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Most of the time people are restoring sentimental BB guns from when they were kids. This is exactly how I got into this side business. I like all the generations of 880 but if you decide to rebuild or not is truly a personal choice. Likely your gun would just need the rubber components replaced to function.
You didn’t mention which style you are working on. The new style 880 has a stamped area on the frame rail that holds the pump tube in place. The old style has a pin that goes through the bottom of the pump tube.
The 917 is based off the 880 and they share many parts. There are several different barrel configurations on the 880, and I cannot say for sure but my bet is you could find an 880 barrel that is the same.
The stock and forearms are wood? Does it still have a reservoir for bbs? I have seen the problems you describe, the buffer is affected by some oils and can disintegrate and make a mess. I have never seen a new style aluminum pump tube with a screw in exhaust valve, but I am sure there are some different things out there. I would love to see pics and will do my est to help
Make sure your bolt is pulled back all the way, if your bolt is forward you cannot separate the side covers. If your bolt is back and they still don’t separate a previous owner may have used glue, I have ran into this before on used 880s where a previous owner glued the stock in place to stop it from wiggling.
I wish they made it the same size as a BB, but unfortunately it is smaller than a bb, and a bb will not fit in the safety button.
If your exhaust valve is leaking you can usually hear it through the barrel, often a good cleaning can fix the problem but the valve could also be damaged or the body. On the old style 880 I often have a problem getting a good seal on the bottom of the pump tube, sometimes this is due to wear on the pin holding the tube in place. The holes will wear and not hold the pump tube down far enough. Unfortunately the easiest fix for that is a new pump tube, and they are only available used.
I don’t have a parts list or diagram for the 970, but if it looks like an 880 it likely has the same internals. There were many models based off the 880 as Fuse had stated, most have internals just like the 880. You just have to take a look and see, there are two main styles of internals on the 880 that I distinguish as the new style that is currently being produced and the old style.
The metal side Daisy 880 with no diamond on the forearm was the first generation, I do sell the rebuild kit for this model and have it listed as the old style 880 rebuild kit. I also sell the individual parts. Not every part is available for the old style, but luckily all the seals are.
The likely problem on both of your guns is the chamber seal, it is what holds the pumped up pressure. The pump piston seals with a single oring on the piston head, as long as it is good and there is no damage I wouldn’t replace it. I would start with the chamber seal and a good cleaning. The vast majority of guns that I have rebuilt had problems with the chamber seal especially the old style 880.
Stuart is correct, I have not seen the different old style seal in person, but have had a handful of people contacting me about it and a few were nice enough to send pics my way. Unfortunately I don’t know anywhere to get one, I don’t think they are made anymore and they are pretty rare.
The buffer needs to be compressed when installed, keep in mind the buffers job is to act as a cushion for the pump head, not to seal, the buffer should not contact the pump tube sides. Whatever material they used for the buffer absorbs some oils causing it to swell. Old buffers are often pretty smashed and swollen on older guns, and will look very different from a new buffer.
