Should I be able to pull my driveshell out of the hub body ever so slightly when the axle isn’t fitted?

Yes. In fact, you can pull it all of the way out once the axle is removed. Twist it anti-clockwise as you pull the driveshell.

Thanks but I know that, that’s how I serviced it. The ‘play’ is what I’m concerned about.

I’m going to assume however that you’ve got good grammar and are not prone to inserting full-stops willynilly, in which case, thank you good sir/madam, I shall now fit the axle and ride off into the sunset metaphorically.

Ke?…