Gunsmithing Remington 700 fires when safety is disengaged-WTH?

scooter123

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Minuteman
Dec 29, 2009
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Montana, USA
I am hoping someone can help me diagnose this problem. I had a Remington 700 VS in 308 at the range today. I haven't shot the rifle in a couple of years. It is the older trigger type (the gun is about 15 to 20 years old. I have lightened the trigger. Anyway, I loaded some shells, had the gun on safe, closed the bolt, sighted down the scope, disengaged the safety and BLAM - the gun went off.

I thought maybe it was an accident, that maybe my finger was near the trigger and might have bumped it or something. So I repeated the steps - this time with my finger well away from the trigger and the gun went off again.

So I left in the safety off and chambered a round, put the safety on and then off and this time nothing happened.

Anybody have any ideas? Is this fixable or not? Thanks for all replies.
 
Re: Remington 700 fires when safety is disengaged-WTH?

It sounds like you have backed off the bottom adjustment screw to much. Over time stored in the safe you may have some oil migrate into the engagement surface. You may removed the action from the stock and spray the trigger group with brake clean, carb cleaner or some other type of degreaser and blow it out with compressed air. While apart maybe give it a little more sear engagement while its apart.
 
Re: Remington 700 fires when safety is disengaged-WTH?

There has been quite of few remington 700s with the same problem I had a 700 in 30-06 never did work on the trigger and the same thing happened during hunting season for me the same thing happened to my uncle with his 700, you received good advice to change the trigger if you wish to keep the rifle, or have the trigger serviced and hope it does not happen again,
 
Re: Remington 700 fires when safety is disengaged-WTH?

Scooter,

Read this thread:

http://snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads....730#Post1418730

The whole thing. This is a common problem due to the connector design. It is always suggested that you must have lightened the trigger too far, or something else in your adjustments was incorrect, but this problem can happen straight from the factory, or with factory adjustments like stated above.

The thread is a good read for anyone who is using a Remington factory "old style" safety. Augustis who posted information on there is in Montana too, and has a wealth of information at his ready if you care to learn more about the issue.

Replace the factory trigger with something else, or get a JARD upgrade kit for it... problem solved.

Dave
 
Re: Remington 700 fires when safety is disengaged-WTH?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ramiller</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There has been quite of few remington 700s with the same problem I had a 700 in 30-06 never did work on the trigger and the same thing happened during hunting season for me the same thing happened to my uncle with his 700, you received good advice to change the trigger if you wish to keep the rifle, or have the trigger serviced and hope it does not happen again, </div></div>

I agree with everything you are saying, except

"if you wish to keep the rifle"

It seems to imply that an option is to sell the rifle off as is... don't pass this very dangerous condition on to someone else, have it fixed the right way.

Dave
 
Re: Remington 700 fires when safety is disengaged-WTH?

Too little sear engagment. Clean the trigger assembly and have the trigger adjusted properly by someone experienced then reseal the adjustment screws.
 
Re: Remington 700 fires when safety is disengaged-WTH?

Loc tite breakable. This one vibrated loose or moved. These triggers should never be set as light as possible. Mine would go down to 1.5 lbs, but I set it at 2.5lbs. You need to bumb check them before final reassembly. I take the barrel and drop it on the muzzle end 2-3 inches to bump check it.
 
Re: Remington 700 fires when safety is disengaged-WTH?

I had a similar problem with a 700 BDL in .270

A couple of times I would empty the mag, disengage safety then lift the bolt to clear the one from the chamber and Booooooooom an N/D

Luckily muzzle was always pointed in a safe direction as this happened while out hunting.

Fitted a Canjar trigger and no further problems.

Must have been around 1980/81