Settlement reached in class-action lawsuit over trigger mechanism on Remington rifles

One of the nation's leading gun-makers has reached a settlement in a lawsuit claiming a popular hunting rifle has a defective trigger mechanism that can cause injury and death.

Remington Arms Co. was sued over its Model 700 bolt-action hunting rifle. The nationwide class-action case was settled on July 2. A federal judge in Kansas City, Missouri, gave both sides until Oct. 30 to reach a formal agreement.

The lawsuit claimed that Model 700 rifles can fire without a trigger pull. It sought a court order requiring recall, and for the company to cover the losses of gun owners who claim the faulty trigger assemblies make their rifles worthless.

The preliminary settlement does not say if the company agreed to a recall, or if it will make financial reparations.