Need a smith with SWORD International experience

[westcoastr]

I have a Sword mk18 that hang fires right out the box. The company is impossible to get in contact - really crappy customer service. Their support phone # is disconnected!, they have never answered any of many many emails and web form contact submissions. Tried contacting them on twitter, LinkedIn...ect..nothing.

Anyone know a gunsmith that knows their mechanics and can take a look?

I'm East Bay SF but can travel if necessary CA/OR/NV

['ol shooter]

Website shows it as costing $7,495.00, is that right? I hope they gave you a kiss and reach around when they took your money.

[westcoastr]

bought mine years ago at a significantly lower price. but yea for any price their customer service is bad

[kcstott]

Hang fire is an ammo issue. you need to reexamine whats going on a come up with a better description

[westcoastr]

Hang fire is an ammo issue. you need to reexamine whats going on a come up with a better description

sorry hang fire implies the round went off after a delay. They didn't delay - either nothing or a regular ignition. so call it a weak primer strike..., unlikely its the ammo, I tried 3 kinds black hills, lapua and norma match

[ar15barrels]

sorry hang fire implies the round went off after a delay.
They didn't delay - either nothing or a regular ignition. so call it a weak primer strike..., unlikely its the ammo, I tried 3 kinds black hills, lapua and norma match

You still have not clearly stated the problem

Are you getting complete failures to set off the primer or are you getting inconsistent ignition (some fire fine and others fail to fire and it's not related to ammo brand).

Is the carrier fully in battery before you fire?
Because a partially out-of-battery carrier will cause ignition failures as some of the hammer energy is directed at completely closing the breech before the firing pin can reach the primer.

On an AR type firearm, the buffer detent hole location being wrong causes this problem.
The troubleshooting method to check for this is to remove the buffer detent and see if the problem disappears.
If the problem disappears after removing the buffer detent, there are offset buffer detents that will solve the problem.

[kcstott]

sorry hang fire implies the round went off after a delay. They didn't delay - either nothing or a regular ignition. so call it a weak primer strike..., unlikely its the ammo, I tried 3 kinds black hills, lapua and norma match

Sounds like a brand new gun that's teething.

So the question is what's the round count so far?

[westcoastr]

You still have not clearly stated the problem

Are you getting complete failures to set off the primer or are you getting inconsistent ignition (some fire fine and others fail to fire and it's not related to ammo brand).

Is the carrier fully in battery before you fire?
Because a partially out-of-battery carrier will cause ignition failures as some of the hammer energy is directed at completely closing the breech before the firing pin can reach the primer.

On an AR type firearm, the buffer detent hole location being wrong causes this problem.
The troubleshooting method to check for this is to remove the buffer detent and see if the problem disappears.
If the problem disappears after removing the buffer detent, there are offset buffer detents that will solve the problem.

Yes I tried 4-5 of each ammo brand, 1 maybe 2 would fire of each type.

The carrier appeared in battery at all times - pushing forward assist did not appear to move the carrier at all. I tested this many times.

I can try it with the buffer detent removed when I get some time to take it out again.

[westcoastr]

Sounds like a brand new gun that's teething.

So the question is what's the round count so far?

I wondering the same, only had 3-4 rounds actually fire out of ~15 tried. It is a very tight rifle (there are plastic inserts between the lower and upper that making closing the action and pushing the rear pin very hard but makes everything rigid). I just ordered some snap caps and going to cycle it a million times.

Obvious things like a firing pin that is short by a few thousands, or a firing pin spring that is too stiff, or a hammer spring that is too light are something a gun smith would have to test versus the company specs, which I don't have.

[kcstott]

First thing I'd do if you can't get it to a respected Gunsmith is take it apart and examine the fire control group and the bolt and carrier. Insure everything is clean, lubed and moving freely. Then insure you can cycle the action with snap caps and the bolt is fully home and locked every time.
I had an LR308 that did something similar.

After tinkering with it I found the ejector would not go flush to the bolt face or even slightly below flush. After swapping some parts new ejector spring as the original one was too long. the rifle shot fine. after another 400-500 rounds it's now a rifle I can trust to have 3/4 moa out to 800 meters and do it with a 20 round mag.

Even though the rifle is new, check everything, everything is broke until you check.

