Model 700 issues?

[tacoma2002]

Long post, but I feel the need to disclose all information....

I recently acquired a 1970 Model 700 BDL in .270. These year guns will not allow the bolt to operate in the "SAFE" position, so the safety has to be in the "FIRE" position to operate.

When I bought it I took it all down and cleaned it well. It belonged to an older gentleman and I bought it out of an estate sale. I put an optic on it and fired roughly 30 rounds through it searching for the factory load it preferred. Once this was completed I cleaned the bore and put it away for hunting season. Since then I've had it in the field all season; killing 3 white tail so far with it with zero issues until now.

I was hunting and temps dipped to around -3* F. Fortunately, the blind is heated so after a couple of hours inside it had reached around 45* . After a 7 hour sit I decided to take a shot at a deer. I opened the window and propped, ready to fire. I clicked the safety off and squeezed the trigger....nothing happened.

No click of the firing pin....nada....trigger seemed as though the safety was still in the "ON" position. I then operated the bolt inserting a new round into the chamber...when the bolt closed BANG! This was super surprising as you an imagine! Luckily the gun was still pointed in a safe direction!

I bolted another round carefully into the chamber and noticed the deer still in shooting range attempting to figure out what had happened. I clicked the safety off and attempted to shoot again...same thing. This time I did NOT open the bolt, rather worked the safety back and forth for what felt like an hour...finally the trigger functioned as intended.

I was able to recreate this phenomena multiple times in the blind and immediately after I had come inside the house. I did bag the deer, but was so frustrated I put it in the safe to evaluate another time. I pulled the rifle out today and have not been able to recreate it again.

The rifle looks to be all factory with no trigger manipulation - I disassembled the rifle today and there is no grease or oil or other contaminants that looks to have caused an issue.

I have, before, had rifles with subpar trigger work that allowed them to "bump" fire...meaning with the safety on you could "bump" the butt stock against the ground and the firing pin would drop. This one does not exhibit any symptoms of that kind...

Thoughts?

 

[backyardtndeer]

Sounds like a bad accident in the making. Contact Remington or take it to a competent Smith.

 

[tacoma2002]

Sounds like a bad accident in the making. Contact Remington or take it to a competent Smith.

I'll likely be looking for one in West TN area. The fella I trusted with my shenanigans for years passed away last year.

 

[rickyk280]

I wish you were closer I would take care of your problem. It sounds like someone has messed with the sear engagement screw. That's the screw in the back of the trigger. Your over travel and poundage screw is in the front of the trigger on the older Rem.

 

[smyrnagc]

Sounds like what you have is one of the 700s that had a safety recall, actually has happened twice. The guns effected were doing the exact same thing yours is. I had a BDL 30-06 from the early 70's that fell under a safety recall, verified it with Remington. They had me send it to a factory certified gunsmith in Kentucky and they replaced the safety...no charge.

Remington was sold off in bankruptcy in 2022 so I don't know if it can still be replaced, might Google it.

 

[mr.big]

You can mod those so you can work the bolt while the safety is on also. Its pretty easy/simple to do

 

[backyardtndeer]

I'll likely be looking for one in West TN area. The fella I trusted with my shenanigans for years passed away last year.

The gunsmith that was at whmc in Humboldt years ago was really good, but the old man was an ass. Heard he passed away and they are way better now, but I haven't been in there in several years.

My 700's are newer than that, can work the bolt with the safety on or off. I did a trigger job on my early 90's model 700, really easy, but I don't know about the bolt and safety manipulation. Probably a YouTube video out there.

 

[DaveTN]

You obviously have experienced a trigger malfunction. I would contact Remington and let them handle it. The big Remington 700 lawsuit was over a gun that had the trigger worked on by Bubba, who didn't know by WTF he was doing. A kid got killed. Since you don't know the history of your gun, you may have another one.

I had to send mine back in on a recall. I'm pretty sure there wasn't anything wrong with it, but I did it anyway.

That or just buy a new complete trigger.

 

[Andy S.]

Frank Elliott at WHMC (Humboldt, TN) is who I would take it to. He's top shelf no matter how you look at it. When you get it back, you can bet the farm that it is right, no doubt about it.

 

[BigCityBubba]

I have a rem 700 that fired when I closed the bolt. Luckily I was at the range and the barrel was pointed down range. Ever since, I put timney triggers in all my 700s that I use for hunting. They are under $200 and easy to install. If you send it back to remington, they may put one of the new timney's in it.

