Funny you should ask those questions Zebra. Initially the top of the barrels on my air rifles would be leant up against the side on my gun safe and I didn't feel comfortable with what I thought was some degree of pressure placed on the pivot joint and jam spring. Call me silly but that's what I felt.
Until recently I had a very accurate Trail in 177. I had galling on the piston and in the compression chamber and with the advise of Outdoorsman is was able to fix that issue. But the accuracy didn't return. I went through replacing the pivot washers, breach seal, piston seal, scope, checked and blue locktited every screw including the stock screws but still the accuracy wasn't there. I even had a mate who is a very good shooter of air rifles test it as I thought I may have changed my hold but no such luck.
Two days ago whilst doing some plinking i noticed the barrel move when placing the rifle for a shot. It was the jam spring, now I thought the jam spring was holding ok but if I was slightly heavy handed with placing the rifle the barrel would open ever so slightly.
Now the Australian distributor of Benjamin air rifles has been very good to me in the past however this time they don't have any new ones in stock but are sending me a couple of second hand ones to try at no cost.
Ill try them and if no luck I'll have to get one made.
So to answer your question I don't think it's the "barrel" but what is attached to it. Let's hope so anyway.
