The Remington Model 700-series rifle —with more than five million sold—is one of the world’s most popular firearms. Famous for its accuracy, the rifle is now the target of a series of lawsuits alleging that it is unsafe and susceptible to firing without pulling the trigger. Remington insists its rifle is safe, trusted, and reliable, though a trail of death and serious injury dating back decades has prompted critics to ask whether this iconic American company has compromised safety in the name of profits, and gone too far in trying to protect its signature product. Senior Correspondent Scott Cohn’s report is the result of a 10-month CNBC investigation.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Remington 700 Rifle More than five million Model 700-series rifles have been sold, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars for Remington. Famous for its accuracy and easy trigger pull, the gun is popular among hunters. Remington calls the 700-series the “firearm of choice” for America’s military and law enforcement communities.
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The Controversy A 10-month CNBC investigation revealed thousands of complaints and more than 75 lawsuits stemming from alleged inadvertent discharges from the Remington 700. At least two dozen deaths and more than one hundred injuries have been linked to a possible design flaw in Remington's 700-series bolt-action rifle. Remington stands by its rifle, and maintains it is safe and reliable and that the accidents are a result of improper maintenance and unsafe handling.
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Family Tragedy Tragedy struck the Barber family during a hunting trip outside Bozeman, Montana. Rich and Barbara Barber’s 9-year-old son Gus was fatally shot when the Remington 700 rifle discharged while Barbara was unloading the gun. She says she’s certain her finger was not on the trigger.
Inventor Mike Walker The Remington trigger, which critics say is the cause of the inadvertent firings, was designed in the 1940's by a young engineer named Mike Walker. Now retired and in his late 90’s, Walker spoke publicly for the first time about alleged problems with the Remington 700, with CNBC’s Scott Cohn.
Photo Credit: Dave Grogan
CNBC WINS A GERALD LOEB AWARD
CNBC’s “Remington Under Fire: A CNBC Investigation,” a CNBC Original reported by award-winning senior correspondent Scott Cohn, won a Gerald Loeb Award in the category of Television Enterprise for outstanding in-depth coverage of a business news story.
Congratulations to all those who worked on this documentary!
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Current DateTime: 12:54:29 16 May 2012 LinksList Documentid: 39554911