One of the first things responsible hunters learn is that you do not put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to take the shot.
It’s simple advice, along with things like assuming a gun is always loaded or never shooting if you have any doubt of what is beyond your target. Maybe these are things you learned from your father. As an avid hunter, you pass them on to your son or your daughter. You keep these valuable pieces of advice in the family.
After all, hunting is all about respect. Respect for the firearms. Respect for the risk. Respect for the animals you take and the environment they live in. Part of that respect is practicing gun safety at all times.
But what if that is not enough?
Accidental discharge
The danger of the Remington 700 is that the popular rifle has been linked to numerous cases where users allege that the gun fired accidentally. No one touched the trigger at the time. They claim that the defective weapon simply went off on its own.
This can be incredibly dangerous. In some cases, it is fatal.
One man went on a hunting trip with his 9-year-old son. They had a loaded Remington 700 with the safety on. As soon as it got flipped off, without anyone pulling the trigger, the gun spontaneously fired. His son got hit and passed away from his injuries.
This is just one story of many, as that man has gone on to create an incredible compilation of similar cases. He says that he is searching for the truth. He has spoken to others who have gotten injured or maimed in similar accidents. He has found others like him, who have lost loved ones. Every case is tragic and heartbreaking, but he keeps digging.
Replacement triggers
It is worth noting that Remington has offered to replace the Walker triggers — commonly linked to this issue — in older rifles. They still claim that there is no defect, but they will give owners a replacement.
Is that enough? Many feel it is not. After all, the newer X-Mark Pro trigger generated many of the same complaints. That begs the question of just how far the alleged design defects go. Why would the Model 700 have the same accidental discharge issues with two different triggers? Does getting an even newer replacement really make hunters feel confident that they will not one day end up as a statistic?
Your options
Passing gun safety habits on to your kids is very smart, a great way to get them started with safe, responsible hunting. However, you also need to know that the risks sometimes still exist. If you or a loved one suffer an injury, make sure you understand all of your legal options.