Page 20 - Beeman P17 Reviews

price. accuracy. power is a good value. feels good in my hand to shoot. I have a routine soup can i plink. measured 40.3 feet away, i can and do tag it with authority and score 70 to 80 percent of the time, when i'm taking my time. that is, since i zeroed in at the bench with windage and elevation adjustments.

rear sight elevation setting sometimes sicks in down position, causing the shot to be off... check that it it is pulled up to the screw before you pull the trigger. i may put a heavier spring under the rear sight to help it stay up and accurate.

this is my first air pistol and i couldn't expect to be more pleased. i LOVE the accuracy with different pellets. match grade RWS pellets seem just as accurate as points or hollows at this distance. a most fun pistol.

This is a good-looking pistol that has very nice accuracy, especially when using the inexpensive RWS basic wadcutters. The trigger has a good feel and breaks consistently for good accuracy. It is fun to shoot.

The notch in the rear sight seems wide and allows for a lot of lateral slop when shooting 25 ft and farther.

For me, the Crosman (or other) dot sight is a big improvement over the open sights, but I get terrific accuracy with the Center Point laser pointer (sight). I'm having a lot of bursting frost-damaged cherry tomatoes from the garden at 25 ft using a hand rest.

Price, Accuracy, Excellent velocity, Nice triger, price oh yeah!!

Nothing

When I received my P17 the piston was dry and cocking was rough. I applied a small amount of white lithium to the piston and put a drop of pell gun oil in the chamber that was a year ago. My P17 is the older version with iron sights not the fiber optic. It is as accurate as the 6 inch barrel Walther CP88 I own for 1/5th the cost. Velocity with Crosman Premier Super Match 7.9 gr wadcutter my P17 is just about 400fps very close to what the Walther shoots the same pellets. The P17 is quiet enough to shoot in my basement with no hearing protection so this is a great foul weather/winter gun. I highly recomend the Beeman P17

Feels like my 9mm in my hand. YouTube videos show P17's without the fiber optic sights. This P17 Deluxe has fiber optic sights front and back which is a huge help in sighting a target. Saves money because no co2 is needed. It's very accurate. I am hitting a 6x6 fence post from 45 yards 4 out of 10 shots. A person with better pistol skills could do better. If aimed properly, it will hit what is aimed at. I am trying to improve my pistol skills and this is a more inexpensive option than shooting 22 or 9mm which I was using before. Also, I can walk out on my deck and shoot at targets in the back yard legally. I am lucky in that my yard backs up to a pasture. No, I don't shoot at the cows. I am really enjoying shooting this pistol.

Because this gun is what it is, any changes would be more for convenience than anything. I am 71 years with arthritic hands. After charging and loading the pistol, closing it can be difficult. I use a fingerless shooting glove on my left hand to prevent getting a blister from the closing process. With hands like mine, loading the pellet can be difficult. Fat fingers can be challenge. It's a minor thing, and not a major drawback.

Shutting the pistol after charging the piston and loading the the gun can take a fair amount of effort. After putting about 500 pellets through this pistol, I have found that it takes less effort to perform the closing process.

No cartridges to buy and actually getting a little more power from this pellet pistol.

Loading application.

Takes muscle and concentration to cock this thing and do not get your fingers/hand caught while your at it!

Good weight, balance, and accuracy.

Shorten the barrel 1/4 inch or re-design the butt end of the break barrel to make loading pellets easier.

It can be hard to close the barrel and charge the pistol so be careful because the first time I did this I pinched the palm of my hand rather painfully.

Even though it is mostly plastic and chinese made I do like this gun. It is a decent 10 meter pistol and fairly accurate. The trigger is light and smooth, cocking the gun is a bit rough but not unmanageable. It's a fairly large pistol that does feel very good in your hand. It fills a larger hand well which adds to the good handling of this gun.

Pay just a little more attention to the seam in the plastic. It was a bit rough in my hand until i took a knife and trimmed it so the grip was smooth and pleasant.

Fairly good gun for the price.