[westcoastr]

First thing I'd do if you can't get it to a respected Gunsmith is take it apart and examine the fire control group and the bolt and carrier. Insure everything is clean, lubed and moving freely. Then insure you can cycle the action with snap caps and the bolt is fully home and locked every time.
I had an LR308 that did something similar.

After tinkering with it I found the ejector would not go flush to the bolt face or even slightly below flush. After swapping some parts new ejector spring as the original one was too long. the rifle shot fine. after another 400-500 rounds it's now a rifle I can trust to have 3/4 moa out to 800 meters and do it with a 20 round mag.

Even though the rifle is new, check everything, everything is broke until you check.

Yes getting a smith to look at it is the reason for my post. Was hoping someone had some SWORD experience but it is really just an oversized AR with a piston and op rod.

I checked before and after, nothing obvious. The parts are well made, very smooth action, not dirty. Outside of the items above I've speculated on (FP/spring, hammer spring..), and the buffer test ar15barrels suggested, the bolt has 2 plunger style ejectors, and they are STIFF. It takes gorilla level strength the push them in. Could they be pushing the bottom of the round away from the face of the bolt a few thou and thus the FP..longshot I guess, I would imagine the case would show some damage if it wasn't firmly against the bolt face but maybe others have experience.

[ar15barrels]

I wondering the same, only had 3-4 rounds actually fire out of ~15 tried. It is a very tight rifle (there are plastic inserts between the lower and upper that making closing the action and pushing the rear pin very hard but makes everything rigid). I just ordered some snap caps and going to cycle it a million times.

Obvious things like a firing pin that is short by a few thousands, or a firing pin spring that is too stiff, or a hammer spring that is too light are something a gun smith would have to test versus the company specs, which I don't have.

The traditional M16/M4 design does not have a return spring on the firing pin.
Look for preservative grease on the firing pin to be a problem though.
Clean all the preservative grease from a new rifle and then properly grease/oil as the manual-of-arms calls for.
The firing pin on an AR only ever needs a drop of oil but being dry is also just fine there as some oil will walk to it eventually from the cam pin.

[ar15barrels]

the bolt has 2 plunger style ejectors, and they are STIFF. It takes gorilla level strength the push them in. Could they be pushing the bottom of the round away from the face of the bolt a few thou and thus the FP. longshot I guess, I would imagine the case would show some damage if it wasn't firmly against the bolt face but maybe others have experience.

In order for the ejectors to push the case too far away from the boltface, the headspace would need to be excessive.
This can happen from the gun being out-of-spec OR the ammo being out-of-spec or even from tolerance stacking where everything is just barely in-spec but at opposite ends of the allowances.
Gauging the gun with headspace gauges can tell you where the gun is.

Is this a carbine or a midlength or a rifle gassed gun?
If it's midlength or rifle length, get rid of excessively strong extractor and ejector springs.
They are not necessary or even helpful on a properly gassed AR.
In fact, excessively strong extractor springs cause ejection failures in properly gassed ARs.
It's only over-gassed carbines that benefit from those patches.
If you have 2 ejectors, alternatively remove one of them at a time as a test and see if the problem goes away.

[westcoastr]

The traditional M16/M4 design does not have a return spring on the firing pin.
Look for preservative grease on the firing pin to be a problem though.
Clean all the preservative grease from a new rifle and then properly grease/oil as the manual-of-arms calls for.
The firing pin on an AR only ever needs a drop of oil but being dry is also just fine there as some oil will walk to it eventually from the cam pin.

Yep did that when I got it, before I fired it. You never know what they apply at the factory.

[westcoastr]

In order for the ejectors to push the case too far away from the boltface, the headspace would need to be excessive.
This can happen from the gun being out-of-spec OR the ammo being out-of-spec or even from tolerance stacking where everything is just barely in-spec but at opposite ends of the allowances.
Gauging the gun with headspace gauges can tell you where the gun is.

Is this a carbine or a midlength or a rifle gassed gun?
If it's midlength or rifle length, get rid of excessively strong extractor and ejector springs.
They are not necessary or even helpful on a properly gassed AR.
In fact, excessively strong extractor springs cause ejection failures in properly gassed ARs.
It's only over-gassed carbines that benefit from those patches.
If you have 2 ejectors, alternatively remove one of them at a time as a test and see if the problem goes away.

Gas block is about ~2/3rds down the barrel going from chamber to muzzle. Not sure the specs on carbine/mid/rifle for this type of rifle. About a 22" bbl, middle of gas block at 15"