Opinion--------if you can not work of this pistol and do what you what to do to it, you will be wasting your money but in the long run it is your money and I should not care
but if you wanted a better P17 a HW40 would have maybe done that
I got a like new one for 120.00 in the box, shipped
if you can buy a barrel at factory length that easy to install, the trigger work is easy to do and is easy to find here
just an opinion
I agree with Marflow. How much are you willing to spend to have someone tune your $35 Chinese-made (not that there’s anything wrong with that) gun?
The P17 is really easy to tinker with and you don’t need special tools or expertise. It’s hard to screw up such a simple gun. There is a lot of info around here showing how to smooth out the trigger. Give it a shot yourself before paying someone. Just my opinion.
Here's a link
https://airgunwarriors.com/community/airgun-talk/beeman-p17-trigger-mod/
This is a really good one for an overhaul
http://anotherairgunblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/derricks-on-beeman-p17-overhaul-part-1.html
Yes, it can be improved. Some of it is easy and inexpensive... some more difficult and costly. And, as always, some is just a matter of preference... (shown with an HW40)
Improved balance...
Chilled lead shot:
Followed with JB weld thinned with acetone:
Trigger mod...
DO NOT stretch the extension spring... the above setup has a safe, reliable two-stage trigger that breaks with minimal effort and zero perceptible creep on the break. And the next best part... it fully resets if you let off without taking the shot. It snaps back. Don't stretch the extension spring.
Smoothing the trigger parts...
The trigger group in the cocked position:
The link to sear engagement is where the break occurs. Those surfaces should be smooth. The link also travels between two wire guides. That should be smooth. I don't see the need for anything else.
Adding a 9.7" LW barrel...
The longer barrel required frame alterations. The muzzle end was drilled to .400" to allow the barrel to go in from the front. The molding hole was drilled and tapped for 10-32 set screws (one on top of the other) to secure the front of the longer barrel:
A clearance cut was necessary for the lever to open far enough with the longer barrel:
Looks like this:
Shoots like this:
Some other folks have done even more. Stalwart, Scot L. etc. I did have a few failed attempts with the P-17s before I got it right and then went into the HW40... good luck and have a go at it ?
Wyo
Very good post above mine. Nice simple mods. These guys are right. I agree with them but one thing that's fun is modding in itself. I LOVE the P17 as it is. The HW40 is not worth anymore power, accuracy, ONLY better metal parts. I can tell you I owned a HW Silver Star, MSRP over $500.00!!!! I LOVED The P17 100x's as much fur pure accuracy, and NO twang, fun of use. Through it in seat next to me. Place carefully in box after wiping any oils from hands off of pistol? Which sounds like more fun? I just sayw these for $32.00 somewhere and for $40.00 a cheap red dot scope. I got one as a gift from a kind man on here, The old Yeller, years ago. It had a crack in the back where you pump and at hammer it cracked. Put felt there & that clack noise is gone so is impact of plastic on plastic. I LOVED that pistol and as a gift it was one of the BEST ever as I nEVER would have thought a cheap gun could be so accurate and fun. Mine, with a red dot, could do what that target above shows. I don't know his distance but at 10 meters w/ red dot it was a shooter. I'd do the mods the fellow shows except add a longer barrel. If I had a lathe & mill, that's one thing but mods I have to pay for? Naw. You could spend what you'd put in it on a PCP like an Ataman or something.
As others have pointed out, you couldn't pick a better gun to start your tuner education on...cheap, well designed, just complex enough trigger mech to get your attention and reward you for figuring it out, still crude enough that you can make useful improvements.
Ergonomic details like balance and sight mods, set screws to retain the pivot and latch pins(holes are already there)breach and crown touch up...you can spend as much time on this gun as you want to. Paying someone a decent wage to do it right will cost you 3-5X the cost of the gun.
Good stuff. After all this P17 talk, I spent some quality time with mine. It still amazes me for a $30 gun! I think I'm gonna try the lead-filled grip.
BTW, the P17 without a pellet is still my favorite way to eliminate basement spiders. They just DISAPPEAR!
I cut a .22 Discovery barrel to about 13" and turned down only the first half, leaving the muzzle end at 0.4375" and drilled out the muzzle of the frame with a #5 center drill. It's a tight enough fit that I had to give the muzzle a few good hits with a 2x4 to get it to slide back into place so there are no set screws. It's a little more quiet than stock and is pushing CPHP at 344 average into ragged little holes at about 8 yards when it wears glass. That's as far as this one has come along but this extra .177 Mrod barrel sitting here is telling me I should buy another
Here it is. If you have a good eye and a steady hand, or have the means to clamp it and machine it, you can cut a wide slot in the trigger guard that will allow it to be opened far enough to reach the breather hole.
Even though they both feel just about the same in the hand, I find it's much easier to be accurate with the P3. Could be the square sight blade vs. the P17's round blade or the lighter trigger but the modification options and low price of the Chinese version make up for that
