The influence of an ambient Ar gas on the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) of metallic systems (Ag, Fe, Fe/Ag) is examined. Time-of-flight (TOF) measurements and measurements of the deposition rate are presented showing a reduction of particle energy with increasing Ar pressure and a reduction of resputtering and interface mixing. The determined Ar pressure for significant changes of the effective sputter yield is about 0.04 mbar. The experimental results are explained by scattering of a dense cloud of ablated material in a diluted gas.