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!). 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.
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.
The open cut receiver of the later 581's. 1975
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.