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Thread: Got my Predator - a few issues

  1. #1
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    Got my Predator - a few issues

    Received my Predator about 10 minutes ago... It has some issues OOTB. Since I know it's early in the launch and they're still putting guns together, I felt it should be brought to Simon's attention to mitigate future build issues.

    1) giant leak out of the box. Turns out regulator swivel only had bottom o-ring. I put an 018 into the top slot and that's fixed.
    2) "down the barrel" leak indicative of valve/cupseal. I haven't torn apart yet to troubleshoot.
    3) LPR pressure too low and timing slightly off. No big deal, I know my way around a 'cocker, but the gun obviously wasn't tested, especially considering the missing reg o-ring.
    4) Loose hardware (lack of Loctite) - aluminum beavertail and cocking rod bits are super loose on their stainless rods; both wandered within a few dry fires.
    5) I blew the tip off the bolt into the microfiber I was dry-firing into within 20-30 shots. I know these things like a bit of back pressure, but still doesn't look to have been assembled correctly. What kind of glue do you recommend here?
    6) ano blem on one of the green tips - I haven't poked at it, but there's debris in one of the porting holes, around which the color didn't properly permeate the metal.

    I don't mean to be a giant negative Nancy... I adore the gun, the componentry is amazing, the milling is fantastic, and the historical awesomeness takes me back to the original Predators guns from when I was in high school. I'm still happy to have bought one, just want to make sure the builds get the attention they deserve so you don't end up with upset buyers.

    edit: aiming to post update on valve/cupseal findings later this evening, as well as obligatory eye candy photos in a separate thread tomorrow... have a family birthday thing to be at shortly.
    Last edited by riddler; 06-10-2017 at 03:23 PM.

  2. #2
    Hi and Welcome to our forums.

    I appreciate the feedback very much.

    Putting full Autocockers into production has been a huge undertaking for our small company and we believe that for them to be a success it is important that our dealers are familiar with the products and can support them.

    We enlisted the help of our dealers, many of whom, have a huge amount of experience building Autocockers (more than we do) to build the first guns for their customers in order to offer custom options and so that they can support and warranty the guns they build for the customers.

    All of the Predator's that have been released so far were built by our dealers. It seems like some are doing a better initial job of that than others. I apologize because your gun should never have come to you in the condition it has.

    Can you tell me who you bought it from? Have you told them about the issues as well? Please email me privately if you wish at sales@inceptiondesigns.com

    Points 1-5 are clear that the gun wasn't built as we would wish. If the dealer you bought it from can't remedy these issues we will. You can get an RMA# via the email above.

    Point 6, Anodizing is the bane of our lives. So many issues with anodizers lately (why the release of many products is behind). Please send it back and we will swap it out.

  3. #3
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    Hi Simon, thanks for the reply. I wasn't aware that dealers were doing the initial builds, so no, I had not raised issue w/ seller. Now knowing the situation, I'm not looking to throw them under the bus, but will email you their details in a bit. I may take you up on the barrel tip swap, but I'm not planning to return the marker for repair. I can easily sort out a couple little annoyances - my original impetus for posting had been to bring attention to build quality.

    Couple quick questions: what glue to use for the bolt tip? Are the pneus shipped to your dealers lubed, or am I looking to do a full tear-down there for greasing as well? Any other particular spots that I should pay extra attention to?

    Thanks!

  4. #4
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    Just tore the gun down... I see threaded holes in the hammer and front block that look like spots for nylon grub screws for cocking rod and 4-way retention... Mine doesn't have said screws... Should it?

  5. #5
    Hebrews 13:8 going_home's Avatar
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    You probably should send that back to your dealer.....
    endeavor to persevere.......

  6. #6
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    I hate doing that. I'm more than capable of setting up the gun - just shouldn't have to.

    I have the big bits all apart now. Frame seems put together fine (don't know that the dealers assemble these, although funny enough, two of the side grip screws were loose), pneus look OK, too, though the nylon grub screws on timing rod were loose. Reg is adequately greased, was just missing a swivel o-ring. I don't know the proper Belleville washer orientation, have to assume it's correct.

    Didn't find any flaws/faults to speak of, basically just a lot of loose hardware. Re-greasing and re-assembling.

    I also backed the backblock out a turn to keep it from smacking body and angled the pump rod in a more satisfactory way.

    Last edited by riddler; 06-10-2017 at 09:58 PM.

  7. #7
    The hammer should have a 0.25" nylon set screw that creates tension and holds the cocking rod in place.

    The front block has threaded holes but we do not recommend locking down the pnuematics with set screws. The holes are there because some people say they want to, but we never use them in our gun builds. We believe in letting those parts float slightly and they will be kept in place by the hoses.

    The valve set screw should be just flush with the bottom of the body. A leak might be caused by that being tightened too far. It should also be greased with Dow 33.

    The rubber bolt tip can be coming off because it is too tight and the stiction is holding it in place as the bolt is coming back. This is opposite to how they usually start moving in a Planet Eclipse gun. We have found lightly sanding around it with 120 grit sandpaper brings it to size and solves the issue. Gluing it on can help also. We use a plastic glue from loctite but the number is escaping me right now.

    The pnuematics should come greased from us. The three way may need attention​ as that's the only one that was likely apart at the dealer.


  8. #8
    Frame and pnuematics come assembled from us. If they used the two set screws inside the frame to lock down the ASA... That might be why the two on one side were loose?

    Did you get some spare trigger return springs and a couple of screws with it also? And your serial numbered patch?

  9. #9
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    Got the patch, no spares. No nylon setcrew in the hammer, either, so the cocking rod wants to back out on vibration. I have it back together leak-free... Fine-tuning timing again. Batteries in my little yellow chrono seem to have kicked, so no reball chronoing tonight.

  10. #10
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    Here's the .689 tip, btw:


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