Walther Reign - deaden the crash

[Aeromotion]

Hi to one and all. Just had my Reign Mk1 .177 (UK legal version, regulated <12ftlb) to bits again on recurrence of erratic pellet velocity/muzzle energy, but that's another topic. Suffice to say that it hasn't resolved the problem completely.
Having removed all 14 + 4 fasteners to split the stock I thought I'd take the opportunity to try and dampen down the noise of the action next to my left earhole (I shoot leftie).
I saw a thread in (god forbid) another forum where it recommended lining the rear portion of the carcass with an automotive sound reducing product called "Dynamat Extreme". I tracked this down on eeeebay and bought a myself a small chunk. The product is in sheet form, 1.6mm thick, and self adhesive. There are quite a few ribs etc that have to be worked around, but I managed to make up some paper templates and cut and install the product on both halves of the shell.
When I trial assembled the two halves I found that even though the sheet was quite thin, there was not sufficient clearance for the cocking slide, so I had to remove a strip about 1cm wide to prevent this fouling. As I still have the cocking lever on the RH side, I only removed the strip on this side. If the rifle is ever converted to the other side then a strip will need to be taken off there too. The strip I removed came away cleanly without leaving a residue.
The lack of clearance for the cocking slide is caused by the moulded recess (3rd picture) which protrudes on the inside. I think this is intended to keep the cocking slide in place laterally.
Now its back in together again, I would say there is definitely less of an audible crash from the mechanism. I still have some sheet left, so I may be tempted to fit a piece in the moulded recess as there is now an acoustic "window" due to the section I had to remove.
I'll give it a further test at the range before deciding.

Cheers for now, Andy