Another Remington 581!

[Ithaca Gunner]

No matter how small or out of the way, it pays to go to local gun shows. This is a fairly new show at a Gun club about an hour and a half away. My first time there, two rooms of vendors, probably 130-150 tables, (NO NON GUN RELATED STUFF AT ALL!:-D). I saw it in the first isle, an American Walnut stocked Remington 581. The tag read, ''Asking $375.00''. I looked it over, no serial number, walnut stock, and small oval ejection port, I bet this is a first year production! I offered $350.00 and the deal was done. I got it home, the barrel code is ''W P'' (August 1967! first year!) older brother to my 1975 581 has come home.

https://i.imgur.com/CiyD6bsh.jpg

It doesn't show up well, but right under the scope turrets and the front ring the small oval ejection port is visable on the receiver, typical of early production 581 rifles.
https://i.imgur.com/DN5h8ydh.jpg

The open cut receiver of the later 581's. 1975
https://i.imgur.com/mBoiSBzh.jpg

Now, I know somebody's going to ask about that odd little scope on it. It's an old Bushnell 3-7x 20mm .22 scope contemporary to the rifle. I was going to take it off and file it with other junk I have laying around the shop, but when I took it off I felt the weight of it and read the fine ''print'' Made In Japan, it might actually be a decent scope...or not. I put it back on and will shoot with it before I condemn it. The weather being what it is today, 40-ish and VERY windy, I didn't take it to the range for a work-out with it's younger brother.

What's so special about a Remington 581? They shoot-I mean, THEY SHOOT! They stack bullets.

[Nobade]

Congratulations on your find! And you're right, they work really well. I usually buy every one I can find if the price is right. They're sure a lot more now than they used to be.

[Ithaca Gunner]

No doubt about that! They're great rifles, a genus design, scaling down a 788 center fire to .22rf.

I might be interested in a 788 next in .223, .22-250, or maybe .243.

[MOshooter]

Nice find w/ walnut stock, congrats!

[Outpost75]

The 580 single-shot is a great platform to convert to center-fire, fitting an M16 extractor and relining to produce a carbine in .32 ACP, 9mm Luger or 7.62x25. I have one in .32 ACP.

[Texas by God]

That’s the best looking 581 ever!
It’s begging for a steel magazine from Jim Reed, though…..
I love my 581-S from 1988- they are “Baby 788s” for sure.


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[Ithaca Gunner]

I checked Jim Reed's site out a while ago and no mention of a steel magazine for 581 or any other Remington that takes that magazine.

[Bazoo]

Wow, very nice find, congratulations! I love the older 22's, especially the Remingtons.

[vagrantviking]

I've had 2 that both shot great. The crummy trigger has me thinking about upgrading to a 541 but it's something of a backup gun anyway so not a pressing issue.

[eastbank]

my 581 magizine fed barrel code is DP. i have not shot it in years, but as i remember it shot very well and took its share of small game and vermin. i have a later 581 with tube feed that also shoots very well.

[Ithaca Gunner]

DP would be Sept. 1967. American Walnut stock, no serial number, and a small oval ejection port? Tube fed model is a 582.

[dale2242]

Awesome.
I love mine.

[eastbank]

yes you are right, a tube fed remington is a 582.

[G W Wade]

Late to the party, but just as interested in 581's. Mine was late 70's and ridiculous accurate with right shells. Found a 580 years later for my twin sons. Chopped 3 inches off both ends of stock along with 6 inches off the barrel. Strange thing when we chucked up the barrel to recrown we found the hole in the barrel was NOT in the center. Had never fired before mods but wow did it shoot after. GW

[Rich/WIS]

Found a later model left hand for my grandson when he gets bigger. Really accurate. There was someone selling replacement springs that would reduce the trigger pull and think it was Rimfire Central had a section that included drawings on how to add a trigger stop.

