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.

Yeah - it's a Remington. And your 'gunsmith' should have known better.. Probably 80% of those who've had 'em.. Well, "lean" immediately - then toss that pos Walker trigger in the round file where it belongs..



As always, JMHO..

Update:

I took the gun to a local shop during my lunch break and he agreed that we should replace trigger, but he didn't have one in stock. I'm working on ordering it now. Midway price was best, but their website seems to be having technical problems.

Any opinions on Triggertech vs Timney?

Gunsmith did say the ex trigger was dirty and that could have contributed to problem, combined with the moisture and unusual cold yesterday (cold by MS standards ). He cleaned and lubed it well and refused to charge me anything. We tried about 25 times to recreate problem after he reassembled it, but of course it wouldn't fire.

Either way I'm going to replace it, asap.

TriggerTech all the way. Timney is, IMHO, junk. Maybe safer junk than the factory, but junk none the less. I've owned 3-4 Timneys for 700s. I upgraded, got rid of all but one, a Calvin Elite, which is sitting in a box .. might get used, might get sold. Right now I have 3 or maybe 4 TriggerTech triggers. The only thing I like better is a Jewell.

I suspected it was dirty. The m700 trigger can trap dirt and grime and need to be flushed with lighter fluid. I recommend once a year after hunting season. Also be sure to clean with a bore guide. If not cleaning solvents can get into the trigger and gum things up also.

Go with the trigger tech for a replacement definitely.

Knowing what we have known about the Walker trigger for a couple decades now, I consider it an act of utter irresponsibility not to have replaced it. Sorry to be so harsh, but life is too precious to sugar coat it…

It may take a while for it to show up. I first heard of the flawed trigger design back in the 1980's and thought it was BS at the time. But at some point in the 1990's my 1974 rifle dropped the firing pin with no trigger pull. On the older guns the safety locks the bolt. I pulled the rifle out of my safe and as usual my 1st action was to open the action to verify it is unloaded. When I moved the safety the firing pin dropped. It did it about twice more then stopped.

For another 20 years it didn't do it again. But about 10 years ago the exact same thing happened with an unloaded gun. Once again it only did it twice and stopped. By that time I'd essentially retired the rifle anyway, but I know one of my grandkids will get it one day. I replaced the trigger and would urge everyone to do the same. These guns do this so rarely it is easy to fall into a false sense that it won't ever happen to me. But every single one of these rifles will do this if everything just happens to line up right. Or I guess it would be better to say lines up wrong..

An improperly modified trigger can cause this with any rifle, but these have done it when picked up right off the assembly line. The old trigger on mine had never been modified.

I have replaced all of my Remington triggers as soon as I got them. Too many horror stories.

Did the Remington Model 7 ever come with a Walker Trigger?

Interesting thread. When did the Walker era triggers end? Are new Remingtons OK or do you guys replace those triggers as well?

Thanks.

Saw it happen on a Custom Rem 40x sniper rifle while on the range upon bolt closing. We reproduced it multiple times. Entire teams rifles went to smith for Timney Triggers. Previously there had been a bolt close AD on a live operation. Many LE sniper schools would teach no safety, bolt open until ready to fire which seems like a solution that doesn’t really fix the problem.

The important thing is no one was hurt. Im glad you decided to change the trigger. You would always have that in the back of your mind had you not replaced it.

I have a Sako Finnbear that slam fires. I have had it for years. I’m gonna get it fixed soon. We had a guy at deer lease years ago that had a 700 go off when he took it off safety. We always thought it was him. Maybe it wasn’t. It cut the brake line in his truck.

1. Glad nobody was injured.

2. In response to all of the comments about purchasing a Remington rifle then immediately replacing the trigger, I would NOT purchase a new rifle that I felt had a defect from the factory.

3. With respect to Timney triggers, I have a Timney on one of my Model Seven’s and I really like it.

4. I have an older, purchased in early 90’s, Model Seven and I’ve never had a problem with it.

Have owned a bunch of Remington's. Never had it happed with any of those rifles. I do not know of anyone personally who has ever had that happen. Any mechanical item can fail, break, etc. I have found that I have never needed a trigger "lightened" for hunting situations.....It could be possible that was an issue.

^ This, no more screwing around with unsafe tools, just get the TT and move on.

