I am an avid hunter and own many rifles, shotguns, handguns, and bows. I am not a fan of NBC or their journalism. I can say that I had a rem 742 and it fired two diff times without me touching the trigger or dropping it. I, along with the people around me when this happened, am so thankful that I grew up with a hard ass father who chewed my ass anytime my gun wasn't pointed in a safe direction no matter if it was loaded or not. I got rid of the rifle and can honestly say I will never buy another remington because of it and knowing what I know now. They have a problem and because they are a big company who obviously care more about money than safety, won't change the engineering on the trigger. Its not that hard. If it saves one life from a guy 4 doors down who is sitting in his chair inside his house when the next one accidently goes off from a guy down the street, then it is worth it.

Gun safety is not rocket science. As a retired Federal Firearms Instructer I will tell you that when you are finished using ANY wepon, engage the safety, leave the action open and unload it. Then double check. When at home, use trigger and action locks. Teach your kids gun safety and hold them accountable.

Shooting is a enjoyable sport. Safety is a responcibilty.

Your story was NOT a witch hunt as claimed by some but a wake-up call to all shooters and I thank you.

Mr Williams:
After watching your episode, Im deeply upset by the POOR research in your story, NEVER did you / yous mention 1 crucial piece, If the gun w as not loaded all these accidents could have been avoided. A gun owner should know rule #1, Never rely on a safety. So before yous start crucifying Remington get your facts straight

I have handled firearms for almost 50 yrs. I have been a police officer and firearms instructor for 30 years. I have been a hunter for 43 years. I am a Christian and I pray for and am deeply sympathetic with the victims you have portrayed in your video. However, each of them violated simple but important rules of firearm safety. Every firearm should be treated as if it were loaded. It should always be pointed in a safe direction. One should never put their finger on the trigger unless their target has been identified and they are ready to fire. Had each of your victims abided by these simple rules, they would not be victims. Safety failure or not. Safeties are mechanical devices and are subject to failure. Would you stand in front of a car that was piloted by your best friend, who had his foot firmly on the brake, with the transmission in forward, and his foot on the gas, even if he/she gave you his/her solemn word that he/she would not let up on the brake? Of course you would not. In my state, Pennsylvania, it is a violation of the Game Law to lean a firearm, loaded or unloaded, against a motor vehicle. One of your victims did this. Motor vehicles rock and sway when they are parked and when you are opening/closing doors and loading/unloading cargo. Why would you point a firearm at anyone that you did not wish to shoot? I wouldn't. More people are shot by "unloaded" firearms than by loaded firearms. The man who shot his wife is guilty of negligent homicide even if it was an accident. A firearm in a moving boat should never be loaded or taken from a case or securing mount. A boat is unstable. You are guilty of biased journalism. No on like me has been consulted with. You have only consulted with "experts" who reinforce your viewpoint. Journalists should report "all" the facts. JDP

My question is (especially in the case of the "accidental" shooting of a guy's wife), why were there bullet's in these guns?

Who would leave a bullet in a gun when they're cleaning it?

Shame on NBS & Brian Williams for throwing Remington under the bus, NOT a 1 time did they mention Rule #1 and thats never rely on a safety. If the people in all those stories would of followed it none of this would of happened.

I will NEVER watch Rock Center again with such poor journalism / reporters they have working for them

I would like to address the first and last incidents in this segment about Remington firearms. Both are quite simple. The first incident - the man should have unloaded his shotgun as he approached his truck, leaning a loaded shotgun against anything is not a safe method. In the second incident - why did the man drive home from shooting his rifle with a round in the chamber as he stated? If he was so unsafe to do this, then why did he not immediately unload the rifle in his garage as he started to clean is as he stated, point it in a safe direction to remove all rounds from the rifle? That is the FIRST rule of gun cleaning - check the chamber. His story sound very fishy.

Accidents do happen with any man-object. Dirt and debris in a firearm is never a good thing, can cause a malfunction.

Why would NBC not clearly use cases to make their point about the possible malfunction of the Remingtons that do NOT have clear operator errors.

I wonder why no one asked the question; why were there bullets in these guns, especially the one being cleaned?

