Remington Model 581

About the Remington Model 581

The Remington Model 581 is a .22 LR bolt-action rimfire rifle introduced in 1967 as part of Remington's 580 series of inexpensive sporting and training rifles. Chambered for .22 Short, Long, and Long Rifle, it feeds from a detachable box magazine and can be converted to single-shot operation. Its bolt employs six rear locking lugs, a design shared with the centerfire Remington Model 788 introduced the same year, giving the action a short bolt lift and smooth cycling. The 581 was a popular plinking and small-game rifle and replaced the older Model 511.

The 580 series shared its six-rear-lug bolt design with the centerfire Remington Model 788, which debuted alongside it in 1967, making the humble rimfire 581 a close mechanical cousin of one of Remington's most accurate budget centerfire rifles.

Remington Model 581 specifications

Part of the 580 series: Model 580 (single shot), Model 581 (detachable box magazine), and Model 582 (tubular magazine). Produced 1967-1983 in the original form, with the 581-S Sportsman economy variant offered from 1986 to 1999.