[Shawlerbrook]

Congratulations ! My first gun in 1970 was a Remington 581 and I still have it.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

What a nice rifle! And your gun show sounds like what is now days one in a million. It's hard to find one that doesn't have a lot of tables containing miscellaneous non-shooting stuff for sale. The last pure gun show that I attended was the annual Albany Rifle & Pistol Club's show at the fairgrounds in Albany, OR. Haven't been there for about 8 years now, so I hope it hasn't changed.

DG

[dale2242]

I have owned a number of 22 RF rifles over the years.
My 581 is by far the most accurate.
It is not so fussy about which ammo you feed it.

[FDC]

Found a later model left hand for my grandson when he gets bigger. Really accurate. There was someone selling replacement springs that would reduce the trigger pull and think it was Rimfire Central had a section that included drawings on how to add a trigger stop.

There's a good article on the 580 , 581 and 582 in the September 2023 issue no. 330 of Rifle magazine including how to reduce trigger pull and overtravel . I took my early model 580 from a heavy 5 pounds to 2.5 . I'm doing my 581 next and will be looking at my 591 5 mm for similarities.

[Murphy]

Ithaca Gunner,

What a great find and heck of a bargain. If my .22 RF needs weren't already covered, I'd be on the hunt for a 581. Yep, looks like the perfect mate to a good old 788. Living where I do, between a good .22 RF and a .308 there ain't much need for anything else. Don't get me wrong, I can 'think' of reasons for owning another 4-5 long guns and justify them in my mind. But truth is, there are probably more than a handful of folks in my county that have never owned anything more than a .22 for small game, a 12 Gauge and a centerfire in .30 caliber of some sort. It's all they owned and used for 50-60 years, and they're doing just fine.

Yes sir, you made a fine bargain on buy.


Murphy

[Ithaca Gunner]

Murph, if I remember right, the ''average'' price on these rifles is right around $500.00 right now. Last fall I gave $400.00 for a like new 1975 581 at a show figuring I did okay. I looked at a few 541's but at over $1,200.00 I let em sit. They're beautiful rifles, but they don't shoot any better, and I don't care for the ''engraving'' Remington put on the receivers. Now I'm concentrating on finding a nice 513T.

[Murphy]

Ithaca Gunner,

I have a Remington 510 from the early 1940's, it's more accurate than I am. Fun for dirt clods, rouge tin cans and such. The first rifle I bought with my own money was back in the early 1970's, Remington Nylon 66. I sold it off in need of some quick cash (I was much younger and a whole lot dumber back then). I did however, replace it back about 15-16 years ago. It came in the original box with a scope, some sort of package deal back when it was sold. In the late 90's, I had my FFL dealer order me a 541-T. I mounted a Leupold 2X7 on it and it's tack driver. Yep, pretty covers my needs for .22 RF's. Oh, if I recall correctly I paid $455 for my 541T, still looks mint.

Murphy

[Ithaca Gunner]

Lately one of my favorite plinking targets are the shale chips on the backstop of the 25/50yd. ranges. They range in size but are usually about thumb size and really stand out on the dark earth backstop even at 65yds from the shooting positions. They vanish when hit and can be a challenge some days. My favorite for this off hand sport is my Remington 121 pump, 1940 vin. It naturally comes up presenting the sights right where they need to be making first shot hits above 50% most days on the evil shale chips that work their way to the surface. If only there was a dump I could shoot at...

[BFJ]

Enjoy your 581, a great find.

[tigweldit]

Great score!

[Texas by God]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20240401/0a3b343cccff261824d1c0e19257a3e5.jpg
I only have four .22 rifles and they’re all Remington. My 581S and 510 here plus two Nylon 66s.
The Weaver on the 510 is a B4…as in B4 I was born[emoji16]
I’ve killed numerous prairie dogs at 150 yards with the 581. They do shoot very well!


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[rockrat]

The 540x just a single shot target version of the 581? Picked up a couple of them, well battered and used, but the one I scoped will still shoot very well. Trigger could use some work though.

[Ithaca Gunner]

The 540x just a single shot target version of the 581? Picked up a couple of them, well battered and used, but the one I scoped will still shoot very well. Trigger could use some work though.

Not the 581 repeater, but the 580 single shot. They share the same receiver and bolt at least.