Taking careful note of your point James I used a spacer and there is now 1mm between cocking link and piston, rested and it cocks before the end of travel.
I expected an increase in power but it is sitting stubbornly at 640 fs with superdomes.
What did change is the cocking effort, from feeling like it was going to seize it is now very easy to cock, a pleasure in fact.
I did notice one thing this time. Pushing the original piston in, it moved (all be it stiffly) along the first section of the cylinder and became almost impossible to move at the compression end.
The more I think I know, the more I realise the less I know.