I also replaced my triggers, I have both a Trigger Tec and a Timney. Both excellent triggers. You can't go wrong either way. If I had to pick one I would lean toward the Trigger Tec. jmo.

Replace the trigger. Once you start tweaking below 3lbs on those old factory triggers you are playing with fire.

Timney in my model 7, I did have to dremel the trigger guard some due to trigger touching it.

If it was for a 700 I'd say flip a coin on timney vs trigger tech. However, on a seven the trigger tech is a better drop in fit. The picture below shows a trigger tech for a 700 next to a trigger tech for a seven. You can easily see they use a different safety lever to fit the narrower seven.

I agree with this. I have a stainless Model Seven 243 that I put a Jewell trigger in as Triggertech was dragging there feet on releasing there new trigger. My 7mm-08 Model Seven got the Triggertech. While I really like the Triggertech I think that the Jewell has a better feel. Jmo

Had a very experienced Older fellow, of which I am now one, blow Frozen dirt and milo all over me when he flipped the safety off to unload his 700 after a deer hunt. His muzzle control was OK so no harm done other than he totally quit hunting.
And yes it was dirty, old and set light but that Trigger was still the weak link.

I've often wondered why more manufacturers don't use a 3-position safety? I own guns that have a Remington style 2-position (Tikka, Ruger RAR, Weatherby) and others that have a 3 position (Ruger, Winchester, MRC). It always seems a little strange to have to turn a safety off to unload the gun.

I’ve had two questionable discharges from the same model seven trigger. A Walker trigger that was worked by a well known and reputable gunsmith. 10 years apart

The first was racking in another round after shooting a deer. Bolt closed on the new round and the gun fired. It was cold and I was wearing gloves so I chalked it up as user error

The second was the same rifle - sent it off for rebarrel and got it back from gunsmith. Bolt was packaged separately. Unpacked everything and put the bolt in rifle. Gun dry fired as soon as I closed the bolt

After that I switched all my Model Seven triggers to TriggerTech. I trashed the trigger in question

^^^^^ The Remington trigger is dangerous ^^^^^

^^^^^ Excellent advice! ^^^^^

Hello, Had the same thing happen with the model 7 in 7mm-08.. Remington had a recall on that rifle.

Same thing happened this year antelope hunting. I was standing next to a friend when he took the safety off his 700 and blew a huge hole in the dirt instead of the antelope. I am not a fan of most Remington products and the 700 is no exception. However, the 700 is only guilty of this crime because it used the cheapest materials to make a box-enclosed trigger. I detest box triggers for anything but bench shooting. I have had 2 700 fail because of the trigger and know of several more failures. The first thing asked about this year's Remington trigger debacle was, have you properly cleaned your trigger? Hunting in many cases is a dirty affair and your gun needs to be up to the task. That is the very reason the "mauser type" trigger used on early Ruger's, Winchesters, early Remingtons, mausers and the like is the only trigger military would use.

"strange", yeah - but "dangerous"? OH yeah....


Good post sir... Kudos..

If your Rem trigger is dirty or neglected, clean it. If there is knowledge or other evidence of your trigger having been adjusted, replace it or have qualified smith adjust it. Takes a bit more grey matter between the ears to adjust it than a screw turner can manage. Got to understand how it works!

g

Every single Remington 700 and 7 (as well as many other models) ever made is recalled. Every one is unsafe. Numerous people have died. Timney makes a reasonable replacement.

The rifles in general are [bleep], but the trigger is the kernel of corn in the [bleep].

Happened to me with my 700 7RM. Closed the bolt for a follow up shot and had a discharge. Has never happened since. I keep the trigger clean now, back then I really didn’t. Last time I shot it was 6 years ago I think.

Is this something that only affects certain years or all model 7 triggers? Have a mid-90s .260 that I have recently started using again in preparation for my oldest sons entry into the center fire world. Trigger was adjusted at some point but my dad had it done and I doubt he remembers who he used.

Every Remington with the Walker or X-Mark Pro trigger.

