upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

[elk addict]

vette and his cz (and a few others) have inspired me. i want to put together a rimfire trainer.

is it worth making my old (free) 581s into a trainer? i've read that you can make a jewel work in the old 581's. the poor thing is accurate, but it never gets used (10/22 is funner). i could have some fun making the stock look & fit like the m24 on my 7saum, too. but i could be chasing my tail...

i'm guessing somebody here has done it (hint, hint- PICS!)

would i be smarter to start fresh with a cz or mkII?

 

[isaaccarlson]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

I don't mind the safety on my CZ. It might be backwards compared to others, but it is a lot harder to accidentally turn it off....

I like that. It makes me feel better about carrying it in the field. The CZ 455 is a very versatile platform. I want to get another one for my wife to shoot instead of her 10/22. She is missing out on a lot.

 

[slothlacrosse]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

Nothing wrong with getting a 581 worked over

I think that's a pretty good 100y group with a 22LR

 

[Nocalphoenix]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

I liked working on mine but it was a labor of love turning my first rifle into a full size trainer to match the BC light tactical my .243. Only power tools used were the jig saw for the raw cut out and a screwgun to lock all the layers together while the glue cured up. Walnut and basswood laminated together.

 

[elk addict]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

Norcal, that's pretty much exactly what i'd like to do with mine- especially if i can get it to group like sloth's!

 

[Nocalphoenix]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

The stock could have gone much quicker if I had just fired up all the tools and gone after it. Even if you botch something a little bondo will clean it all up. If I did it again I would start with a square blank and do the inletting first, much easier to keep it squared up in a DIY project, then attack the exterior of the stock.

 

[MarinePMI]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

These make pretty good stock projects for the 58x series rifles.

541 Gov't Target stock

Also, IIRC a 722(?), maybe it was 788(?)after market trigger could be fit to replace the crappy stock ones. Another option was to take the stock trigger apart, D&T the back of the housing and insert a metal block where the existing trigger spring is, and essentially put two separate springs in its place (one above the block, and one below the block). One to drive the sear, and one to drive the trigger itself.

At any rate, the Remington 58x series of rifles can be fun projects, and accurate as well (just remember it's a single point action, so bedding the barrel is probably needed). A lot of work, but it can be done.

The CZ rifles just plain shoot, right out of the box.

 

[MarinePMI]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

Here's a pic of a 581 I rebarreled into 17 Aguila/PMC/HS (whatever you want to call it), with the previously mentioned stock. (It did require me to make a longer magazine release lever from some spring stock)

581 17A

 

[elk addict]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

Thank you MarinePMI- that's a sweet looking stock for $100.
I was planning on just hacking up the original stock with the bandsaw, glueing on some wood scraps for rough shaping, then filling & final shaping with bondo. Now I thInk I'll just order one of those...

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

I think that all of these options are good ones, and that you are the best judge of which one(s?) serve(s?) you best.

I would add that altering an older classic rifle goes against my grain for esthetic reasons.

The Savage rifles work as well as most, but also have the adjustable Accue-Trigger, and the TR models have wood stocks, which could allow fora bit of carpentry to be applied.

While I like the stability of synthetics; I have always favored wood as a means for expression and customization.

Greg

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

i'm with greg on the romance of old wood and blue steel, but if you got it free and it shoots, i think it would make a nice "tacticool" trainer project.

it even looks "centerfireish"

that stock link above http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Detail.aspx?pid=588790&catid=4301 looks tempting. SLOTHLACROSS's rifle looks really sharp in that classic wood stock.

either a tacticool trainer or a traditional look i think fits that 581 nicely. as long as it prints well on paper i think its worth pursueing in either configuration, and what you'd spend on a new rifle can go toward glass and quality ammo.

