Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Model 7 accidental discharge!!

I had a major scare yesterday. Model 7 in .243 that my daughter and I have shot a couple hundred rounds through, both on the bench and hunting. She was preparing to shoot a large doe and when she flipped the safety off, the gun fired, scaring the CRAP out of both of us. I'm positive she did not have her finger on the trigger as I was actually watching her as she was pushing the safety off.

Everyone has heard of the Remington recalls and lawsuits, but honestly I never paid much attention to them. This gun was bought second hand and the trigger was lightened by my local smith several years ago. It has the old style Walker trigger and was set to just under 3 lbs.

Any thoughts? Has this ever happened to anyone else here?

I'm leaning to just replace with a Triggertech or Timney and move on.

I've never had it happen, but this is why I don't like selling a rifle to someone with a Walker trigger in it. I do know somebody that had the same thing happen to them.

Walker trigger needs to go. Just not worth the risk, especially with kids involved. (Glad everyone is OK.)

1st thing I've always done with Remington bolt action rifles is to change the trigger to a Timney

If you don't trust something or someone, replacement with something or someone that you do trust and that gives you peace of mind seems like the prudent thing to do.

Bearrr264 never hunted with anyone who insisted on using a rifle with an exposed hammer or DSTs, as he didn't trust them to be sufficiently safe, even in the hands of an "experienced shooter".

Never had an issue with my model 7 trigger, not to say that it could not happen but it has not so far.

I would order a Trigger Tech even if you didn’t have problems.

Your gunsmith did a poor job of setting the trigger.

Just my 2 cents, the Trigger Tech is a better fit on a model Seven than a timney.

I have both and the trigger Tech was a drop in, the timney required stock modifications to fit. I do slightly prefer the trigger shoe on the timney however.

Swap it out with a Timney or TriggerTech. I had a Remington I sent to LRI for a rebarrel and truing years ago (circa 2013). I asked Chad Dixon to tune the Walker trigger while there. Chad told me he won't even touch Walker triggers and that his first recommendation would be to replace it with what he had on the shelf. That opened my eyes right there...

Exactly what I would do, and don’t shoot the gun until you get the new trigger.

Had similar thing happen on a model 700 manufactured in the mid 70s. Closed the bolt on an empty chamber and the gun went click. That was enough for me, swapped in a Timney.

Once unloaded and safe can you repeat it???

Once was enough for me.

It has never happened to me but this is a subject that keeps coming up. Several years ago I had both of my Walker triggers replaced with Trigger Tech triggers and I've been very pleased with them.
I'm very glad to hear nobody was hurt.

You've just convinced me that my reworked western 7mm RM needs to go in for a Trigger Tech. I know that my 700 has the Walker and it was professional adjusted, but I can't in all good conscience trust it 100%. Once upon a time I "fixed" a 700 6mm to too light and it dry fired when I pushed the safety off. I adjusted it back heavy again, never put another live round into it and sold it . Those adjusting screws are just too accessible on that Walker for anyone with a screw driver.

Just curious. Have you ever flushed your trigger assembly out after hunting season?
Also sounds like your local gunsmith might have not adjusted it correctly or didn’t reseal the screws.

Happened to me about 25 years ago, javelina hunt with a 700 SA. Gun was clean, Neil Jones had done the trigger.

Took the safety off, went bang. Guide turned around and gave me a look I’ll never forget.

The Walker trigger problem was not as well known at the time, no one believed I hadn’t touched the trigger. Hell I was doubting myself until I read up on it. Never happened again. Couldn’t duplicate it.

Still have the gun, should probably get it replaced.

Glad no one was hurt! Replace the trigger as others have said...

If it's in the wood stock and the stock swelled due to moisture then it could have trigger it, same thing happened with my 700, took it apart and noticed pressure dents from the trigger in the stock, sanded off some of the wood with Dremel tool and then was ok. I encountered this on one other wood stock, the stock was very tight fitting around the trigger. Just one of the possibilities.