Simple fix, replace the trigger. Triggertech or Jewell

I have a Remington 700 in 257 WM. X-Mark Pro trigger. Bought the 700 new, had the trigger worked buy a gunsmith...Hunted it for many years. Shot it from the bench often. NEVER, EVER had a problem with the trigger. Then, my 14 year old grandson took a shine to that rifle, he wanted to shoot it all the time. Well, just because, we ordered a Triggertech and Installed it together. At least I feel better when he's shooting it....

Another misadjusted or dirty trigger, and Mike Walker gets the blame……..sigh.

The great thing about the Walker trigger is that it’s eminently adjustable and is installed on the most popular bolt actions sold on the continent.

The downfall of the Walker trigger is that it’s eminently adjustable and is installed on the most popular bolt actions sold on the continent……..

Never had a problem with the original Walker trigger in my 700 adl that I bought and have used since 1970. 52 years guess I'm on borrowed time....mb

‘Ya know, if the rifle is pointed in a safe direction, as it always should be, the is no danger of injury to anyone. Of my 50 plus Walker triggers on 700’s and a lone model 7 I have never had a problem.
Send all those Walker triggers you are replacing to me!
Rick

2 men that I have worked with had their 700s fire flipping the safety off. Both triggers had been adjusted by someone that didn't know what they were doing. I have one I adjusted following instructions years ago. I can take the safetey off and pound the butt with a rubber mallet and it won't fire.

it is a bit funny that for 50 years there were not stories ( or very few) of these trigger issues to a couple people filed a law suit. Now every Remington ever made is a death trap. Or is a matter that for most of those 50 years very few people fiddled with adjusting the trigger?

Mike Walker himself quite publicly said it was defective. Remington agrees. They also agree the X Mark Pro is faulty. Were Mike and Remington wrong?

It was hundreds of lawsuits and 10s of people who died. Remington was aware of the issue for years, but kept it quiet. The only difference now is that it's not quiet any more. The rifles were faulty from day 1 and remain so.

New Triggertech was just delivered to my porch. Thanks for all of your advice and I hope my story helps others do the right thing.

I honestly never knew it was a problem waiting to happen. I vaguely knew of the lawsuits, etc, but I thought it was overblown, anti 2A, media hype. I also assumed that most problems were caused by operator error or at-home gunsmithing......

Thankful that no one was hurt.


True, and it was and always is......but it's just not a chance I'll take again.

I posted earlier about 3-position safety's. I don't know all the mechanics behind them, but is there a reason they're not more popular, or the standard for that matter?

It just seems that for a hunting rifle, locking the bolt is a nice feature and then allowing the bolt to cycle, but the trigger not be active is another nice feature. Kind of makes me wonder why it's not the norm for all new gun designs. On a military rifle, I might understand the 2- position safety for simplicity, but for a hunting rifle, a 3-position seems like a much better design.

In today's litigious society, it seems like a 3-position would have become the norm. Maybe with the Savage and Ruger RAR, the blade on the trigger serves the same purpose and adds another level of safety?

Remington shoulder lower the price on their schitty guns by $150, because you need to buy a trigger for them too.

Had same thing happen with X-mark, scared the crap out of me. Remington just shrugged and told me to send it in. I just bought a Timney instead.

Remington has stunk for many years!

I put one of these in my Rem700.. I love this trigger......... https://triggertech.ca/collections/bolt-action $$ but worth it... Here is one for the mod 7 .. https://triggertech.ca/collections/bolt-action/products/rem-model-7

I've had it happen twice, once on a new unmolested rifle when disengaging the safety, and a second time closing the bolt on a smith-lightened trigger. Only have Triggertechs now.

Mine was the same way Hogwild. Beautifully done BUT....will hand my 6mm down to my son one day and just felt better putting in a Trigger Tech. The one thing about it, and I am the only one who seems to have mentioned, or perhaps encountered this, is that the safety on-off is very light. Not much of a positive feeling click to it. That and I had to take out a tiny bit of wood in the stock to get it to fit right. No real skill involved.

I don’t care for the feel of the safety on the triggertech either. My singular complaint about them.

Safety = Model 70 , Ruger MKII . Mauser 98. Style . Real safeties as in they block the firing pin and the trigger becomes irrelevant.
A”safety” that blocks the trigger from being pulled instead of blocking the firing pin from moving ain’t much of a safety.