I have handled firearms for almost 50 yrs. I have been a hunter for 43 yrs. I have been a law enforcement officer/firearms instructor for 30 yrs. I am a Christian and I pray for and sympathize with the victims you have portrayed. There are simple and important rules of firearm safety: Treat every gun as if it were loaded/ point every gun in a safe direction/ never put your finger on/near the trigger until you have identified your target and are ready to shoot. If each of your victims would have followed these rules they would not be victims. Safeties are mechanical devices and are subject to failure. The first victim leaned his loaded firearm against his car. It should have been unlaoded and a parked car is unstable, in particular when loading/unloading cargo and opening/closing doors. In my state of Pennsylvania, it is a violation to lean a firearm against a car. The second victim was standing in an unstable boat with a loaded firearm. The firearm should not have been uncased in those conditions. The third individual is guilty of negligent homicide. He pointed a weapon dead center at his wife and pulled the trigger. Would you stand in front of a running car with the transmission in forward, when the driver had his foot firmly on the brake, the emergency brake on and the gas pedal depressed? Certainly you would not. This is no different than pointing a firearm at someone and pulling the trigger depending on the safety to keep the gun from firing. You are guilty of biased journalism. You have not presented "all" the facts, just the facts you desired. Why not consult with someone like me and not just your experts of choice. There are other informed individuals that you have conveniently, if not strategically overlooked. Tactics like this discredit your reporting. JDP

I have never had a problem with my Remington 870, but then I store it unloaded, carry it unloaded, drive around with unloaded and only ever load it immediately prior to shooting it.

I have also come to notice that between reading the gun manuals and taking my hunter safety education course the common theme would be that the safety is not fail-safe and keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

The amazing thing about this story is that all of the incidents they describe, nobody would have appeared to unloaded their guns first.

Nice reporting NBC...not.

I have owned a variety of Remington firearms over a period of 40-50 years-WITHOUT INCIDENT.

boycott nbc news advertisers as much as you can. Hit them where it hurts- in their pocketbook. And let the advertisers know the reason you are boycotting them.

Similar problem, the result was not as bad. Everyone on here who claims no incident. Have you tested this? Have you? Yes you should always unload a firearm and be safe but what if your holding it and it is on safe and you fall down......

I own this company's firearms and after a problem I had a long time ago as a teen and it was not any wrong doing on my part I followed every safety rule. I am now extremely careful and replace certain parts.

Yes the news media is against our 2nd amendment but I feel this subject does not get the correct coverage it deserves

I would like to know, why anyone with half a brain would leave a loaded weapon, leaning or laying up against anything. First rule is, empty your gun, ckeck to make sure it's empty, put the safe on. That's the big one there, seeing how all guns have them!!! Next, if you don't know how to handle a gun, maybe you shouldn't have one. People have been using guns for a very long time, hunting for there food and protected their families and this country, or have you forgotten. It seems pretty strange that all of a sudden, it's Remington's fault. I think I agree with the guy's comment that you have some sour grapes with someone from your past, and just because someone says that is what happened, do you know for sure? I've seen people lie for a lot less if that think they can make a buck or two. So why don't you take your opinions and stuff them. Look into the big bank frauds and the rich who get richer and leave the working class alone!!!!!!

I cannot freaking beleive the comments I've seen. After accidently channel surfing into this story about a Remmington shotgun discharging without the trigger being touched, I had to watch because I have told a similar story since I was 16. First, this isn't about politics; Second, this isn't about NBC; This is about a simple mechanical fact.

Growing up in the rural mountains, I have been around hunting and firearms since birth. My family hunted for food as well as sport on a weekly basis as in season. I was well schooled by both grandfathers in use and safety of shotguns and rifles. I had been shooting since I was big enough to hold a gun to my shoulder. I had also taken formal gun and hunting safety classes and spent much of my time target shooting.

