Trigger help with a 581 Remington rim fire

[Lof222mag]

I have a 581 Remington rim fire rifle and I need help with the trigger pull. The trigger pull is so hard now it is not even good for plinking. Any suggestions on how to soften it.

D. Lofland

 

[swd]

Take it to a good gunsmith that’s one of the many things they do.

 

[matthias]

Depends on how handy you are. First thing I would do is give it a good cleaning. Like take it off the rifle and deep clean the trigger housing. While cleaning inspect the trigger sear and spring. Look for burs , wear marks , and bent pins.

 

[JohnHenry]

Had the same experience with a 581S I bought last year. Trigger pull was 5 1/2 to 6 lbs.
I am not a gunsmith, but was able to get the trigger pull down to 2 1/2 lbs. Replaced the trigger return spring and put a little moly-slide on the sear. Need a roll pin punch to drive out a roll pin to access the return spring. I put some Kroil on the roll pin for a couple of days to make the roll pin easier to remove. Have to be careful not to use too much force to remove the roll pin as one could possibly crack the cast alloy trigger housing where it mounts to the receiver.
Got the 0.3mm wire dia, 3mm OD, 20mm long spring from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/MroMax-Compression-Spring-Connectors-Silver/dp/B07Z958L56/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1318JOBGVBAL3&keywords=MroMax%2Bspring%2B.3mmX3mmX20mm&qid=1686691135&sprefix=mromax%2Bspring%2B.3mmx3mmx20mm%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-1&th=1

Link to moly-slide info follows.

MOLY-SLIDE

Our own Molybdenum Disulfide based lubricant. The formulation is patented and utilizes ultra-fine moly in a petroleum base. It is an excellent lube for pivot pins, sears, slides and locking lugs. It is the lubricant used by BUSHMASTER FIREARMS. It is used in assembly and recommended by them for...

www.neconos.com

 

[ggshoots]

make sure you loosen the set screw in the front of the trigger housing before driving the roll pin out. You can break the mount off if you dont. Clean all old grease and complete trigger. Deburr everything and switch spring out will get you down to 3 lbs and sometimes a little less .

 

[drover]

The 788 and 581 use the same trigger, do a google search for Rem 788 trigger modification, it involves a bit of drilling and tapping of the trigger housing but something that is easy to do if you are somewhat mechanically inclined.
Or if you want to spend a couple of hundred dollars there are Timney replacements for the complete trigger assembly.

I have modified numerous ones over the years and it is easy to get them down into the under 2 lb range.

drover

 

[doclu60]

Brian Voelker in Iowa can probably get the trigger safely below 1lb, if needed. He has a good knowledge of the 581 triggers and has done a whole bunch over the years. He is well regarded as a 581/541 smith.

 

[drover]

Brian Voelker in Iowa can probably get the trigger safely below 1lb, if needed. He has a good knowledge of the 581 triggers and has done a whole bunch over the years. He is well regarded as a 581/541 smith.

This is who I would go to, he is the 581/541 guru. I doubt that there is another smith with the experience he has with them.

drover

 

[ggshoots]

Brian is probably the best known smith working on these. I have done quite a few and if you do the pivot pin change as well as other work I have gotten them down to below 12 oz on target rifles I have built. They are very easy to get in that 1-2lb range if you are willing to spend some time and have the equipment. All my squirrel rifles I have built are sitting right at that 2lb range which is where I like them. The trigger is hardened so punching through that takes a little bit but everything else really isn't that bad.

The 788 trigger is a little different. It is not a drop in so the Timney etc is also different. The rimfire and CF triggers really are pretty clean crisp triggers once you rework them especially. You can add a sear engagement screw and overtravel screw.

 

[PWNolan]

Brian is probably the best known smith working on these. I have done quite a few and if you do the pivot pin change as well as other work I have gotten them down to below 12 oz on target rifles I have built. They are very easy to get in that 1-2lb range if you are willing to spend some time and have the equipment. All my squirrel rifles I have built are sitting right at that 2lb range which is where I like them. The trigger is hardened so punching through that takes a little bit but everything else really isn't that bad.

The 788 trigger is a little different. It is not a drop in so the Timney etc is also different. The rimfire and CF triggers really are pretty clean crisp triggers once you rework them especially. You can add a sear engagement screw and overtravel screw.

My brother did my 541X trigger years ago. 8 oz safely. He just just did his normal work on the sear but never touched the pin location. Years later I sent the rifle to Brian Voelker to have him rework the barrel. I asked him to also go ahead and add the adjustment and over travel screws to the trigger housing. I talked to him after he completed the rifle. He said he went ahead and did the screws but said he didn't adjust the trigger as it didn't need it