My take on this having done massive amounts of Valve design prototyping & mods ...
In a conventional valve asking if or not a smaller or larger transfer path changes dwell, it is an issue of Pressure differential. That being the pressure within valve before opening and the brief moment poppet opens pressurizing the throat and transfer path.
Within the valve lets say we have 2000 psi that is going to exit into throat and then threw transfer path & off to launch the pellet.
WHEN TRANSFER PATH is a lot smaller than the throat of valve this 2000 psi may very well for a moment be at 2K on either side of the poppet head when open leaving the primary closing force that of the poppet return spring and some stem area effect. Once the pellet starts moving the pressure within throat starts to drop and the valve will react to the pressure difference and want to close it self. SMALLER the transfer size LONGER will the dwell be simply due the poppet reacting slower because the pressure on both sides of poppet stayed near equal for a longer period. .... * Now read below
A LARGER transfer path with all else being equal ( As above ) Has the timing of valve lift to pressure collapse within the valves throat happening faster and valve will want to shut faster creating LESS dwell.
Whats odd tho explainable, Is why when we use guns with Adjustable Strangle knobs of transfer path to control output power we don't save as much air as you would think it should ?
This because when we strangle / choke the flow from the valve to pellet we have chopped the pressure pulse Strength or Amplitude from a sudden and strong SNAP of air to a lower flow. The pressure is the same, but without the high and free flow of a big path to flow threw, once restricted the flows from valve is slower and lasts longer passing into and out of valves throat & barrel. Tho per shot almost nearing the same air use ( Tho there is some air savings to be had. )
The VALVES DWELL tho generally will be longer when flow is restricted at transfer port, tho we save air simply because the air cannot get out as quickly when choked down in flow.
Hope this helps those seeking to understand.
