Problems with Gentry 3 Position Safety on Rem 700

[Fallguy]

I just had a Gentry 3 position safety installed on a Remington 700. I had the work done by a gunsmith who has been in business a long time and has a very good reputation. He says he has done this modification many times before. When I contacted him about having a 3 position safety installed, he recommended the Gentry over the PTG so that's what I bought. He supplied the cocking piece (with 45 degree pin hole) which according to my invoice it is a PTG. I picked up the gun and am shocked at how hard the bolt is to lift. I mean it is so hard to lift that I thought it was in the lock position. I questioned it and he said that's the way they are after installing the Gentry safeties. He said he could switch it back to the Remington safety if I wanted. I'm thinking something has got to be wrong as Gentry could never sell any of these things if they all worked like this one does. Also the safety itself is very hard to flip through the 3 positions. Anyone have any thoughts as to what might be going on and what needs done to fix it? I'd really like to run with the Gentry but only if the bolt and safety work smoothly. Thanks!

 

[shortgrass]

The bolt lift problem is the cocking piece. The safety lever stiffness is the cocking piece. There is a bevel on the cocking piece that allows the safety to engage. The bevel isn't large enough or it is at the wrong angle.

 

[shortgrass]

A "extra power firing pin spring" can cause you problems, too.

 

[Fallguy]

The bolt lift problem is the cocking piece. The safety lever stiffness is the cocking piece. There is a bevel on the cocking piece that allows the safety to engage. The bevel isn't large enough or it is at the wrong angle.

Do you think using a PTG cocking piece with the Gentry safety may be causing the problem?

 

[shortgrass]

I would not have used the aftermarket cocking piece unless the instructions called for it. If PT&G made it to be a direct replacement for the Rem factory original, I see no reason to NOT use the original. I have never used the Gentry, but I have installed dozens of Dakota and Recknagel 3 position safeties and they all work the same way. Safeties are difficult to diagnose when there's a problem, without having the gun in hand. Probably not wise to diagnose without having the gun in hand! Could be anything! But the cocking piece is where I'd look first, unless some other obvious problem 'jumped out' at me first.

 

[Fallguy]

Out of curiousity, I took a fish scale and measured the pounds of force it takes to cock it and its 21 pounds versus 8 and 9 for two other 700's I have.