Remington to replace triggers on millions of rifles as part of settlement agreement

Gun manufacturer Remington Arms Co. and plaintiffs in two class-action lawsuits have agreed to a settlement under which the company will replace triggers in millions of guns, including its most popular bolt-action hunting rifles.

Under the settlement agreement filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Remington says it will replace X-Mark Pro triggers on Model 700 and Model Seven rifles manufactured from May 1, 2006, through April 9, 2014. It also has agreed to replace XMP triggers on a number of other models, but does not acknowledge any equipment defect.

Lawsuits filed in Missouri and Washington state claimed the rifles have a defective trigger mechanism that can cause injury and death. Remington contends excess bonding agent used in the assembly process could cause the rifles to discharge unintentionally.