Wow! Why anyone would buy the more expensive P3 and pay two hundred more dollars for it is beyond me! This Beeman P17 is one AWESOME gun for the money! I almost didn't order it when I read it was a copy of the P3 and two hundred dollars less, plus made in China. I figured it was junk. But, after reading the reviews, I figured what the heck...costs less than a tank of gas...far less! When I held the gun, saw the truglo sights, and saw the quality, I was blown away. When I shot it...even better! About six shots and I had the sights zeroed in at 10 yards and the shots were in the bulls eye. The trigger is like butter! Great first stage and a nice clean break with little noise when it fires. I was using Crossman pointed pellets and they worked great.

It is hard to cock, but it's the nature of the beast. I don't have a problem loading it, but I can see where someone with large fingers or arthritic hands would have a problem. Certainly not a gun for children or someone who is weak. You could definately pinch your hand or or stomach or chest skin if you don't cock it properly. I was shooting inside, prone on the floor, and putting the end of the barrel on the floor while trying to snap the top closed. I really don't think anything can be done about these things because of the design. Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing!

It feels great in the hand and is a great shooter. Once you get used to loading and cocking the gun, you will really enjoy it. I am very glad I bought it. I really don't think that there is a better deal on a decent pellet gun out there! It comes in plastic bubble wrap, but let that turn you off. This is a quality pistol all the way. Oh...one other thing. Check out you tube for some good videos and one shows you how to disconnect the cocking piston so you can put some white grease on it to help the O ring. Also, some people complained about a burr around the air hole in the front bottom of the tube that houses the piston and it was causing the O ring to tear. I checked mine and it was nice and smooth so i didn't have to smooth it out. If you are on the fence about this gun, jump off and buy it! I don't believe you will be disappointed.

This pistol feels good in the hand. Not bad to cock once you develop a technique. The trigger is really good although mine has a peculiarity (see below). At ten meters I can hit 1 1/2" circles almost every time. Does not seem to be pellet picky. I think this pistol is a real value for fun plinking and will be getting another one soon.

While testing for accuracy I found that a slow trigger pull will fail to release at the end. It might subsequently fire with a sharp pull, but sometimes needed to be recocked in order to get it to fire. I have not been able to adjust that problem away yet. With a brisk pull (does not have to be a jerk) it is a nice trigger with a predictable release and it works every time. I have not experienced any of the other problems that seem to be commonly written about this pistol.

The trigger pull on this gun is excellent for it's price range,(once adjusted) fairly easy to cock, and load. the fiber optic sights are nice. And the feel of this gun is really nice and comfortable.

Other than uping the power a little, nothing else.

I bought three of these guns at once, one for me, my father, and his friend, and they are both over 70 yrs old and they have no problems working these guns....I put a cheap tasco 2-7x20 scope on mine which makes it easier to cock/close, and I'm shooting bottle caps at 30 yards consistently with ease!! It really is that ACCURATE! And I'm using (gamo pellets and tasco scope) from wally world!! Quarter size groups at 30 yards, nickel at 20 yards. Sound impossible? get one and try it for yourself you'll be blowed away by a $40 pistol....I WAS!!!

Fits my hand well. I like the "illuminated" sights. No complaints about the trigger. Shoots very accurately (my normal shooting distance is 21'). I like the virtual lack of recoil. My other pellet pistol is a Tempest, which is a single-stroke spring action, which has worse trigger feel, and more recoil.

Actually nothing. It requires moderate effort to cock, but experimentation reveals a technique that works well, and doesn't seem overly taxing for me.

I do NOT like most Chinese made stuff. It has been my experience that much of what they make is absolute garbage. However the $200 difference in price, was enough that I had to at least consider the P17 vs. the P3. I asked via a LIVE CHAT what the differences between the Beeman P17 and Beeman P3 were, besides $39.95 vs $239.95 cost, and was told the P3 might be slightly more accurate. I asked if they had been getting the P17 model back because of failure, and was told, "No." I have not found the accuracy to be lacking, and although I am very pro-USA made product, I could not justify spending 6 times as much for basically the same gun. I really wish I didn't have to say that.

Also, check into what your state's rules are regarding the purchase of a pellet pistol. I live in Michigan, and purchasing a pellet pistol is exactly the same as purchasing a handgun. It must be shipped to an FFL dealer. I was charged $35 by the dealer for the paperwork transaction costs.

