Abstract: A setting tool, actuated by highly compressed gases, for driving fastening elements into a receiving material, has an axially extending piston guide (7) forming an axially extending borehole (20) for a driving piston (21) axially displaceable in the borehole and made up of a head (9) and a shaft (8) projecting axially in a driving direction from the head. To return the driving piston (21) to a starting position after a fastening element is driven, three axially extending conical compression springs following one another and encircling the piston shaft are positioned between a stop (17) in the piston guide (7) and an end surface (18) of the piston head. Damping elements (14) are located between adjoining compression springs. In the compressed state of the compression springs, the coils in each spring are in a common plane with one another and are free of contact with one another.