Can't Put The Safety On My Rem 700

[nickster]

I have 2 remington 700's, both low usage. Bought them used. They appear to have the standard Walker trigger. I can't get the safety on, on either rifle. One has a 2.25 lb trigger pull and the other about a 4.5lb trigger pull. If I open the bolt the safety lever operates freely on both rifles. These do not have the bolt lock on the safety lever. I've been looking for a schematic to see what the safety actually does on the inside but can't seem to find one anywhere. None of the schematics I find have any safety shown. The rifles operate perfectly and they both are good shooters. I won't be hunting with them and might even sell one, but I do want the safety fixed. Any ideas?

 

[Fast14riot]

 

[nickster]

So none of the adjustment screws affect the safety, correct? What does the safety look like when it's engaged?

 

[ShtrRdy]

From the picture and your description it sounds like you are trying to put it ON safe after you have pulled the trigger to drop the firing pin. Or, the trigger isn't holding the firing pin back when you cycle the action and close the bolt.

In other words, you can not put the safety on safe without the action cocked.

 

[nickster]

When I close the bolt and and the rifle is cocked, I cannot put the safety lever in the safe position. When the bolt is uncocked and loose the safety levers operate easily.

 

[WSnyder]

All that happens when the safety is on is the safety sear rotates under the sear blocking it.

When closing the bolt is the firing pin/cocking piece actually being held in the cocked position?

If the sear falls and it isn't in the cocked position the safety sear cannot rotate under the sear to block it, it (safety sear) will be blocked by the sear from rotating into the safe position.

See the picture above. It is in the safe position. You can see that if the sear was off (safety sear rotated forward) and the sear was dropped and in fired position the sear will block the safety sear from moving rearwards into the safe position.

 

[Fast14riot]

^^ This.

The photo i posted, the safety is ON with the lever pulled back. It rotates forward (anti-clockwise in the pic) to clear the sear (aka top lever) and allow it to travel down, releasing the firing pin.

 

[nickster]

When the rifle is cocked and ready to shoot, I cannot put the safety on. I've used a lot of pressure to engage the safety and it will not budge. To the point that I am afraid I will break the safety lever. This is on both rifles.

 

[WSnyder]

I’ve got nothing more other than to take the barreled actions out of the stock and check them. From the back of the trigger you can see the sear and safety sear. Operate them in the cocked and uncocked positions so you see how they function and maybe how they are failing to engage.

Hard to imagine you’ve won the lottery with two guns with the same odd issue but who knows???

 

[30EX]

Do you have another trigger to switch it out, and you are sure its the factory trigger

 

[Uncle Bruce]

Do you have another trigger to switch it out

Is it possible that you have a bolt without the notch to lock the bolt and a trigger with the bolt locking piece. Just guessing.

 

[WSnyder]

Is it possible that you have a bolt without the notch to lock the bolt and a trigger with the bolt locking piece.

These do not have the bolt lock on the safety lever.

Trigger with lock:

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

I would cycle the bolt and dry fire the rife several times to see if anything changes. Even if it becomes operable, I think the trigger mechanism needs cleaning. Good luck and please report on issues. I think the previous owner did some 'work' on the triggers.

 

[nickster]

I won't be able to get back to these for few days, but if I figure it out, I will post it here. Thanks.

 

[Richard Jones]

A neighbor bud brought me his 700 a few weeks back with the same problem. Had to remove the trigger, clean it, and debur/clean/polish the safety detent holes that the ball bearing rides in/across. Not sure how they got buggered up. He's not the best with maintenance.... Safety worked fine after that.