Beeman P17 Pistol $7.50 on Amazon

[deepbass9]

You guys...I've been containing my enthusiasm as long as possible.  I ordered a measly 2 on 11/29 that were rec'd on 12/11 to cost average the one I bought when they were $21 in early Nov.  So I have 3 now.  The original, slightly off-centered barrel, gold dot with a centered barrel, and silver dot with an off-centered barrel.  I've gone through about 700 wadcutters so far in the basement blasting away and they're all accurate for the most part.  I've checked the intake and cleaned the barrels..gonna to polish the crowns shortly...but I still get a flyer out of all of them once in a while.  I only bought match grade pellets to keep the variables down, 'cause I buy $16.00 tins of pellets for my $7.50 gun 😳

I thought this was one of the better mod pages I found so far:  https://airgunwarriors.com/community/airgun-talk/beeman-p17-tuners/

If you google images and then click on the interesting looking stuff, you can find some things easier, I thought, than searching the text pages.

This has been one of the most fun things I've done with shooting in a while.  I had had a decked out 1377, but never used it..hated the pumping.  This thing rocks.  I started looking at match pistols...and then though WHY???

What a great find!!

[Xraycer]

I thought this was one of the better mod pages I found so far:  https://airgunwarriors.com/community/airgun-talk/beeman-p17-tuners/

If you google images and then click on the interesting looking stuff, you can find some things easier, I thought, than searching the text pages.

This tread just got started by Gary(aka Wyoman). If you've ever seen Gary's beautiful, modified pistol collection, you will know this man knows his stuff. With all the existing and recent new P17 owners, this thread should carry very far if not permanently "stickied".

https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=166452.msg155862808#new

[Moke]

And, this is what I did with it yesterday; the JB Weld to the face of the piston mod:

Mike, this is very interesting. However I am mechanical challenged and could not see how you did it. Could you give a bit more description on how you did it?

Greg,

Ill try, but I might need help from you, if I don't get it across right.

The pump mechanism is two parts, the outer sleeve, and inner piston.  You remove the inner piston via an Allen wrench screw at the end of the piston.  You loosen that screw, and remove the hinge pin that crosses the piston, and mounts it to the top lever (the cocking mechnaism for the gun). You can then pull the piston out of the cylinder with a simple twisting pull. It will pop out, so be ready.

Once removed, I took two pieces of Al. foil, and made two loose crumpled balls, smaller than marbles, and loosely packed. If I had to suggest a ball size, I'd say 3/8" diameter, to perhaps 1/2" dia.
Those balls went into the cylinder, one at a time, and, the piston was replaced, and remounted to the lever. You put the gun into a full cocking motion, which compresses the Al. foil balls, which reveals the thickness of the clearance space in the cylinder.

I then took those two flattened pieces of Al. foil, which were consistent in size, and I used them to judge just how much overhang I had with the blue tape perimeter.  I made that perimeter to be just slightly thinner than the clearance. This is the image that you see without any epoxy in it; just the blue tape on the piston.

To the epoxy,...
I've done extensive work with JB-Weld, in creating exquisitely finished vintage record players, building custom soapstone bases for them. I'm very well familiar with it.
The original formula JB Weld is a slow dry formula that has good flow qualities for self leveling, due to this long dry time; 6 hour set, 24 hour cure.
To make that flow even better, I added a proper amount of denatured alcohol while mixing the epoxy.  This took the epoxy from a consistency where you could pick it up in a ball form with a tooth pick, to that of something that would only flow off of the mixing plate (9" paper plate). 
So, the epoxy gets poured into the form. I then took a hair dryer on medium heat, and, blew the epoxy around within the form, to aid in leveling.

The next day, the tape peels right away, easily. i also took a small piece of sanding block, and, "broke" the edges around the perimeter by light sanding, so that they wouldn't chip off.

I probaby shot 50 rounds yesterday in testing it.  It worked probably too well, as it is really stiff for the final closing action.
AND, get this,......
I managed to get my left thumb webbing trapped in the mechanism, and left myself a nice new blood blister.  So, this pistol and I are truly blood brothers now.
Why did I have to bring this little biting anomaly up?

So, after probably 50 shots yesterday, without any issues, I broke the mechanism back down again, and had a look at the piston.
The piston face showed some deglossing of the epoxy, in two small areas, by what I expect was contact with the end of the cylinder. The face of the piston went from a smooth overall gloss, to having two small areas that deglossed. 
To take action in this regard, I took the piston out to the garage, and chucked it into my drill press.  I slowly and very carefully lowered the piston face down onto a sanding block, and, lapped the high areas down just a bit. I'm taking this very slowly.

img 7519 shows the deglossed areas prior to lapping with the drill press (sorry for the poor pic, but, you can see the areas of concern).

img 7520 shows what that lapping accomplished.

pistol reasembled, and ready for more plinking.

[Buldawg76]

Mike

Did you do your test fit of the foil and JB weld with the o ring removed so you could actually feel if contact was made between the piston and bottom of compression chamber without actually compressing air at the same time. It would have allowed for a better feel of whether contact was occurring between the two parts IMO.

