Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters M700 trigger

I recently inherited a M700 BDL made in 1968. Is there any way to easily tell if it has the original unmodified trigger?

I assume that if it does, I should have it "fixed" or replaced...correct? TIA

Most likely has the Walker trigger I've got three of them and have never had a problem. Had a number more over the years and not one problem!

I've had the same experience as DonFischer--but also recently acquired a 700 made in 1969 that has the original trigger. I could take a photo of it later today, and post it here.

That would be great, John. Appreciate it!

Here's a photo of the trigger on my 1969 700.

I have been a gun smith for 36 years now and I have never had a problem with a Walker trigger that I owned, but I have seen a lot of them come through my shop that have had problems. I have a box with many Remington triggers that I have replace with aftermarket. If the customer didn't want the old trigger I just threw it the box. Maybe a hundred or more over the years. Back in the 70's, 80's, and 90's when I used to compete. The trick was to disassemble the trigger and glue the connector link to the trigger itself. This wasn't for safety per say, as the safety was removed because of single shot use only, but it was the only way to get a consistence trigger pull each time. I have taken Walker triggers apart that have had AD's and found many to be sticky with old lubricants, dirt and even a pine needle once. It is my opinion that if Remington would have made the trigger and connector link one piece they would never of had a problem.

Dusty,

That's been pretty much my experience as well.

A few years ago I figured (from my handloading/range notes) that I'd fired around 100,000 rounds from various Remington 700s (and a couple of 722s) without a trigger malfunction.

But have seen a few malfunctions in other shooters' rifles--though the worst was a trigger in a friend's 7mm Remington Magnum that he brought to Montana about 25 years ago from New England to hunt antelope and mule deer. When he tried to shoot it at a local range, to check whether the airlines had rearranged the sight-in, it would NOT go bang.

Or at least he would not pull the trigger hard enough to make it go bang. When we took it into my little shop, I found the trigger pull was 10+ pounds. Turned out that after the previous hunting season he'd sprayed the trigger thoroughly with WD-40 to "protect" it from rusting.

I sprayed the trigger thoroughly with brake cleaner, which helped, but still had to adjust the screws to get the pull down around 4 pounds.

A 1968 Model 700 trigger should be a Blued walker trigger with a bolt locking saftey. If you don’t like the bolt locking that’s easily fixed by trimming the lever.

I would completely remove the trigger from the action and flush it all out with brake cleaner. Use some q tips to remove any gunk from inside the trigger body also. Reassemble and you will be fine.
Be sure to keep the trigger clean and use a bore guide when cleaning.

I’ve seen plenty of triggers that had been WD-40 and it’s a miracle they even fired let alone reset. A good thorough cleaning and they worked very well.

Thank you for your input. The trigger in question appears to be the same as the one on MD's rifle. And it is blued and locks the bolt. So is this the trigger that has caused all the headaches for Remington over the years. (Sorry for the questions, but I am basically a M70 guy and haven't followed the Remington trigger saga all that closely.) But it sounds like, if the trigger is kept clean and not gunked up with WD40, etc., none of the issues would have appeared? Is that correct?

The rifle does have some family history so I will likely be passing it along to a grandkid in the non-too-distant future. As such, it may ultimately end up in the hands of someone who is unaware of the issues, so I 'm probably being overly cautious. Thanks again for all your help!

"But it sounds like, if the trigger is kept clean and not gunked up with WD40, etc., none of the issues would have appeared? Is that correct?"

That has been my experience.--but as noted, have only fired around 100,000 rounds with various 700s, and their ancestors and variations such as the Models 722 and 7....

In addition to keeping the trigger mechanism clean, be sure that the adjustment parameters for the sear engagement, trigger over travel and trigger pull weight are all within factory specifications.

I haven't fired 100,000 rounds through Remington 700s, but have certainly fired thousands through a bunch and have never had a problem. Virtually all the triggers had been adjusted by me at around 3 pounds. I never put any lubricants on the triggers and would occasionally blow them out with compressed air to remove any accumulated debris. Maybe I've just been lucky, but so far so good.

IMHO you can install a "Triggertech" assembly with safety. They are easier to install than a Timney and they operate so fine! A premium trigger smoother and safely lighter than any factory trigger. You'll enjoy it so much you will want to keep that BDL for yourself and pass along your M70 to the relatives.

I consider the old style M700/721/722 triggers very nice. They adjust nicely and work well. I do not like the new ones and replaced both of the ones on the two fairly new M7 Predators I bought with Timneys. But an old-style M7 trigger seems to be about as good as an old M700 trigger.

My limited experience is as has been stated here. I had issues with one and all it took was some blasting with brake cleaner and some Amsoil MP lube to straighten things out. They are good triggers and I have a couple that I am using yet. One was redone by the guru here on the fire. Keep it clean and learn how to PROPERLY adjust it and you will not have an issue.

The Reising was quite a good weapon, if kept clean.

I have also fired thousands of rounds through Remingtons with triggers that I have adjusted and with them as they came from the factory. After adjusting them I knock the dogsnot out of the rifle both before and after it goes back in the stock. If it fails at any time it gets re-adjusted. if it fails once, it fails period. Never had a problem. The one exception. I had let my nephew use my 30-06 as he was trying to decide what kind of rifle he wanted to buy. He was inexperienced with lighter triggers and made a comment about it being a "hair trigger" when I had him dry fire it even though it was around 3 - 3 1/2 lbs. That should have been my clue to not let him use it that day. Anyway, late that evening he see's a buck and reports to me that when he flipped the safety off that the gun automatically fired. I tried many many times to get the rifle to do it again without success. I believe his finger was on the trigger when he flipped the safety off but he swears it wasn't.

"Learn how to PROPERLY adjust it." Speaks volumes. I had an early 6mm M700 and a screwdriver, but no idea how to adjust those two little screws on the front of the trigger assembly. Trying to make that trigger pull lighter resulted in that rifle clicking on an empty chamber with just the safety clicking off. I adjusted it back to a harder trigger pull, but never trusted it after that and sold the rifle.

I haven't fired anywhere close to the rounds that MD has from my Remingtons. But I have an M7 and 10+ 700's. Adjusted them all myself and haven't had any trouble with them in the 40 years Ive been shooting them. Properly adjusted they are a great trigger.

I have adjusted maybe a dozen or more of the Walker Triggers with out a glitch. The last one I did seemed odd like the main body where the adjustment screws are seemed like pot metal or something softer than all the previous ones. Adjusted it to 2.5 lbs. and no go, it would slam fire. I only removed burs from the sears no significant metal. Turned it over to a very good gun smith and same story. Round filed it and got a Jewel which I also managed to screw up by getting sugar sand in it. Jewel will fix it for free and I have a trigger Tech on the way. Seems I can screw up anything.

I was acquainted with one of the parties in the Remington law suit, a friend of a friend,. In that case it was clearly a gross mishandling of a rifle. The father was loading a rifle in the back seat of a car while the son did the same from the opposite side, they were both pointing rifles at each other. The sons was loaded and fired with tragic results. The father lived through the ordeal but I believe was paralyzed for life.