Let's look at a few things here, in a factual kind of way ...
The Rem-Walker trigger uses a floating connector that allows itself to kick forward when pulling the trigger, which means that as soon as the sear 'cams over' the connector, it kicks the connector out of the way so that the 'break' of the trigger is clean and crisp, and more 'instantaneous' than if you had to physically move a one-piece trigger shoe fully out from under the sear. This also allows for less (or possibly no) trigger backlash because the trigger shoe is not in direct contact w/ the sear, and thus does not get kicked forward when the sear drops.
The PROBLEM with this design, as far as I can see, is only one small issue. IF the connector - for whatever reason - ever gets stuck in such a way that it does not fully return to it's position against the trigger shoe, the user of the rifle will be able to move the trigger (manually) back into 'full battery' prior to letting off the safety, while the connector (which is the part of the trigger mechanism that makes contact with the sear) is not actually in position under the sear. This can/will most likely result in the sear not being blocked, and thus the firing pin will fall forward when the safety is let off.
THAT seems to be the ONLY flaw in the design - at least by virtue of analysis.
What most people seem to forget though, is that ANY trigger (firing mechanism) that is similar in design - and also incorporates a safety system that ONLY blocks the sear or locks the firing pin in the cocked position CAN allow the firing pin to fall when the safety is released - that is, if whatever part of the trigger mechanism that contacts and supports the sear is not in full battery prior to releasing the safety.
Again, what CAN potentially happen with the Rem-Walker trigger design, is that the user might THINK that the trigger is returned to full battery, but there is really no way of knowing for sure since the connector might not be in full battery.
What I personally don't know is how the trigger can be adjusted and set at the factory in such a way that the connector is 'guaranteed' to not be able to clear itself out from under the sear - simply because no matter how you set it up, if it's set up to allow the trigger to be able to drop the sear, there MUST be room enough for the connector to fully move out from under the sear.
In the case of the law suits I've looked at - and by no means am I any expert in law, mechanical engineering, etc. - the issue that seems to be at the forefront is the RESULT of the AD - not the AD itself... which of course brings "poor firearms safety" into the equation. The act of using poor firearms safety MUST be considered when liability for the results of the AD are brought up.
IMHO, while nobody should EVER trust a mechanical safety to keep a firearm from discharging, there should be a "reasonable" amount of trust that one can put on the ability of the safety and firing mechanism to function properly. THAT seems to be at the heart of the law suits as well - not JUST the examination of whether or not the firearm can/will AD based on the Rem-Walker design.
Now, like I've said before ... I can see the POTENTIAL for an undue failure of the firing and safety mechanism re: the Rem-Walker design ... but I've also never seen it happen when the trigger is properly adjusted and maintained. Even after making post-factory setting adjustments myself, I've always been able to set the trigger system up to work as intended, and with better results (pull weight, over-travel and creep) than it came from the factory.
Do I consider the trigger to be "flawed"? Yah, I guess, in a round-about sort of way ... but do I see the trigger being reasonably safe and dependable? Sure, I do ... as much as I would consider just about any other standard trigger on a typical rifle... and that opinion is based on my own experiences, as well as the many experiences of others I know who have used Remington rifles with the Rem-Walker trigger design for years and years.
Not sure what else can really be said about the issue, outside of a court of law, simply because it's up to them each time the case is brought to bear, and the judge, jury and "experts" have to fight it out there, and it's for them to decide at the end of the day what happens to Remington.
Last edited by WGM; 10/28/10.