One afternoon in the summer of '79 while at my grandmother's home, I decided to do some target shooting in the back yard, as I had done before hundreds of times. I retrieved my grandfather's extremely well kept like new mid to late 1950"s model 870, that I was familiar with. Having been drilled by family on gun and hunter safety all my life, I treated all firearms as if they are ALWAYS loaded, and we also NEVER chambered a round unless we intended to fire it and NEVER EVER left a round in the chamber. Don't depend on the safety. Again, thats not the point, as I did not place a finger inside the trigger guard that day. My grandfathers's 870 was as I expected to find it, with two rounds in the magazine and none in the chamber. As I was not allowed to waste my grandfather's ammunition on paper targets, his shells were for game animals. I usualy had to target practice with ammo I paid for, so i had to unload his 870. I did so by cycling each 12ga. shell into the chamber and out the ejection port. I broke NO gun safety rules, I didnot even put a finger inside the trigger guard. I steped into an unoccupied bedroom in the rear of the house, pointing at an exterior wall, held the 870 firmly at waist level above the bed as the catch the ejected live rounds. With my left hand on the slide and all 4 fingers of my right hand around the smal of the stock, using my index finger behind the trigger guard (instead of my middle finger as usual when firing) I pressed the button which releases the magazine and chambered the first round. While continuing to press the magazine release with my index finger I ejected the first round. After seeing the first round softly land on the bed I slid the stock foreward, chambering the second round, immmediately uponing closing the chamber, the shotgun FIRED! Safety on (don't depend on the safety) and with no finger inside the trigger guard!!! NEVER EVER, in 10 years before and 30+ years since, decades of hunting and thousands of rounds at target ranges, have I ever otherwise, seen ANY firearm of any type fire without a finger on the trigger. All though, experienced and well trusted for a 16 year old, no one believed my story about how I shot a hole in my grandparents guest bedroom wall.

That is, until my uncle living in Detroit heard the details. He had heard about a recall of Remmington 870's of that era due to just such a firing malfunction(circa 1979). Upon his next visit he took the shotgun with him to be repaired at Remmington's expense. As all parties older than myself are now deceased I can not veify who paid for the successful repair of that 870, only that in very limited use over the next couple of decades it never again malfunctioned. A great many times I have told this somewhat traumatic story and on more than a few occasions various people have responded with their own stories, usualy secondhand, of 870's firing upon chambering or upon a light jolt, such as falling over while a round is chambered (never lean a loaded firearm upright aginst anything-- all firearms are always loaded--never chamber a round until you intend to fire it). For over 30 years I have been aware that 870's have this potential SERIOUS malfunction, it is considered "common knowledge" among many hunters in my area of the country. As to other Remmington models of shotgun or rifle, I am personaly unaware of any similar malfunctions. Again, this is NOT about politics, NBC, the 4th amedment, and only indirectly about gun safety. Always obey all gun safety rules, because sometimes, some guns DO FIRE without the trigger being touched. I am VERY dismayed that America's leading manufacturer of shotguns and rifles has not corected a simple mechanical defect which has been to cause of so many unintional discharges and caused so much harm and damage. A design flaw that has been in production since at least the 1950's and which the company and some(myself and family),if not more, have known of of since at least the 1970's and was reputed by the manufacturer to have been corected since then but is still in production is represensable. All you gun rights activits should chill out and look to Remmington to fix a design flaw which they claimed to have and should have fixed decades ago. This story was not news to me, it was history(personal, first hand). I thought this defect was corected by the 1980's. "Guns don't kill people, people kill people" I have said that all my life. Don't let one irresponsible manufacturer make that truth to be a lie, because they make some guns that might possibly fire (and kill) without a touch of the trigger. Whatever whoever's political or personal agenda may be, don't let them use this TRUTH about some guns from one company to further that agenda. Remmington must be held accountable for current production and recall/retrofit of ALL such defective modles.Don't give any more "ammunition" to those who would eliminate the 4th amendment, or any other parts of our precious constitution. I don't know of any agenda NBC may have, but that is again not the point. The point is the TRUTH, and the truth is that America's largest manufacturer of firearms has for over a half a century been producing defective and potentially dangerous firearms. I am still dismayed that all of the early comments on this story were so off point. TRUTH is more or less as NBC reported (first hand, old news), just fix the mechanical problem in current production and older modles then there won't be any further stories to report. My grandparents who raised me were born at the end of the 19th and early 20th centurties, used many then common expressions which I did not understand in my youth, most of those which I retained became aware to me only as an adult,many after their passings. The expression most relevant to this subject, I recall from my grandmother with the shotgun hole in her guest bedroom wall. "Thats the truth and the truth will stand". Truth here is that Remmington made a buisness decision to continue to produce dangerously defective firearms over fifty years ago and aparentaly still do. I KNOW they did and evidence indicates they still do. As much as we may dislike that fact, it is still the TRUTH. Fix the defect, stop the denial and be done with this dangerous lie.