You get it corrected with the sanding though as well.

BD

[WobblyHand]

Is this the correct version of JB Weld? 

How would one mill a slot, (with hand tools) just use a file?  I can face off the JB Weld on my lathe, but don't have any milling capability in my home shop. 

[Thane]

If you have a machine lathe you can perform milling operations by chucking the milling cutter and clamping work to the cross slide/compound rest.

Several options for replacing compound rest with vise that has a vertical motion.

All the cool kids are doing it...

[Moke]

Is this the correct version of JB Weld? 

How would one mill a slot, (with hand tools) just use a file?  I can face off the JB Weld on my lathe, but don't have any milling capability in my home shop. m

That is a fancy version of JB Weld. Reinforced? Might not be a bad thing.
That kit is like 3x what the original formula sells for.  At Ace hardware, you'll likely be closer to $6

this is the original formula, in package:

[Moke]

Mike

Did you do your test fit of the foil and JB weld with the o ring removed so you could actually feel if contact was made between the piston and bottom of compression chamber without actually compressing air at the same time. It would have allowed for a better feel of whether contact was occurring between the two parts IMO.

You get it corrected with the sanding though as well.

BD

I took the o-ring out, as I was only intending to put a new one in. Then, in an impromptu moment, the JB Weld came into play.
The test fitting with the Al. Foil was done without the o-ring, for ease of mock-up.

[Moke]

Is it too late for a disclaimer?
Don't do this mod, if you love this pistol beyond wildest dreams. This was a scientific wild arsed guess in a bored moment. It works, so I'll leave it at that.

besides,... you  might shoot your eye out.

today:
I shot at a gopher that I couldn't see, from about 2" outside of his hole (barrel distance from hole), as it was pushing dirt out of its hole.
I dug the hole out preemptively, and waited. By the time I got the P-Shooter cocked and loaded, it was pushing up dirt. I let loose, and barely skimmed the top of the dirt that it was pushing.  The mounding stopped. I can't say for certain, but at 2" out, and barely skimming dirt, it either ate lead, or got a lead enema if it was backing dirt out.

[mound/hole monitoring mode on]

[WobblyHand]

0 for 4 today.   
All 4 were due today, 2 orders of 2, but there wasn't any activity...  8PM came and went.  They were promised by 8Pm tonight.

At 9Pm I checked Orders.  Instead of my promised delivery date of "Today" or Dec 20th, I saw:

Delayed, not yet shipped
We will email you as soon as this order ships. You won't be charged until then. We're sorry for the inconvenience. 

Drat.  I suppose they'll ship eventually. The wait is difficult, especially seeing that some of you have received loads of them!

[larspawn]

After being back ordered for a couple weeks I finally got mine.

I had one maybe 12 years ago but sold it.  IIRC the older ones were built a little more solidly. 
 
After shooting I realize why I kept the Izzy, Daisy 717, P1 and Diana M5.  But for $8 you can’t go wrong?

[Techie]

I had one maybe 12 years ago but sold it.  IIRC the older ones were built a little more solidly. 

I'm comparing the P17's I just received to the P3 I bought about 20 years ago and I can't tell any difference, other than the trigger being better in the P3.  It should since I paid $140 for the P3 back then, and it's now selling for $230.  Other than the trigger pull, it seems like the same gun!

[Buldawg76]

Well my order that was supposed to be here today also did not show up. Did get a shipped email on the order from dec 1st showing Sunday delivery with usps tracking number and another email showing the dec 6th order being delivered on the 24th but no shipping/tracking number yet. Seems usps will be busy right up to Christmas day around here if the email holds true.

We shall see.

BD

[Wepster]

Got shipped notice, says Sunday via USPS. I do not hold my breath for Sunday deliveries this time of year, but Monday for sure. Ses they have finally made it to the east coast.

[Rick67]

Have had 2 USPS deliveries this month of December.--one as scheduled from Amazon Prime and one an early bird.

Not P17 related though

[avator]

Yeah, UPS is getting a jump on the Holiday season. I have a delivery scheduled to arrive today... a day early.

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

Yeah, UPS is getting a jump on the Holiday season. I have a delivery scheduled to arrive today... a day early.

Not here!  Every time I check on stuff I have coming, it says in transit but running late.  I have one item that's been sitting at the Pensacola Regional Distribution Center since the 18th!  That's less than an hour from my house...  Even stuff from Amazon isn't making it here in 2 days!  It's an utter travesty!   

[avator]

LOL... sorry Paul.

[avator]

It's a conspiracy I say.... the more expensive, the more you want it.. the longer it takes.

My order coming a day early is a pair of nylon replacement ropes for the 4 wheeler winches. Like $15 each. Don't need them, just wanted to switch out the steel cables.

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

It's a conspiracy I say.... the more expensive, the more you want it.. the longer it takes.

My order coming a day early is a pair of nylon replacement ropes for the 4 wheeler winches. Like $15 each. Don't need them, just wanted to switch out the steel cables.

Yep, a full blown Gubment conspiracy!  I'm grabbing my tin foil hat before they get in my head!