My JRA ARM Gallant used to toss them into the next county till I put an ALG extra power AK recoil spring in it. Smoothed out the recoil a lil bit too...... not that there was any to speak of to begin with. I'd toss a spring in before coughing up $$ for the piston. Ya' know that recoil spring has probably been in there since the gun was new, a LONG time and a lot of rounds ago.