So put some pellets threw it and shoot it ... as is. If somethings off, you will know it soon enough.
Measuring those first shots with the chrony would have been interesting but not necessary. At least you know your rifle shoots. Most likely that first loud dry fire was so loud because of lube igniting a bit and that's why chrony testing a shot wouldn't be meaningful albeit interesting. Only after cleaning up the rifle can you start to get meaningful chrony data. Indeed, the end block on the vortex dominator is shorter than that in the springer model. IMO, the springer with a .128 spring with 35 coils is about the same in power as a stock Type 3 vortex piston.
I'm not sure if a type 4 will work or not. My memory may be off but I'm pretty certain the Type 3 was made specifically for the Dominator. You can see what the type 3 piston looks like in my Dominator thread.
Thanks Steve, I can't keep that stuff straight.Cliff, I got my springs from Vortek. What you need to do is select spring thickness as close as you can to the one you are replacing. It won't be exactly the same. That's why I bought 3 and tested them all. Something is going to to work good enough.
An unset spring will set itself over time. It is a bit longer and has more preload.A set spring has shrunk to it's normal length. You can buy an unset spring, install it, cock your rifle for 3-8 hours and then shoot it. This should set your spring. Set springs are much easier to install.Think of it as a seasoned cast iron skillet vs a brand new one. -Y
You can also set your spring by getting a piece of all thread rod from one of your local hardware stores that's just smaller than the inside diameter of your spring, put a nut and washer on one end, slide the spring on and then screw another washer and nut on the other end until it's compressed and let it sit that way for 4-8 hours. Will also help during install as you won't need quite as much pressure on the spring compressor to put the action back together.