Seems pretty accurate. Definitely a good value, since it isn't particularly expensive.

A redesign of the rear end would be nice so that it would be easier to load. Also, changing the rear end somehow to make it easier to cock without pushing on the rear sights would be nice. I guess that's just one of the problems with this type of gun, but there's got to be a better way to set that up.

A little difficult to load. Easier if you have small fingers.

Every time I go to shoot it after not shooting for a little while, the first time I cock it it doesn't charge with air. Don't know why. But now I just cock and dry fire it, then start shooting. First time it happened I thought I'd gotten a lemon. All shots after the first are just fine though. I don't have a chrony, but the sound it makes on my target says it's hitting about as hard as it should be.

Definitely not really powerful enough for pest control. It isn't advertised as being powerful enough for this, I don't dock it for this, but if anyone thinks it is, it isn't.

Solid feel and positive fit in the hands. Very solidly built air pistol truly capable of shooting 3/8 inch groups at ten meters - even being a clone of the higher end versions of this gun, e.g. Beeman P3 and the HW40. The Deluxe model P17 comes fitted with fiber optic front and rear sights - a huge bonus for the inexpensive air pistol otherwise unseen in budget line air pistols. Honestly, for the money, in my opinion the P17 is one of the all time best values. For most shooters, the P17 will perform well above the capable limits of the owner.

Nothing really. Suppose one could argue minor things, but given concerns can also be seen in the higher end versions. For example, the faux hammer (slide release for cocking), trigger, and safety buttons are made from a cast zinc alloy. Not to worry. From an engineering standpoint, using machined metal for those parts only adds to the overall costs; cast parts suffice just fine as the parts are not in any load bearing application.

For younger shooters, the cocking of this particular air pistol may be a bit of a feat to do safely. Cocking of the gun requires about 25-27 pounds of force. Some younger shooters may find themselves holding the pistol close to the body to establish leverage. Doing so presents a pinch hazard to articles of clothing or the skin/fingers.
Some owners have made the complaint of their guns failing prematurely. This will be the second version of this air pistol I have owned. The first being the Marksman 2004 (exact same air pistol marketed under Marksman excluding the fiber optic sights) and, personally, never had I had a problem with a gun failing. The first one owned was converted to a multi-stroke pneumatic. Yep, that's me.

Great value for the price. Deadly accurate @21 feet! Great for target practice,good power no recoil,not too loud.

The windidge and elevation adjustments screws seem to move after a few shots on my gun and I had to glue em. Now I can put together a group in a circle the size of a dime from 21 feet. Awesome!

I also have a $100 co2 blowback bb pistol and this Beeman p17 puts it to shame..You get big bang for your buck on this one for sure.

Gun is light and easy to hold, Sights are very visible and adjusted easily. Trigger was light and pretty good in the beginning.

Trigger failed after 120 shots. Would not release the sear until after you began releasing pressure on the trigger.

This gun cocks very hard and you must take care not to pinch the hand that is pushing the top down. It is not for small women or small children (under 15yrs). I had to return the gun for refund.

Just about everything! I've only had this gun two days and put 100 rounds through it. First 30 were Daisy wadcutters. Not real accurate, some bounce-back and hard to load. Switched to RWS Superpoint Extras and solved all the problems. This gun is sensitive to what you shoot through it. My gun came with fiber optic sights. They are OK. I like the use of the hammer as a latch, and the automatic safety is not troublesome. The gun has good balance and feels like a firearm in the hand. It is not a cheaply made gun: it is a quality piece of machinery and should be selling for much more. It is far superior to other pistols in its price range. This gun is rated at 410 fps, but it feels like it is shooting harder than that. I like the adjustable rear sight. It is easy to adjust and dial in. This is another feature not normally found in this price range. The trigger appears to be made of steel. It is not hard to pull, you shouldn't find your aim to be put off by releasing the trigger. The weight and balance of the gun makes it easy to hold on target. It also has a longer sight radius than many air pistols.

