The Importance of Cleaning Your Remington 700

Safety should always be at the forefront of a gun owner and operator’s mind. No matter how many times you’ve heard them, the basic rules of gun safety are always worth repeating:
1) All guns are always loaded.
2) Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
3) Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
4) Be sure of your target and what is behind it.

The National Rifle Association advises very similar handling, as does the Canadian Firearms Program. These rules should be second nature to any shooter, but in light of the controversy surrounding the Remington 700 series of rifles, these rules take on an even greater weight. In fact, the accusations against the Remington 700 model should cause all gun owners to mentally review their own practices to make sure that they are in line with proper gun handling.

However, in relation to this particular weapon, additional steps should be taken to ensure proper operation and avoid firing mishaps. Remington issued a statement related to the accidental discharges, saying that “although Remington has examined rifles returned from the field that would accidentally discharge under some circumstances, it has always been due to alteration of the trigger mechanism, broken parts, or abuse, such as rust or an accumulation of improper lubricant.”

This statement in and of itself drives home an additional aspect of gun safety that applies to all guns—perhaps especially to the Remington 700 model line. That aspect is gun maintenance and cleaning. In light of the allegations and Remington’s own statement, it seems likely that dirty, rusty, over-lubed, or poorly serviced rifles have indeed fired despite lack of a trigger pull. Of course, if proper gun safety had been observed, those accidents would likely have resulted in little more than a surprise and possibly minimal property damage.

The Remington 700 is one of the world’s most popular firearms, and for good reason. It is used extensively by the military and police, and has been relied upon by the public since the 1960’s. If you own a Remington 700, and have any doubt about its safety, you should bring the gun to your local gunsmith to get it serviced and cleaned. Dury’s Guns will happily help you learn how to properly care for, clean, and maintain your firearms – so make use of our services and enjoy your firearms safely!

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