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I have noticed some grounds on the shower screen when cleaning so it could be that the puck is making contact with it.
Having grounds on the screen is normal in a pump-driven machine, when the shot finishes you'll have some back pressure that sucks liquid back up through the pipes as well as getting some grounds sucked into the screen. Always good to get a little brush to keep those shower screens clean as they can get pretty grimy if you don't keep on top of it.
One way to check about the puck hitting the screen is to just load up the portafilter, pop it in and twist as if you were about to pull a shot, then take it out again. Should be undisturbed (you may see some water that has dripped onto it but that should be it).
Thanks for the prompt responses.
This could be something to look at - I'll look to try a smaller dose (around 18g). I have noticed some grounds on the shower screen when cleaning so it could be that the puck is making contact with it. That's not something I'd considered.
I'm happy that the tamping is OK and I'm taking care not to knock the portafilter, but I'll pay more attention to this in the future.