Guns that are not reproductions of actual firearms do not need phony latches and buttons on them. The P17 shows a lot of restraint in that. I read the cautions about a burr inside the cylinder cutting an o-ring, but as long as it works I'm not taking it apart. I am told the o-rings are standard sizes. I did buy a tube of white lithium grease "just in case". In typical Chinese fashion, my gun came with an over-lubed piston. They used black moly grease: good for wheel bearings. I had to keep wiping this stuff off the piston because it gets all over fingers and shirts when loading the gun. I'll clean all that off and re-lube it with the white grease when I have to tear it apart. The front hinge joint does not appear to be lubed. I'll touch that with a little oil. The breech seal (another o-ring) is mounted on the valve assembly, and is oiled. The breech end of the barrel is flat and smooth. It is difficult to insert a wadcutter pellet into it. Perhaps a small chamfer at that end would help in loading wadcutters. Pointed pellets presented no problem, round-nosed pellets should work fine too.

My gun has a vertical threaded hole on the left side of the valve assembly with no apparent purpose.
As you open the overlever, there will be a vacuum in the air cylinder for the first part of the piston travel forward (until the intake port is opened). This can cause the lever to pop back unexpectedly if you do not have a good grip on it. It cannot bite you, there is no spring. Once the lever is moved all the way forward, this cannot happen.
Keep your fingers, the rest of your hand, and any other body parts out of the way as you cock this gun!
Never let yourself get distracted while cocking this gun. The safety will go on automatically as the gun is cocked. Try to keep your hand forward of the rear sight when cocking. The fiber-optic sight on my gun looks like it could be easily broken if you pushed down on it. The cocking effort on this gun is 28lbs., typical of a lower-powered spring rifle, but with a much shorter lever.
The metal "hammer" on this gun serves as the latch for the cocking lever. You pull the hammer back with your thumb to open the gun. When the cocking lever fits back down, this hammer will fall back into the dropped position. It serves no function other than a latch.

This is an awesome single shot pneumatic pistol. It has an awesome fiber optic site, and shoots to point of aim with all pellets tried. It has a lot of power and would be a good choice for short-range pest control.

The cocking effort is medium. I would prefer a little less effort realizing that the gun would be less powerful. However, most males will have no problems.

This is a well thought out airgun that belongs in any collection.

I like the looks and feel of the P17. The trigger is pleasant to use and it feels like a real fire arm. The sights are fiber optic and easy to see against a black target. It is very accurate to shoot and has almost no recoil. But, best of all is the price.....under $40.

I do not like how hard it is to cock. It takes a lot of one hand strength to close the breach and barrel assembly. It is also hard to load pellets because of the small space that you have to work in when inserting a single pellet.

The Beeman P17 is a bargain and the shooting experience after cocking and loading is a very good one. It is probably the most accurate air pistol for the money available anywhere. But, the difficulty of cocking it and loading pellets keeps me from shooting it for more than 5 or 10 shots at a time. It is a trade off. It is hard to cock and load but fantastic to shoot after it is loaded.

I was surprised that the chinese could actually build a decent straight shooting pistol like this. When I picked this one up I was thinking it might be some toxic plastic Chinese bit of junk I'd be selling a few days after I got it. This gun looks like it gets admitted into a very elite club of guns I elected to keep. I just went through my collection recently and got totally brutal with it and most went up for sale. I think this one is going to stay. It has all the qualities of a good gun. Nice adjustable trigger, trigger is predictable. Gun is very accurate even in my hands and I am not a pistol guy. It's a bit tough to cock so not a gun you want to buy for younger shooters. Bringing the upper part up and over is easy but bringing it back and locking it in firing position is a bit tough.

Nothing really. For the price it is a decent gun for an ADULT.

Very accurate. Very "sweet" trigger pull, right out of the box. Nice fiber optic sights. My 7 yr. old grand-daughter does fantastic with it, loves it, just so long as I keep loading it for her. Power is sufficient to my needs, which is close range plinking.

Nothing.

It is as described, very heavy cocking required. Difficult to position a pellet in the breech, especially if you have fat fingers like I do. But it is doable, manageable with a little practice, especially if you use dome or pointed pellets. Near impossible, I'd say with Wad-cutters. Twenty-five yard accuracy is only so-so, not for varmints, but maybe that's just me. Pistol is accurate enough at half that range, so maybe I'm just not so accurate at the longer ranges anymore. I am almost sixty after all, and I don't see so good as I did when I was younger.