22 - New Ruger Amer or used Rem 581/other used?

M

mike444

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I'd like to spend around $350 in a bolt action 22. My brother and I had a 581 when we were kids but he ended up with it. Love that gun. The longer barrels are also nice for quiet shooting of subsonic rounds.

Curious about thoughts on a new Ruger American compared to older used 22s like the 581.

Please don't recommend a new CZ or something else that costs more than $350.
 
The Ruger American Rimfire is a great rifle, accurate, and very well thought out. Definitely a keeper. I would say that is a good choice.

As for the 581, they have been out of production almost 50 years, so any rifle you find has either been shot until it fell apart, or put away and never touched for one reason or another. If they do break, many parts are not available. So, for nostalgia and just taking it out once a month for a few shots, sure. Otherwise, get the Ruger.
 
I will take the opposite view. Having seen a nice used 581 recently for $150.00 with a real wood stock, I almost bought it. The Ruger American has a plastic stock. Others may like them, but there is nothing nostalgic about them and it won't take you back in time like the 581 Remington. I'm sure it's just me, but I find plastic stocks to be nauseating.
 
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Ive got a savage bolt in 22lr and a Ruger American "predator" in 17hmr

I like the predator version of the Ruger better then the standard American.

The Savage is a good gun, but the Ruger is better. My buddy has 2 if them 1 in 17hmr and 1 in 22mag. All three (his 2 and my 1) are OUTSTANDING rifles.

We relieved the forend to make em freefloat and they SHOOT. Im seriously thinking about getting one in 22lr to replace the savage. Its that much better.

Bolt throw, magazines, adj stock config, just a better system

I paid $270 for the 17hmr. Right at $300 with shipping and a BG check
 
mike444,

I bought a Ruger American in .22lr last March, and got it for 250 bucks, NIB. If you don't mind the plastic stock, you won't be disappointed in the fun, accurate rifle. I had a nice, unused Nikon 4X Rimfire scope in the safe, so it went on the rifle. What a great rig. I'd forgotten how much fun (and how quickly) a feller can go through 100 rds. of .22 ammo. I'm glad ammo can be found these days, too.

Ruger did their homework on this one, and if you already have a 10/22 as I have, then you should have plenty of magazines to use.

reinert
 
I have a Remington 581 that I bought last year for $60. It was well worth it. For a second I thought the gun sucked. I got it all sighted in and set it down. When I picked it up the gun shot to the right and slowly came back to zero. The PO hadn't done a good job installing the front scope mount. Now it shoots dimes if not smaller consistently.

I also have two marlins that do similar and I think they can be had for $200 with laminant stock.
 
The RAR hands down! I have the .22LR in compact its a great shooting rifle. I also have the .22WMR and .17HMR in standard and they are great shooting rifles as well.

The .22LR will put all 10 rounds in a 2" radius at 75yds on cheap Thunderbolts.

And it is made right here in Mayodan NC, USA! :D

Here is one of my targets as proof

IMG_20150526_224507_482.jpg
 
If you are patient, you will certainly be able to find an older, wood and blued .22 that will do just fine. If you can stomach the plastic, buy the Ruger. My brother got one last year, and it is very accurate and well made. Personally, I have the old and the new and enjoy them all. It comes down to a personal choice, and you aren't likely to be disappointed with either one.
 
I have a Rem 581 and it shoots well, but the plastic magazines are crappy. The originals were pretty good, but now only come as 10 rounders and we've had some malfunction out of the box.

Conversely, I've looked closely at the new American .22s and feel they're a very nice rifle, albeit a bit short and light for me. Perhaps they'll have heavier barreled versions in the future.
 
Ruger. A little spendy at 339 if you ask me. But if you like those or have a need to use those unique slip on change out handy dandy features it has. >Buy it.<

Since I only shoot CCI CB caps into the garden to eliminate those rif-raft's eating our plants and tomatoes every now and then with my 22 L.R. Mod-582 Rem. (A cousin to the 581.)

Frankly: I find re-targeting the 582s scope back & forth/ to and from 22 L.R. to CB caps simply a pain at the range. So for those coons_ feral cats_ and those creepy things after dark wandering around in the back yard look'in for trouble . I'm sure glad I bought that Marlin 22 mag (bolt) for there purpose. At the time I considered the 17 cal's for the purpose verses the Mag. But being old school I settled on the Mag instead and have never been disappointed with its use day or night. "The Mag gets em to flop and stay dropped."
 
"The Ruger American Rimfire is a great rifle, accurate, and very well thought out."

My thoughts are less grandiose.
The RAR is a price point oriented rifle which does an adequate job for it's cost. No more and sometimes less.
The extractor is a joke. The only reasons I chose the platform are the 16" threaded barrel, use of already owned magazines, and the stock design allowing me to change pull for the Grandkids.
 
I really like Ruger, but for a .22 have a good look at Savage. I dont really care for their center fire rifles, but my son's Savage .22 is an outstanding rifle. Great trigger and very accurate. They have wood stocks, and their metal work and bluing is very nice.
 
"Apparently, for some reason, Ruger has chosen not to offer their RAR in a Walnut stock. Is it unworthy of good Walnut?"

You can't meet the price point using high $$ stock material. Personally, I see it as a better alternative to put the $$ into the barrel instead of the stock.
 
Bought yesterday the Ruger American Distributor special. 18" heavy, threaded barrel. Haven't shot it yet, but from what i can gather it should be a nice shooter, too. Trigger is adjustable and looks a LOT like an accutrigger LOL. I bring it up because if you look around you can find the RAR with several nice options. I paid $325 total with Bipod and little Aim Sports 4x32.

I shoot suppressed here at home, so a while back I bought the Savage Mk II FVSR heavy, threaded barrel. Accurate out of the box and a decent price point. Put a Nikon P-Rimfire on it. Something like $425 or $450 with both rifle and glass if i remember correctly. Rifle was maybe $275 or $300? Bought at same time so my old memory is fuzzy. Some like the Accutrigger, some don't. I don't mind it.
 
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