The CBS news program, 60 Minutes put the spotlight on Ilion with a Leslie Stahl segment that blames a faulty trigger on the Remington 700 rifle with multiple deaths and injuries.

A Federal Judge in Missouri heard arguments last week involving thousands of gun owners who have complained the popular Remington rifle fired without anyone pulling the trigger.

According to, 60 Minutes:

The company has downplayed the danger for decades and the complaints represent only a fraction of the rifles out there. But 10 attorneys general wrote the court saying, “There are potentially as many as 7.5 million defective rifles at issue.” And that, “Remington knows or should know…they are unreasonably dangerous.” One avid hunter and gun-lover is on a mission to raise awareness about what he calls the rifle’s defect. And he has good reason.

The segment that aired Sunday, February 19th, featured Roger Stringer, a Mississippi father whose sons Zach and Justin got into a fight while home alone. That's when Zach, then 15, loaded his Remington 700 rifle with the intention of scaring his brother.  Instead, as the argument was ending, the rifle

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fired and struck the younger Justin, killing him instantly.  Justin, who always contended he never pulled the trigger on the gun, was convicted of killing his brother and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Recently, Roger Stringer discovered thousands of gun owners have reported the misfiring of Remington 700 rifles, which corroborated his son's story.  The Stringers are now suing Remington and Justin Stringer was released from prison on good behavior.

Remington recalled 1.3 million rifles in 2014 but never admitted to liability for any deaths or injuries. Attorneys have estimated if Remington were to replace every trigger susceptible to possible spontaneous firing, it would cost the company nearly $500 million.

Remington Arms was established in 1816 in Ilion, NY. and still manufactures guns there employing some 1200 employees.

Read the complete 60 Minutes segment at CBS.com.

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