Remington 581 bolt action

[Joe Boleo]

I found a lovely Model 581 sitting on a used gun rack and took it home. A good cleaning revealed a perfect bore. I stained the stock to my liking, mounted a scope and went to the range yesterday. It is a real shooter but tended to misfire 40 percent of the time. I called my gunsmith and was able to drop off the bolt. I thought it just needed a good cleaning. Wrong. The firing pin was misaligned from the factory. I was tempted to contact Remington to have them correct their defect in materials and/or workmanship. The gunsmith said that could take months and he could fix the bolt this week. I will pick it up next week.

My gunsmith says he spends a lot of time fixing new guns that are not right. He says he does not see too many older guns with factory defects. Guess it is a sign of the times. Take care...
Joe

[Rocky Raab]

Maybe, but that is not a newer model gun. It's been discontinued for 30+ years.

It will be a superb shooter, though. Congrats on the find! The 58x series is the cheaper version of the truly classic 54x rifles, with hardwood rather than walnut being the major change. The action is the same. IIRC, they came as Model 581 (single-shot), 582 (tube-fed) and 583 (clip-fed).

I found a NIB 582 at a gun show decades ago, and managed to get it for $65. It's my most accurate .22 by far.

[Gil Martin]

According to the Remington site, the Model 580 was a single shot, the 581 took a magazine and the 582 was tubular feed. There is no reference to a Model 583. I have the Model 581 and 582. Good find, Joe. All the best...
Gil

www.remington.com/library/history/firearm_models/


Model 580
Description: Bolt Action, Single Shot
Introduction Year: 1967
Year Discontinued: 1987
Total Production: Approximately: 60,000
Designer/Inventor: Research & Development
Action Type: Bolt Action
Caliber/Gauge: .22 short, .22 long, .22 long rifle
Serial Number Blocks: Starting: N/A
Ending: N/A
# of Grades Offered: N/A
Variations

[Rocky Raab]

Thanks, Gil. Clearly, my "IIRC" wasn't! Mine is a 582 - the "2" making it easy to remember as a "two=tube!"

[rainydays]

I bought my 581 new in 1974 for $40. It has withstood two boys and now my grandson. It has been and still is a very good shooting rifle. A little worse for wear, but still a nice rifle. You will enjoy yours.