt release that I pull down rather than use the one combined with the safety. Oh, and make something to keep the bolt nose from rotating. That's easy on the 580, you have to get a little more creative with the others since there is a hole in the bottom where you'd like this part to be.

A hornet would be kind of tough, you can extend the bolt throw a little and cut open the ejection port some but it'll still be too short for a hornet. You could maybe eject a fired case but no way to do that with a loaded one. That's why I think the squirrel cartridges would be good, or a FN 5.7x28. Those fit well and would do about the same thing.

I don't know what to call the pressure limits on this action. It looks just like a miniature 788, and has multiple locking lugs but it is quite small and I doubt the material it's made of is as strong as a 788. I haven't had any problems with the hottest 9mm loads in it, so that is a fair amount of stress, but I really don't know where the limits lie.

-Nobade

[chsparkman]

I just today found a 591M at Green Top. Now if I can just find an affordable 580 SB in good shape my collection will be complete. Now I have:

580
581
582
591M
592M

A fellow on the 5mm forum who claims to have worked on the 580 project for Remington says that a 590M was prototyped but never produced, since the cost was the same as the 591M but would have had to sold for less money being a single shot.

[Nobade]

Too bad, that would have been a neat trick.

-Nobade

[Jack Stanley]

I bought a 581 left hand back in the late seventies , being younger and dumber I sold it to buy something "better" . Now , I would have looked at having it converted to centerfire and chambered in the 32S&W long . I think it's that NoZombies guy we can blame for that heh heh heh heh .

Jack

[rking22]

Did the same thing myself. I had the tube fed version I bought as a fixerupper ,fixed it up and sold it like an idiot. It had a tendancy to pitch the first shot "out" about a half inch and that doesn't work for a squirrel rifle regardless of how the next 10 group! Just sold it rather than looking for he issue. Now I want to build a .380 or 32SWlong and can't find one anywhere !

[9.3X62AL]

My 581 is just too nice of a rifle and too accurate of a shooter for me to be tempted to convert it.

There is something unique to rimfire shooting that appeals to me in a very strong manner. It harkens back to simpler times in my younger life. Some of my most memorable field experiences involved the presence and usage of rimfire firearms. I resent the living hell out of the current conditions that make rimfire ammunition so %$#@ difficult to obtain. Sure, sure--I can load castings and shoot my centerfires for the same price (and now even less money) than what is needed to launch 22 LR, but that isn't my point. The fact is, rimfire shooting is enjoyable on its own terms and on its own merits, and it galls me that people (esp. young people) are being prevented from this enjoyment by unmotivated ammomakers and unscrupulous avaricious strippers and flippers.

Rant clutch pedal depressed, irritation drive train disengaged, and we return you now to our regularly-scheduled foofahrah. :)

[chsparkman]

I agree with 9.3X62AL 100%, both in the nostalgia and the rant. When I'm in the woods with my 580 I'm a boy again, hunting jackrabbits in the Chuckwalla Valley. Only now I'm usually after tree squirrels.

[NoZombies]

Do you guys mean this one?

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=82090&d=1379492099

To be honest, I'd love to have another in .22 LR for the sake of having it. They are really nicely built little rifles.

[Buckshot]

............I bought a Rem 582 the day before I got married 12-13-75. My mom said, "Honey you can't be doing that kind of stuff now that you're getting married." I said I knew that so that's why I bought it now BEFORE I got married :-) Then I suppose along in the mid -90's one of my shooting buddies heard me mention while we were at the picnic table at the range eating lunch, that I'd like to have a Rem 581. He said he had 2 of'em, both new. One with a walnut stock and the other in the box with a hardwood stock. So the next Tuesday he brought them both. I looked at the walnut stocked one and bought it ($150) and didn't even look at the other one.

My 582 has been shot a BUNCH and is sure a lot slicker operating then the 581 :-) The 582 absolutely LOVES Remington Vipers and shoots then exceedingly well. The 582 slings'em all over the place. However the 581 adores Winchester Dyna-Points, and will deliver dime sized groups at 50 yards with'em.

I shot every Tuesday at our range with several other guys for years. An older gentleman was usually there on Tuesday and came over while we were eating lunch and mentioned a friend of his was wanting to sell off some of his guns. So me an 9.3x62AL both ended up with really nice Victory model Smiths. The next week the old guy asked if I'd be interested in a 22 bolt action for $50? Heck yeah. I didn't even ask what it was :-) Turns out it was an older Stevens/Savage 84C with one of those $4.95 22 scopes on it.

http://www.fototime.com/C5FB50E8EC6585A/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/508E0AF2D51AA06/standard.jpg

I don't know when it was made but the only thing plastic on it is the buttplate. In the RIGHT photo is a modification I made to it to add a second action screw.

http://www.fototime.com/FC441C8BB73B7AE/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/005131BE2DBFE8E/standard.jpg

I did some stoning and tweaking to a few wear/sliding parts, and it's quite a nice shooting and solid rifle. I call it my 'Western Auto' rifle. The thing is really well made. The dual extractors are even machined steel. I guess I had it a couple months and the guy I'd bought the Rem 581 from walked up and handed me another M84C and said I could have it. He said it wouldn't always fire when you pulled the trigger, but heck free is free! I haven't even taken it apart yet. HAve only had it 10 - 12 years. No sense getting in a hurry I don't suppose :-)

...............Buckshot

[ka0tqv]

I have a REM580 SS with a BUSHNELL BANNER 8X scope. Had a local gunsmith hone trigger pull rom 9 or 10 about 2 to 2 1\2 lbs. It loves some old Peters Copper Clad HP bullets I have. As I remember it liked Federals and the low speed ones also. The triple locking bolt has to be a plus also. My son has a 788 in the 22-250 persuasion and about 20 yrs ago I shot the best group of my lifetime. I still wonder why any major manufacturer would build a utility rifle in 22 Long Rifle caliber with a 3 lug bolt. Anyhow can't wait till spring arrives and can spread some catnip in front of those targets again.