And yes, the only Remington rifle I own has snapped on an empty chamber. Sportsman 78 in .243.
I’m looking for a stainless/synthetic rifle to replace the Montana I sold. Any Remington is not even a consideration.
OP glad no one was hurt or killed.

Yeah I think this is where I’m at too. No idea who adjusted the thing so no way of knowing their competency. Oldest son will likely get to start using the rifle next year. Even if it is safe, I’m not sure I like it for a kids first rifle. The way it was adjusted, it doesn’t really move at all. The gun just fires when enough (and not very much) pressure is applied, with no other feedback from the trigger. I think I’d rather have it a little heavier and with some discernible travel for this rifle so replacement makes sense from all angles.

Yeah maybe I am buying in to hype but not all are making up stories about misfires. Mine was solid and perfect and passed the butt tests I gave it but. - a little caution makes me sleep better. I didn't have to settle for a lesser feeling trigger pull so...

Yeah maybe I am buying in to hype but not all are making up stories about misfires. Mine was solid and perfect and passed the butt tests I gave it but. - a little caution makes me sleep better. I didn't have to settle for a lesser feeling trigger pull so...

I remember one X-Mark Pro recall because they said too much bonding agent was used in assembling them or some such, but that was nearly 10 years ago. 8 maybe?

Have there been other recalls or unsafe situations since? Not that big a fan of the X-Mark to begin with anyway.

Did Walker say it was defective.... or that it could be made safer?

Aint the same thing.

How can you identify a Walker trigger in a Rem 700 or Model 7?

JUst pulled this up for you. If trigger is prior to 2007- likely a Walker.
To determine if your Remington 700 has the Walker firing mechanism or the X-Mark Pro, look at the trigger itself. If the trigger has grooves, it is a Walker. If it is smooth, it is an X-Mark Pro.

I have a Tinmey in my Model 7, no problems. The combination of a factory trigger, then ‘lightened’ may of been to much.

The standard test is, apply trigger pressure with the safety on, then take safety off & tap the butt of the gun in the floor. This is an unloaded gun of course.

No substitute for safe gun handling no matter what kind of trigger you have. If your adjusting your engagement to assist in a lighter pull you are the unsafe factor. Any trigger needs to be kept clean and maintained as required. Way I see it ...mb

Make any 700 truly safe.
https://gentrycustom.com/Products/3-PositionSafeties/tabid/6360/Default.aspx

Featherweight. interesting. Had not seen those before.

I wonder how many guys who have rifles that come with a 3 position safety know enough to use it properly.

Safeties aren't there for when everything is going as planned. They are a backstop, on something lethal.

We shouldn't need airbags because we shouldn't have accidents. But we do, because we do.

I’ve replaced 3 Remington 700 triggers with timneys and 2 vanguards series 1 also with timney.. Remingtons I done cause I didn’t trust them after a few stories, although I never had any trouble with them. Vanguard’s I done just cause the factory triggers sucked.
I also installed 2 rifle basix triggers on savage 110’s which also appeared to be decent triggers.
I was wondering if anyone has put a rifle basix in a Remmy and how you feel they stack up ? It appears the trigger tech is the favourite.

I hope all of em’ . They aren’t hard
Full rear, bolt locked trigger disengaged, firing pin blocked.
Middle position, bolt unlocked, firing pin blocked, trigger disengaged.
Full fwd. fire away.

You would hope.

This. I saw an email announcing a Trigger Tech sale recently...maybe eurooptic.

I love the 3 position safety on my M70s. Walking/sneaking thru the woods, the safety is all the way back in case the bolt get lifted going thru brush. When I am on stand, the safety is in the middle position as I can sneak it off safe quietly, with one less click. Obviously safety in middle position when loading or unloading round in the chamber.

I know 2 guys who had problems with their Walker triggers so I changed it out to a Timney trigger with their 3 function safety (I believe designed by Melvin Forbes). This safety locks the bolt down on safe. It looks like a 2 position safety but to unload, with the safety back and on, you push down on the safety lever and the bolt is unlocked allowing one to unload the rifle without taking the safety off.

had one I bought in 1979, in 30/06, that has gone off 3 times with the safety on.... factory set trigger...


Sits in the gunsafe....but the trigger I finally replaced with a Timney...

also had the bolt handle break off.... repaired by a campfire gunsmith...