Beeman P17 Air Pistol: A Complete Review

Introduction

The Beeman P17 is among the most versatile air pistols you can get in the market. Owning one will transform your days as you get to enjoy fun outdoor activities. Plinking is what comes to mind when I hold the Beeman P17 in my hands. It has a great feel and makes light work of shooting at various targets. 

An air pistol is any pistol that can fire projectiles without using gunpowder. Shooting pistols accurately is much harder than shooting a rifle. That’s no surprise – you’re handling something much lighter, and it lacks the extra point of contact with your shoulder. Like many people, however, I enjoy the challenge.

Besides using my air pistol for target shooting, it comes in handy for small pests and varmint control. I am getting better at it and would, therefore, recommend the Beeman P17. In my case, air pistols are useful for teaching gun safety and responsibility. 

But before you buy any air pistol out there, you must understand there are so many in the market. You might want to consider the Beeman P17. I have used it, and it does not have many flaws with its design. It is why I have this review of what to expect when you buy it. 

Features of the Beeman P17 Air Pistol

Frame

It has a Polymer frame that is both durable and lightweight. The cast aluminum pump body, valve body, and the steel barrel and main valve provides repeatable accuracy and long life. I found the shape of the grip comfortable for my hands as they are medium-sized. However, the reach to the trigger blade is short, but I find it comforting that it was not too long. 

The Beeman P17 generates so much power that there is a noticeable muzzle flip. It will add to the excitement of firing. It is also good that it did not have an effect on accuracy or make it challenging.  It comes with a molded muzzle brake, but I doubt if they are necessary or function in the Beeman P17. Overall, it just looks good, and the synthetic material also alleviates the pistol. 

The Beeman P17 has a rifled steel barrel, and all its mechanical parts like the trigger, safety, and hammer are cast aluminum made.

The ergonomic handle has three fingermark placement for an intuitive grasp.

Trigger System

The trigger action is excellent. The Beeman P17 uses a two-stage design. The first stage being light and smooth, while the second stage is light and breaks cleanly. It is among the best pistol triggers I have experienced lately and contributes to my accurate shooting. 

The Beeman P17 also has a relatively light trigger, which is much better than can be expected for a gun in this price category. I believe the trigger has a pull weight of roughly 2 pounds and it is reasonably crisp and predictable. 

Safety Mechanism

The safety is above the trigger blade on the left of the frame. It comes on automatically when you cock the action. I found it ideally placed for the thumb of my weak hand in my normal combat hold. Once the gun is cocked, the safety automatically switches to a safe position. It is a useful feature, especially if you consider how much effort it takes to pump it. What you do not want is to have a loaded gun in the fire position as you’re focusing on cocking it. 

The automatic safety is engaged at the opening of the barrel, allowing, and this allows you to have a safe handling of the Beeman P17. To release the safety is also easy and all you have to do is to push the safety button located just over the trigger guard, until the red point appears.

Sights and Optics

The rear sight is adjustable for windage. There is also a set of fully adjustable open sights, and they have fiber-optic inserts to enhance them. If you have a Beeman red-dot sight, it simply clamps onto the 11mm rail mounted into the slide. It allows almost any type of sight to be fitted if you choose.

The problem with buying an inexpensive red-dot is that they suffer badly in bright light conditions. Sometimes the red dot becomes almost impossible to see. However, the Beeman red dot is bright and clear, even on a sunny day. 

Caliber

It fires the .177 Cal and has some good velocity. The amazing 410 feet per second is quite fast for a pistol and leads to accurately placed shots. 

Using the Beeman P17 Air Pistol

How to Load the Beeman P17 

Loading the Beeman P17 for the first time took me some bit of time. The space is cramped, and there’s undoubtedly a challenge in getting it right. However, I fumbled through, but this is the process to make it easy for you. 

How to Cock, Load and Close Your Air Pistol

Step 1

Point your air pistol in a safe direction. Make sure you keep your fingers away from the trigger. Release the barrel assembly by pulling back and down on the hammer with your thumb. At the same time, lift on the barrel assembly with the free hand and pivot it forward.

Step 2

Insert a single pellet (the solid end forward) into the breech end of the barrel as far as it will go

Step 3

Close the air pistol by using your free hand to push down on the barrel assembly until it engages with the catch. It takes some effort to close the barrel assembly. Be aware of pinch points while closing.

STEP 4 

Aim at a safe target before taking off the safety. The automatic safety is above the trigger guard. Push the safety fully forward. When the red dot is exposed, the gun is ready to –Fire.

Always be sure of where you are pointing your gun. Take care not to target people, animals, buildings, and objects near you. If there is a ricochet or projectile rebound, you should stop shooting immediately. 

