Had a Rem.788 in 243Win. years ago when I lived in Wyoming. It was one of the most
accurate and reliable rifles I've ever owned. Ain't much for looks, but danged if it didn't
shoot good!
Never experienced any problems with mine, and I guess the safety issue is a matter of
personal preference. I mean, it does work as it's supposed to.
As for not firing on occasion, I had a similar problem once with a Remington 700BDL in
270Win. The bolt was not cocking each time. Gunsmith took the bolt apart, cleaned it,
and it worked fine after that.