ithought this serious problem was fixed at least 30 years ago

I believe the remington piece would have had more impact if a test of the remington guns in question were conducted as part of the piece. Everyone of the people that had an accidental discharge were at fault. You don't clean a gun with a bullet in the chamber. You don't place a gun against a vehicle with the gun ready to fire even with the safety on. You don't get into a boat with a gun ready to fire with the safety on. Yes we expect the safety to be fool proof but there is no guarantees. Remington should improve their design but they don't have too. Its up to them, buyer beware, guns are dangerous. So be careful when you accept the responsibility of owning one.

the mike walker piece is certainly the most compelling-it should have been part of this discussion-it certainly demonstrates the ludicrous belief that industries(no matter what or who cannot police,control,approve or whatever, itself)and the u.s. has many who do. remington under fire! sure!

After watching this story, I felt that I had to do some
research on the issue. To my dismay I
find that most of the information that was presented can easily be
verified. I also find that Remington is
not offering and facts to counter this only a rant towards NBC.

I have been collecting Remington arms for over thirty years
some of my guns date back to 1889. I can’t begin to recall how many times I and my friends, my kids, my friend’s kids, have been stomping through a field looking for birds. I also don’t know how many times someone has gotten their feet tangled up and fallen.

We are all absolutely safety conscious and teach it to our younger ones on every trip out, but when I think that in spite of that I could have hurt someone that I love it shakes me to my very core. How is that a company like Remington would put up a web site and not respont both to the technical points, and openly about past lawsuit settelments if they have nothing to hide?

This story about firearm danger really hit home. Brian Williams and the people who put this together did no real research, and clearly have no idea how a firearm operates, nor understand the only thing that causes danger. Anybody who hunts, which is what this particular story was about, knows that when you prepare to leave "the field", you unload your gun!!!. It will not fire, saftey on or off, trigger malfunction, any of the problems pointed out in this ridiculous bashing of not only Remington, but any firearm safety procedures, if it is unloaded. IT WILL NOT FIRE WITHOUT AMMUNTION IN IT! I was 4 years-old when I began hunting, and my first lesson was, the last thing I did when I was ready to hunt was to load the gun. You always keep it pointed at the ground, preferably, or straight up if necessary. The first thing you do when you end the hunt, which doesn't mean when you are at your vehicle, or at home doing something stupid, like handling the gun, you unload it, and count the shells/cartritges, when it is done. It is the foremost responsibility, and the one thing you can do to totally prevent accidental discharge. A gun is a machine, and fortunately you can render it totally safe, if it is unloaded. Hey Brian, why don't we ban automobiles? They kill the same way as a gun. A vehichle cannot harm or kill someone, regardless of alcohol, experience, texting, phone usage, etc., if you are not in it with the engine on. A gun, likewise, will not harm if unloaded, PERIOD!

No mistake? How about leaning a loaded gun up against a truck with a round in the chamber and the mechanism cocked? You did it to yourself guy. Man up and take the blame.

90% of the comments here are calling out NBC for shoddy journalism. There first hit piece on Remington was exposed for the piece of fiction that it was. NBC's ratings are through the basement. I wonder if their share-holders care if the network makes a profit. Is the agenda more important than money to them? I cannot see NBC lasting long in a free-market, free press 21st century. Then again, both might be gone already.

Reading these letters is very illuminating. Those that purport to show that Remington has knowingly sold unsafe firearms all contain obvious falsehoods or statements of incredible stupidty. Some are by people that state that they have one of these firearms and have not done anything to correct the problem; one person even loaned his to a friend knowing that it was defective. People, have you ever thought about having the thing repaired instead of leaving it around for someone else to have a problem.

Rising Phoenix 5 states that her father was hunting pheasants but his Remington 1100 discharged six rounds automatically. First of all a Remington 1100 will not hold six rounds of ammunition without being modified. Secondly this was not just an accidental discharge, the gun also went full auto if we are to believe this letter. Unless this gun was modified illegally or not maintained at all chances of this happening are astronomical.

Just like an automobile these machines will not operate indefinitely without maintenance or correct repairs.

I was an Air Force Small arms instructor & Armorer; we used both the 870 & Winchester. In all the 100 + Remington 870’s I handled through the yrs none ever went off by them self. Almost all these 870 had 5000 + rounds fired through them. In 30yrs of hunting, myself nor any of my friends have ever had an issue with the 870, 1100 or 1187. They all work great, & no malfunctions what so ever. The only time I ever heard of someone having an issue when they took the gun apart and did not put it back together right. In which case the safety would not go on. And I’ve seen one where it was not cleaned at all & the gun had issues. I guess that means if I don’t change or maintain my car and the brakes don’t stop me it’s the manufacturers fault?

