I'm a bonehead (at least) twice over

[JS3377]

I recently purchased a Stoeger x20 suppressor. i ran some cleaner and swabs through the barrel, reset and secured the scope and spent a little time putting some pellets through it. Like most, I didn't care for the really long second stage of the trigger, so I picked up several different length machine screws to try adjusting the factory trigger.

That's where the wheels fell off. I had the barrel broke open/cocked as I was turning the new trigger adjustment screw. (Bonehead mistake number one). As I was thinking to myself, I wonder when you know when to stop advancing the screw, the sear released and the action snapped shut. Other than knocking some things off the counter, there didn't seem to be anything broken. I backed the screw off two full turns and tried cocking the gun but the sear wouldn't catch. so I backed the screw off another full turn. The gun cocked that time and the sear grabbed. I went outside, loaded a pellet and slowly started to close the action with the barrel pointed into the dirt. Before I could get the action half closed, the sear released with a not so good sound.

I've disassembled the gun and found the spring forced the piston passed the cocking lever.  The cocking lever still moves up and down the tube assembly, but it doesn't catch the piston. I cannot disassemble the gun completely because the piston is now in the way and preventing the lever from reaching the disassembly port/opening of the tube.  See the pic, the punch is pointing to where the lever should be catching the piston.

I'm considering cutting a slot through the piston to allow disassembly. I think the piston may be damaged anyway, and I can find a replacement piston (assuming the tube is still good). I've not been able to find a replacement cocking lever part online and think I should avoid cutting the lever out. 

Any suggestions before I move forward?

Thanks,