 

[elk addict]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

i shot a few rounds with the 581 today. (10 shot groups at 50yds)
thunderbolts- ~2" with no real flyers, but weird pattern.
cheap winchester 525 box- ~1 1/2" with one or two flyers. the 10/22 shoots the same with these.
cci mini mag- ~1" with one flyer. again, the 10/22 is close to this.
american eagle- ~1" no real flyers. the 10/22 did about the same with a flyer or two mixed in.


i started with the thunderbolts, and may have to revisit them. the groups tightened up as i shot, and by the last two clips i was not getting flyers anymore (could be the ammo, but maybe not). i think the barrel just needed to be shot in after sitting in the gun case for too long. it definitely needs lube. i don't mind the trigger- it's a bit heavy, but crisp. i also taped a pad onto the comb to give me a consistent cheek weld- worlds of difference!

i'm suddenly having a hard time remembering why i don't shoot this thing more often....

 

[gunnut284]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

It depends on how far you want to take it. If you just want to upgrade the stock and trigger and can do most of it yourself then the 581 is fine. If you want more, like a new barrel, or will be paying someone else to do the work then its probably cheaper to buy a Savage. I have all three and the CZ is the nicest, the Remington is a solid gun but the magazines suck and the barrel is light. The Savage is the roughest and cheapest feeling but is the least expensive, available with some nice features and apparently a good performer (I just got mine so I can't tell you first hand). I have no plans to change my 581, I'm going to use it as is for what it is.

 

[number9]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: elk addict</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i shot a few rounds with the 581 today. (10 shot groups at 50yds)
thunderbolts- ~2" with no real flyers, but weird pattern.
cheap winchester 525 box- ~1 1/2" with one or two flyers. the 10/22 shoots the same with these.
cci mini mag- ~1" with one flyer. again, the 10/22 is close to this.
american eagle- ~1" no real flyers. the 10/22 did about the same with a flyer or two mixed in.


i started with the thunderbolts, and may have to revisit them. the groups tightened up as i shot, and by the last two clips i was not getting flyers anymore (could be the ammo, but maybe not). i think the barrel just needed to be shot in after sitting in the gun case for too long. it definitely needs lube. i don't mind the trigger- it's a bit heavy, but crisp. i also taped a pad onto the comb to give me a consistent cheek weld- worlds of difference!

i'm suddenly having a hard time remembering why i don't shoot this thing more often....
</div></div>

Run some Wolf MT through it. All my .22's love it.

I've got 2 581's, a 511 and a 541T-HB Curly Maple and love them. I've got a thing for the old Remington 5xx series. I like my 10/22's and got 2 that are shooters, but they don't hold as high as spot as my Remington's do.

Oh, and I'd NEVER carpenter up the original stocks on any of them!! They are classics now. Get one of those stocks listed above and go to town on it, someday down the road when it's time to hand that rifle down to some young shooter with your DNA you'll be glad you did.

...

 

[elk addict]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

Glad this got resurrected! I did get one of the numrich stocks, carved out a ledge for the bottom metal (had to in order to use the original action screws) & epoxy bedded the bottom metal, then bedded the action & the barrel up to the front of the cutout where the weight is in the forend. It's not too pretty (definitely doesn't look professional- I didn't use enough epoxy so there are voids), but has greatly improved the gun's accuracy & ergonomics.

all ammo tested so far has shot better. At 50 yards, the CCI standard velocities (subsonic at my elevation btw) are giving me 1/2"-3/4" 5 shot groups- with 2 hole sub 1/2" groups becoming common now. Unfortunately it's all on hold right now. I sold the Nikon that was on it & decided to put my vx-ii 6-18 on instead, but need to get higher rings- trying to hold out for burris signatures.

I'll get some pics up after the new glass gets here & I krylon it up- with groups.

 

[lachoneus]

Re: upgrade the 581s, or get a cz, or get a savage?

I have a soft spot for the older rifles, and it sounds as if you have been able to breathe new life into this one. Some time ago I picked up a load of Eley Sport cartridges at a favorable price. You may try some of that -- it is (or at least was) cheaper than Wolf MT or SK Std Plus, and shoots groups in my Savage Mark II BTV and Remington 540x that are only marginally larger than those shot with Wolf or SK. Great for cheaper practice.