Magazine blew out bottom of Remington rifle, lawsuit says

CHARLESTON - A man is suing Remington Arms Company Inc. for injuries he allegedly sustained from his rifle.

Remington Arms Company LLC and Hornady Manufacturing Company were also named as defendants in the suit.

On Nov. 3, 2011, Brian Speir was sighting in his Remington Model 597 Magnum semi-automatic rifle at his residence in Mineral County and was using Hornady ammunition, according to a complaint filed June 5 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Speir claims upon his attempt to fire a second round of ammunition, the magazine housing the bullet blew out of the bottom of the gun, causing him serious injuries to his hand.

Remington and Hornady negligently, carelessly and wrongfully made, designed, conceived, manufactured, tested and distributed the products for sale, according to the suit.

Speir claims the defendants knew or should have known the products were unreasonably dangerous to the user for the reason the products were defectively designed, distributed and manufactured for the safe use of.

The defendants had a duty to provide proper and appropriate written manuals, warnings and instructions regarding possible defects to potential users, according to the suit.

Speir is seeking compensatory damages. He is being represented by Marvin W. Masters, Paula L. Wilson and Charles M. Love IV of the Masters Law Firm LC.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge James C. Stucky.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 13-C-1086