My FX Verminator Extreme MKII is developing a "popping" sound. ---Advise?---

Recently, my Vermy has been getting louder and louder while shooting. It has always been a quiet shooter so, it's noticeable that this new popping sound is developing.
There hasn't been any major events like dropping it or messing with the internals recently. There are no modifications. It's still shooting with laser accuracy. :) I broke it down and shot some arrows and then re-assembled and it's still got the popping going on. I've shot it with both the magazine and the single shot tray with no MAJOR volume difference (possibly a subtle difference). I looked down the barrel and everything looks good. The only puffs of air I've detected are coming from the small hole on the bottom of the barrel shroud. I called AoA and they suggested the O-ring may be bad. It LOOKS fine using a bright flashlight. 
Could the O-ring have a split that I possibly wouldn't see with the naked eye?
Here's something else I have going on that may or may not be related... When I pull the bolt handle back it seems to take more effort to get that last "click" to re-engage the trigger. I failed to mention this to AoA when I called. 
Could something be loosening up with the bolt and maybe the bolt isn't fully seating all the way forward? (As I type this, I'm suspecting that this may be the case)

If you have an idea on what this might be please let me know! 
If you can give any instructions on how to look into it/work on it, please post them! I have not ever been able to get very far into this rifle. 

Thanks guys! 
 
Is it still under warranty? If so, I would send it in as this is covered under your warranty. It usually is. I know when mine was giving me trouble I paid to send it in and they fixed it for free and they paid to ship it back. So all in all it was only 50 bucks and when it came back it shot even better. And I bet it's the transfer port. This is what they said mine was. But I didn't really get a popping noise, more like a fluctuation of air difference that I could feel when firing it. Best, Steve 
 
Hey Tom,
I'm thinking that the pellet probe has become loose inside of the cocking sleeve. 
While cocking the gun...look at the rear where the side lever is attached to he block. The only part that should be moving is the pellet probe. If the sleeve is moving with the pellet probe...That's the problem!

while holding the sleeve flush to the rear of the block...tighten the grub screws on the top of the block...That should solve the problem...I hope.
Mike
 
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SteveS - I highly doubt if it's still under warranty. I'm hoping to fix this myself and learn from the experience. Last resort will be to send it in. Good thought though!

Mike - I'll look into that tomorrow (still at work). Is that the same sleeve that comes loose and ends up locking the probe in place? 

travels4fun - That's very generous of you but, would the .30 o-rings work for a .22? 
 
Tom, I agree with others. 90 percent chance it is either a worn breech oring or the sleeve that mike mentioned. First check that sleeve and make sure it it in the proper position and that the grub screw is tight. And the oring can be 'bad' without any visible signs. I have a dozen or so .22 orings in my stash. Drop me a pm. Replacing that oring can be a pia the first time you do it. If you need a hand start a new topic when the time comes. There are many tips to making the process much easier.
 
It showed itself!!! :D
O-ring! 

It didn't look like that a few days ago. But, now there's no doubt that sucker has had it! Not a bad life span for the amount of shooting I've put this rifle through.


Thanks for the help guys! I should have some new rings coming in the mail soon. The airgun community is so helpful! It's great to have a place like this forum to come together and help each other out.
 
It does look like you did get your full use of that o-ring!
Does everybody else (I don't have an FX but do have an AA and a Marauder which have the same in the barrel seal set up) from time to time lube that oring? I have what I think is about 20 weight sillycone oil and put a drop on a Q-Tip and wipe the breech oring every can or so of pellets. I don't recall the AA manual mentioning it but the Benjamin manual does recomend lubing every 500 (?) shots. Naturally a harder seal ( and I'm thinking the AA has a white plastic seal???) wouldn't need much/any lube but for the sealing I do like the softer black oring.
Anywho, glad you get it figured out and thanks for sharing the ceal picture.
John
 
Update: 
Got some O-rings from manabeknives yesterday and got to work right away. He even sent me some instructions too! What a guy! :) 

Here's the instructions that I mostly followed sent to me by manabeknives- 
"The very first thing you do is remove the broken seal with a pin or toothpick.
For installation….real simple….first put a pellet in the barrel…push it in a little ways with a toothpick…do too far…right before the oring groove is fine. That first pellet is meant to stop the oring from going to far into the barrel.
Next squeeze the oring into the barrel. Using the back end of the pellet, push the oring down until it seats itself in the groove. ez pz" - 

Well, it wasn't as ez pz as it sounds but, it wasn't too bad either. I used a strong and sharp metal pick to get the old one out and clean any dirt I could see from inside the o-ring groove. Then I learned to hang the new o-ring on the bolt probe to stop it from falling and making me start all over again. Using the back of the pellet and pushing it in wasn't doing the trick for me. Then I worked it into it's groove with some small flathead screwdrivers (jewlers sizes) being as careful as I could to not bugger up the brass. With a few minutes of push, pull, and spin I was able to seat it.

Sorry, no pics!

If anyone else has their own method for doing this, PLEASE post it for all to see!