In every safety briefing I’ve given or have received, its always stated that a mechanical safety can fail. Not usually the fault of the manufacturer. But lack of maintenance, either not cleaned or just plain ware from use . Also from user making changes to the firearm. Never seen one wore out, but I figure it is possible. Usually the ones I’ve seen is just plain neglect & modifications. Modifications are getting more command now with the internet. Sorry this individual was injured, but he should have emptied his firearm before setting it down. Also is he sure the Safety was fully pressed on? I’ve seen people think the pressed them on to pick them and see it was not fully engaged.

This report is sad, Millions of these shotguns have been bought, fired and used daily & NBC has 1 person who we cant be sure was injured by a faulty safety. More people are injured do to faulty/bad parts in a car. 1 out of 5 to 10 million is not a faulty safety. 1 in 10 yes. The day of true none bias journalism is gone, & only sensationalism exists. And it seems all news stations seem to push there agendum & political views. If a station would report just the facts and leave their personal feelings & polical views out. It would be a be worth watching. To be fair, I don’t know about the 700, but a couple uncles have them & never had issues but that’s just a couple. And this incident is on the model 12, which I know nothing about. But to say it an all Remington’s shotguns have issue is just pain false.

I drove a police car for many years with a loaded 870H mounted to the dash. With the rough usage of our vehicles, both on and off the road, my shotgun never discharged unless I picked it up, released the safety and pulled the trigger! It would be interesting to know how many "defective 870s" blew the windshields out of police cruisers and all the time we never heard about it. I seriously doubt it ever happened!

I drove a police car for many years with a 870H fastened to the dash. With all the abuse, on and off the road, I never had an automobile destroyed. It would be interesting to know how many police vehicles have been destroyed in 50 years of service by defective shotguns. And even then, how did Winchester keep it a secret? I really doubt that it ever happened! I'm really disappointed that this article was released before the "unpaid experts" were consulted!

My name is James Drouin, and here are the facts about my experience with Remington:

On July 14^th, I bought a Remington R-25, series 60032, serial number RD015127.

In the following week, while attempting to sight in a scope, I found the rifle was shooting an estimated 2 to 5 feet to the right of center at 50 yards, beyond the scope’s ability to adjust. Eight rounds of OEM ammunition were fired through the
rifle during the sight-in attempt. The local range’s gunsmith confirmed the scope mounting was not an issue and stated the problem likely lay in the barrel or the barrel’s mounting into the upper receiver, and recommended I contact Remington.

I contacted Remington repairs, described the problem, and was sent a return authorization tag to return the R-25. They received / booked the R-25 into their system on August 2^nd.

I again contacted Remington repairs ~August 10th and was informed the diagnosis revealed the foregrip and barrel had both been misthreaded into the upper receiver, that repairs were not possible, and that Remington would be replacing the R-25 with a new manufacture, currently then in production. After multiple phone calls, I was given an estimated return / delivery date of two to three weeks.

I asked why a new rifle couldn’t be supplied from current inventory and was informed that was against policy and couldn’t be done. No offer of refund was made, nor did it occur to me to ask.

I again contacted Remington repair on August 31 for a status and was informed the estimated return / delivery date was another two to three weeks. I asked what the refund process was and was informed that it would take longer for me to get a refund than receive the new R-25.

It has now been 10 (TEN) weeks since I paid ~$1,200 for a badly manufactured, badly quality assured, highly unsafe R-25, and no one at Remington is willing to step forward and say ‘we made a mistake and we’re going to make this right’ or even provide a date when the replacement will be effected or even make the most rudimentary attempt to contact me – the customer – with a status report.

So, the next time you decide to purchase a new rifle from Remington, be sure you search on-line for customer reviews. Take the ones praising the manufacturer with a large teaspoon-full of salt - IMOP they are shilling for the manufacturer - and balance the likelyhood you might become a victim of a manufacturer who markets poor quality and highly unsafe products, with a customer (dis)service department that takes that term to an entirely new level.

If any reader would like documentary evidence of my claims, please feel free to email me at jddrouin@yahoo.com, and I’ll willingly send you e-copies of the documents.

James Drouin
Houston, Texas