Why I Enjoy Shooting with this Air Pistol

Feel 

Honesty in this review is vital, and what you will experience the first time you hold the Beeman P17 is a great little gun. Once you pick one up and hold it in your hand, you just fall in love with the way it feels. It is surprisingly heavy, which makes it feel real, unlike the cheap toy versions that infiltrate the market as air pistols. The right feel is a deliberate attempt by the manufacturer to make it more of a weapon than a fun device. The weight is achieved by using metal components inside while the outside is primarily pretty sturdy plastic. 

Recoil

One thing everyone expects from any gun is to have a recoil when you fire it. It is impressive to have such a powerful weapon in your hands yet so subtle for anyone to handle.  After buying the Beeman P17 and taking it home, you must be eager to let it loose on some targets just to see if it fires well. Once you manage to figure out how to load the gun, all that remains is picking a target and squeezing the trigger. 

The gun goes off, but it is unlike anything you have probably shot before. There is a distinct lack of recoil and a stunningly crisp sound of the shot. Careful, because I remember feeling the same way too. Shooting the Beeman P17 might become your new obsession. 

Accuracy

Once you sight correctly on your target, you can hit it accurately every time you take a shot. Of course, I have some experience, but the Beeman P17 is accurate at shorter distances of say ten yards. When it comes to the accuracy of the Beeman P17, a lot of factors contribute to it.

When you take a look at the inside of the barrel, you will realize it is thicker than it has to be. If you couple that with the fact that it has no recoil and the ergonomic grip handle, then accuracy is its strength. The primary purpose I enjoy doing with this gun I find useful as a precision machine that hits targets accurately within my range. 

Power

The power of the Beeman P17 makes it able to shoot .177 pellets at 410 feet per second using a single pump mechanism.  There is no need to attempt more pumps since they are not productive and may be dangerous. This power is great for the gun and has a good speed that is vital for accurate shooting.

My experience with the Beeman P17 for hunting rats and other rodents packs a powerful blow that is enough to put them down fast and humanely. It is not to say that the Beeman P17 is the ultimate hunting weapon, but it sure is deadly to rats and mice. You will also enjoy it for target shooting and plinking. 

Price

The Beeman P17 is affordable, and you can buy it and use it out the box. The design and functionality mimic the Beeman P3, which costs slightly over $ 200.

The Downside of the Beeman P17

Cocking

Cocking the Beeman P17 is what I found weird and the most dangerous part of this gun.  Perhaps it was a factory flaw, but these are what I experienced. I have an issue with the number of pumps and the cocking effort. 

Quite sadly, cocking this gun requires a bit of technique and strength. I have learned to cock the Beeman P17 a painful way. Push down with an open hand to prevent painful pinches. I must emphasize this enough. The pinching is the most dangerous part of this gun. It is because of all power this gun generates by a single stroke, and it is so powerful. 

Loading

Loading is not fun either. To load the Beeman P17, you have to pull the trigger and open the top all the way. You can only load a single pellet into the barrel and push it to the back of the gun. If you have a big hand, then tough luck. Space is cramped, and there is not much space to properly hold the pellet to push it into the barrel. Initially, it is a frustrating process, but with practice, it becomes easier.  

It will be no surprise if you find yourself loading it without taking your eye off your target. I must admit I am comfortable handling my Beeman P17 because I use it consistently and reliably. 

Safety

The automatic safety is what I like the most about the Beeman P17. On the left side of the gun is a sliding safety that is easy to operate. However, it is only great for left-handed people. As a right-handed person, I found it inconveniencing. But on the bright side, you get used to it, and it also doesn’t stick or need a lot of pressure to engage. 

Sound 

Though crisp but sound becomes a negative feature, as the Beeman P17 is significantly louder than expected for a gun shooting at 410 fps. It also does not have any kind of sound suppression mechanism. It is just louder than expected, but some can see beyond this minor flaw. It is, however, safe, permitted, and suitable for shooting in one’s basement.

Most Popular Handgun Accessories for Your Beeman P17 Air Pistol

Conclusion

There are definitely a variety of reasons as to why the Beeman P17 is as popular as it is. It delivers a significant bang despite its favorable price. It manages to surprise anyone who picks one up. It is fun to shoot. It may be a limitation, but on the positive side, the strength required to cock it helps prevent smaller children from using it unsupervised. 

There are no additional accessories required to start shooting, just need the gun and ammo. It also does not require CO2 to fire making it easy to use. Though powerful, it does not generate enough power to demand substantial backstop. The fiber optic sights are adequate and deliver good results, but I find myself preferring the red dot to achieve more performance from the gun. Here are some red dot sights for pistols.