 

[Robtattoo]

I don't know if it applies to all models, but my best friends works at a gun store on & Remington basically told him (regarding a 710) to pound sand as far as any warranty work goes.
In your shoes, I'd just pony up for a Triggertech or Timney. They're a 10 minute job to install yourself.

 

[Big Chief200]

I have a rem 700 that fired when I closed the bolt. Luckily I was at the range and the barrel was pointed down range. Ever since, I put timney triggers in all my 700s that I use for hunting. They are under $200 and easy to install. If you send it back to remington, they may put one of the new timney's in it.

I replaced all the triggers in my 700s with timney triggers for this very reason.

 

[Remington700]

As mentioned there was a recall because of what you had happen. I doubt they still cover it with so much occurring with Remington in the last several years.
I would look at getting an aftermarket trigger.

 

[tacoma2002]

I'd rearranged and replaced a few of my "new" 700's with older units and this happened to be one of them. I've got several 700's with Timney and triggertechs and I think I enjoy the triggertech best.

I'd hoped to keep a couple of these older units the way they came and here we are lol.

I will say I've owned hundreds of these rifles over the years and never had this specific issue.

I disassembled the bolt and ran it, the firing pin and spring through the ultrasonic bath again shortly ago.

I've had the backyard gunsmith rifles that did some crazy stuff, but never this.

I've left the rifle outside to cold soak for a while to try and recreate the issue…just to have closure on an exact problem…

We'll see.

 

[tacoma2002]

So, I froze the action overnight.

I was able to replicate the issue. I clicked the safety off and squeezed the trigger. It did snap but the firing pin stuck down.

As in I operated the bolt and moved the firing pin in and out of the bolt, but when I closed the bolt to the "locked" position the firing pin fell as the bolt locked.

I'd say this indicates the trigger sticking in the "fire" position.

this was a few minutes after it began to thaw out.

 

[Remi]

So, I froze the action overnight.

I was able to replicate the issue. I clicked the safety off and squeezed the trigger. It did snap but the firing pin stuck down.

As in I operated the bolt and moved the firing pin in and out of the bolt, but when I closed the bolt to the "locked" position the firing pin fell as the bolt locked.

I'd say this indicates the trigger sticking in the "fire" position.

this was a few minutes after it began to thaw out.

Have you removed the firing assembly from the bolt and degreased and cleaned?


I had one one do that and it was gunked with oil. I cleaned and now use graphite on my firing assembly.


My Remingtons won't **** unless you retract the bolt. The ones that dont work in your video you never retract the bolt

 

[tacoma2002]

I just noticed that I didn't retract the bolt in the video - it was beginning to intermittently work, so I rushed to take the video.

Essentially the firing pin appears to be being released after working the bolt when it malfunctions.

I have not disassembled the bolt completely, but will today. I ran the assembly through the ultrasonic with a dime in the groove.

 

[tellico4x4]

Fairly common with that era 700's. FIL gave one to one of grandsons several years before he passed. He was unloading it at camp when it went off when bolt closed. Bullet went thru a camper bedroom & thru pillow on bed before exiting on other side! Thankfully no one was hurt but scared the crap out of all. It was about the time that Remington was going under so I didn't even try to contact them. Took to gunsmith and had Timney trigger installed, problem fixed.

 

[Remi]

I just noticed that I didn't retract the bolt in the video - it was beginning to intermittently work, so I rushed to take the video.

Essentially the firing pin appears to be being released after working the bolt when it malfunctions.

I have not disassembled the bolt completely, but will today. I ran the assembly through the ultrasonic with a dime in the groove.

Old timers love them some 3-1 oil or wd40 and they use it liberally. It turns to varnish and freezes everything. I'd disassemble completely and soak the bolt body and fairing assembly in lighter fluid or brake cleaner and lube lightly with something and reassemble.

 

[tacoma2002]

Old timers love them some 3-1 oil or wd40 and they use it liberally. It turns to varnish and freezes everything. I'd disassemble completely and soak the bolt body and fairing assembly in lighter fluid or brake cleaner and lube lightly with something and reassemble.

Are you using a specific graphite or something like you'd pick up at the locksmith shop?

You're the second person to suggest graphite.

I'm going to pull the bolt down in the next few hours and I'll follow up. I'll probably remove the trigger assembly and run it through the ultrasonic also.