Remington Commended for Rifle Recall

A Montana man who sued Remington Arms Co. said the manufacturer should be commended for recalling the model rifle he claims was responsible for the death of his 9-year-old son.

Remington issued a nationwide recall in April of its Model 700 and Model Seven rifles equipped with the X-Mark Pro trigger that were manufactured between May 2006 and April 9, 2014.

Some rifles may have excess bonding agent that could cause them to accidently fire, the company said.

Stores carrying the rifles have shipped all their stock back to Remington to have the trigger mechanisms cleaned.

Richard Barber filed a lawsuit in the death of his son Gus, who was shot when a Model 700 bolt-action rifle discharged as the boy’s mother was unloading it in 2000. His lawsuit led the company to recall 2.5 million rifles in 2002 to modify a safety on bolt-action rifles made before 1982.

Remington insisted 2010 in response to new lawsuits and a cable television documentary that the trigger mechanism “has been free from any defect since it was first produced.”

Barber, from Manhattan, Montana, told the Billings Gazette in a story published Thursday the new recall is important because it signifies that Remington may be coming around.

“I support them in this. They shouldn’t be persecuted. They should be commended,” he said.

Remington spokesman Teddy Novin said the manufacturer has confidence in the design of the rifles’ trigger mechanism.

“We have established significant safety and technical resources to determine which rifles are affected and to minimize any risks. Our goal is to have every recalled firearm inspected, specialty cleaned, tested and returned as soon as possible,” Novin said in a statement.

A 2010 CNBC report found that more than 75 lawsuits had been filed against the company alleging the trigger was prone to fire without being touched. The documentary prompted additional lawsuits claiming problems with the trigger assembly.

In response to CNBC’s report, Remington called the Model 700 series one of the most “popular, reliable, accurate and trusted bolt-action rifles in the world,” with more than 5 million sold.