the dread Remington 700 trigger...

[2tuna]

I've got a 700 BDL in 243, heavy varmint barrel, that upon occasion just likes to go off for the hell of it. I think she's 'surprised' me 3 or 4 times, usually when taking the gun off safety at the conclusion of a hunt. I've read enough to know this is a known problem with the older walker triggers (My guess is the gun was mfr'd in the mid 80's).

It was my first firearm purchase (used, in the early 90's), is the most accurate gun I've got (several 3 shot 7/8" groups at 200 yards), and has a very pretty piece of walnut for the stock. So, despite not having shot it much for many years, there is real sentimental value in the old gal.

So my question: will putting a Timney into the gun fully correct the problem? I had a Timney put in my Ruger MK77 270 10 years ago and like the gun a lot more ever since.

 

[Slickhill]

I’d disassemble the trigger and clean it out well with carb cleaner and then lightly lube with Ronson lighter fluid after reassembly. There are proper parameters for sear engagement, overtravel, and weight, make sure you aren’t outside of any of them.

99 percent of the time they act up because they’re gunked up or improperly adjusted.

 

[Kaleb]

I would get a trigger tech special but I've never had or seen problem with an old Remington trigger going off....if some random fella watched YouTube started turning screws and spraying wd40 all bets are off though. Like mentioned above if you clean it and adjust it correctly I'm sure it will be fine.

 

[Axlrod]

First thing get a Scythe-Ti to make that rifle a complete nightmare!

 

[EastHumboldt]

Every time this comes up the people who own a 700 with this trigger and have not had a malfunction chime in saying there’s nothing wrong with the design.
As someone who has had two slam fires with this trigger, here’s my take:

I’ve got a 1962 very early serial # R700. I did my own trigger adjustment not knowing what I was doing about 20 years ago, and had a slam fire in the field while hunting mule deer. Took it a reputable local gunsmith who went through it, cleaned it, and properly adjusted it to break at 2.5 lbs. Had another slam fire about 3 years after that. Two years ago I took the Walker trigger out and installed a Timney. So far so good. My takeaway from all this is muzzle direction safety cannot be over emphasized.

I’ll be watching this thread to hear what others say about Timney on a 700.

 

[Kaleb]

I've read on line about the handles falling off too while we're at it. Also read that a 243 is marginal at best for hunting so what are we to believe?

 

[Kaleb]

I have timneys in howa/vanguards and like them. For a 700 I like the trigger tech a little better but I would certainly be happy with the timney. I've also not tried the more expensive model timneys just the regular model. The higher end models might be better than a trigger tech?

 

[Slickhill]

I’ve had it happen, I’ve seen it happen, I’ve been to the Remington factory armorer’s training back when it was a week long, and I worked in a Remington service center for a decade.

If it happens it’s due to something keeping the sear from engaging. It can be debris, rust, lube buildup, a bent housing, a collapsed or weak spring, improper adjustment, under 3lb is not properly adjusted btw.

It can happen to about any enclosed trigger and I’ve seen it on many non Remington products.

 

[Lou270]

The original 700 triggers lifts the sear up and blocks the striker which holds the firing pin. However, the trigger can move when the sear is up. So if somebody monkeyed with it and there is too little sear engagement combined with gunk in there and the trigger moved rearward (ie pull
Weight adjusted too lightly) So does not return to catch sear when take the safey off the the sear can miss the trigger and fire.

Timney and other similar enclosed triggers (like Newer 700) whether Rem or not block the trigger from moving while safe is on. Some triggers just block the trigger from moving but the newer 700 blocks the trigger from moving and sear blocks striker/ firing pin. It is a robust design and does not just “block the trigger” like see some internet experts say.

I have never had a problem with 700 triggers but never adjust them for too light a pull nor too min sear engagement. Gunk can mess up any trigger buy the original Walker theoretically has more risk based on the design since trigger can move while safe on. The biggest problem with 700 triggers is you can adjust them for pull, sear engagement, and over travel. Those 3 little screws are tempting and you can make it feel very crisp and light tweaking things around but min trigger movement is not your friend with this trigger

I am a big 700 fan and used them all over North America with zero issues with Walker trigger. You can adjust down to about 3lbs and with routine maintenance is fine. If you want less than 3 lbs or have a creepy trigger have a gunsmith stone it vs messing with sear adjustment or just replace with aftermarket. Be careful with gunsmiths though as they just may reduce sear engagement vs stoning to fix creep which is why even “gunsmith adjusted” triggers can have problems.

Lou

 

[Dmoua]

Replace with a Trigger Tech special and don’t look back. I wouldn’t even think about using the rifle if the problem was never fixed.

 

[2tuna]

Great advice, thanks. Per Lou and others, the trigger is very light. I'd guess very close to 2 lbs. it was that light when I bought it. Sounds like that may be a big part of it

 

[Dmoua]

Great advice, thanks. Per Lou and others, the trigger is very light. I'd guess very close to 2 lbs. it was that light when I bought it. Sounds like that may be a big part of it

2lbs is not “light”. You have a faulty trigger that needs to be addressed.

 

[Kauaihunter]

My hunter partner had the Auto-Firing Titanium Model 7 version. Switched out to a Timney and zero issues. I seen it first hand. Happened twice. It’s been 20 years and it was a brand new rifle when it happened.

 

[greyghostnw]

2 pounds is heavy imop i run under 16 oz on my rough diamonds.

 

[Jpsmith1]

I had a 700 that did it scared the snot out of me.

Put a timney in and it hasn't happened since