I thought you didn't use angled shots to measure because they were useless in a war. If you hate them so much, then why did you post the angled distance? No offence but I don't really understand this AT ALL. It is not clear at all. And only post a distance if you have actually measured it.
You see that little spring (in the pic above) up near the plunger? That probably flew out when you opened the gun up, it has happened to me numerous times. If you can't find it them you can get one out of a ball-point clicky pen. Those usually work.