So glad you posted this, Pete, and I had seen that you'd bought the ram.

I've never owned or worked on a gas ram, so wouldn't really know the answer, but would have guessed that a little preload could be added in the form of a washer?

The next of my rifles due for a fettle is my Gamo Vipermax. Actually shoots very nicely. Dead easy and smooth cocking. Accurate. Very little sight picture disturbance. But it twangs like a good 'un!

Now, everything I've seen on-line indicates that the spring guide is a very sloppy fit. So, on most guns a nice, tight fitting guide and top hat would do the trick. Now, I haven't had a peep inside yet, but looking around, that standard guide looks pretty poor. Looks like it can be driven out of the end block and a new guide obtainable from Welsh Willy. Or maybe Nick might want to make one up. But they look "stepped". I wonder, is that to give clearance for the piston and trigger unit?

If the actual guide section is well finished I had considered trying to source a spring that fits the guide properly, get Nick to do a top hat and then fit a piston sleeve as I'm sure the reduced spring diameter will leave the spring rattling around the piston.

Any thoughts?

And then, I see Knibbs do rams for them. Now, due to the nature of the gun I want to keep the budget low. The cost of a ram might not work out at much more than the cost of a spring, guide, top hat etc. And, as I don't own a rammer, it'd be a cheap, easy way of getting one.

Now, whilst looking at some videos on-line a few days ago, it seems that some people fit them in with the "fat" end in the trigger housing and having to enlarge the inside diameter of the housing?? But some fit them fat end in the piston, which is how I'd have guessed they should fit.

But then I like springs and the ease of tweaking etc.

What do you and other peeps think?