Melissa has never shot a gun before, so I offered to take her to the local pistol range, Guncraft Sports, which I’ve blogged about before.
GunCraft requires that all shooters take a short, 15 minute orientation session before using the range for the first time. The range attendant was very helpful. Once he found out that Melissa had never shot a gun before, he spent some extra time with her, going over basic gun safety and the basic operation of the gun controls for the guns we were renting: safety, magazine release, and slide release. Kudos to the staff at GunCraft. The person who did the orientation for my first visit was likewise patient, professional, and safety-conscious.
I had Melissa practice handling and firing the gun before loading it. Then we worked on firing live ammo. Her grip was awkward at first, and a little scary. It’s a bit frightening to watch someone handle a loaded gun for the first time. I showed her how to wrap her fingers around the thumb grooves on the grip, and she did much better. Once she understood how sights are supposed to line up, she did great, hitting 9 out of 10 times. That’s really impressive when you consider that she forgot to bring her glasses (she’s slightly myopic).
Initially, I loaded and unloaded the magazine for her, and worked the slide to chamber the first round. By the third box of ammo she could do it herself, and only needed help when a gun jammed. (I kept an eye on things just to be sure. She tried to load a magazine with the bullets facing the wrong way, which was kind of cute.) She also caught on to using the target trolley and taping over holes in the target so she could count the hits for the next magazine load.
Browning Buck Mark vs. Ruger Mark II 22/45
This was Melissa’s first time shooting, so .22 target pistols were the natural choice. They’re lightweight, have very little recoil, and the ammunition is inexpensive. We chose two guns from the rental counter at Guncraft: the Browning Buck Mark and the Ruger Mark II 22/45. Melissa was excited about the Browning .22 because one had played a role in an episode of NBC’s Law and Order.
Similarities
Both guns have adjustable target sights that are big and blocky, with a clear sight picture. Both feature 10 round magazines that are easy to load thanks to thumb-friendly follower buttons we could use to compress the magazine springs. The sights are mounted to the frame, so they don’t move back with the slide.
Differences
The grips on the Buck Mark have thumb grooves that mated perfectly with my hand. Balance is excellent. The 22/45′s integrated slab grips didn’t inspire the same confidence. With the Buck Mark’s backstrap design I could comfortably wrap my thumbs around the handle for a secure, two-handed grip.
| Browning Buck Mark | Ruger 22/45 | |
|---|---|---|
| Barrel | 4″ | 5.5″ |
| Length | 8″ | 9.5″ |
| Weight | 32 oz | 35 oz |
| Retail | $309 | $359 |
The Buck Mark we shot had a blued steel barrel. Our 22/45 had a stainless steel barrel, but you can get yours in blued steel to match the receiver color. Like all 22/45s, the receiver is made from fiberglass-reinforced polymers rather than steel. Being made of stainless and polymer, this model Ruger is largely impervious to corrosion.
Both guns weighed about the same, though the Browning balanced much better. The Ruger seemed muzzle-heavy, which resulted in the front sight wandering around. After two boxes of shells Melissa developed a preference for the Browning, and shot it the rest of the evening.
The Buck Mark’s controls were much easier and more definite to operate. (I could only find right side pictures of the Buck Mark, which unfortunately don’t show the controls.) The 22/45′s slide release was a little finicky for me, and very finicky for Melissa. One design nitpick: all of the Ruger’s controls look like buttons, but in reality only one of them (the magazine release) can be pressed inward. The other two are switches that must be thumbed up and down. Not only is the design confusing, it’s poor ergonomically. Controls that are moved by sweeping motions need broad, flat surfaces, not conical buttons.
The biggest difference was in the trigger. The Ruger trigger was just OK. The Browning trigger was a delight. It required just a short, light press, which is what you want in a target pistol. I could easily touch off a round using the pad of the first digit of my index finger.
Conclusions
Comparing two similar pistols side-by-side is enlightening. It reminds me of wine tastings, where you compare, for instance, two Australian Chardonnays. Even though they’re similar, the differences stand out in sharp relief.
Of the two, the Browning was our favorite by far. At just $309 for this mid-line model, it’s a steal. Both guns are available in higher-trim versions. Another pistol in this same price range is the SIG Hammerli Trailside, which has been the subject of rave reviews.
Melissa had lots of fun, and I think she’s trying to talk Allison into going with us one night. Next time we may shoot a larger caliber, like a .380 or 9 MM.
A night out at the pistol range was relatively cheap. We didn’t pay any range fees because I’m a member and Melissa is a lady (and Tuesday is Ladies Night). Rental fees for two pistols plus 200 rounds of ammo totalled just sixteen dollars. That’s cheaper than two movie tickets and a trip to the concession stand.
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I bought a Buckmark Camper as my first new gun. 5.5″ barrel and “Tru-glow” front sight. I agree wholly with your appraisal. I tried a friend Ruger first and chose the Browning
Buckmarks really are awesome. Since that review I’ve shot the Buckmark side-by-side against the Walther P22 and Ruger Mark II. I still like the Buckmark the best. That trigger is hard to beat.
I just bought my own Buckmark today. It’s a 5.5″ with the Tru-Glo front site (just like Glenn’s). Love it. Price was $259.
I’m glad you all found the Buckmark to be a good pistol. I purchased a Buckmark Camper and sold it 2 months later. The first trip out was a disaster. The rear sight mount cracked somewhere between the 10th and 50th shot. Browning provided excellent customer service and shipped a replacement ASAP. My troubles returned on my next trip as the rear sight mount came loose every other magazine. My friend who owns a Ruger 22/45 would not shoot my Buckmark…”too much work tightening the screws.” Yes the “lock washer” WAS in place. My last straw with the Buckmark was when the tab for the slide release came flying off. Took us 20 minutes to find it. Sold the $219.00 gun at a loss and purchased a Trailside. Maybe I came accross a lemon but from now on NO MORE CHEAP guns for me. As far as accuracy goes shot great when sights were tight! Pain in the rear to clean. I can take the trailside apart and put it back together in 30 seconds. Took me AND A FRIEND (he held the gun) over 3 minutes to take apart and put back together. In all fairness I should say that I did have to take time to find a part as it flew across the garage. Good luck.
I just purchased a Buckmark micro and my first time to the range was frustrating. It jammed on every type of ammo I used (5 different ones!). It jammed constantly. I was extremely disappointed.
I have a Browning Buck Mark as well and it is a fine weapon. Granted, disassembly for cleaning is not as easy as with my Glock, but a great pistol regardless. I have shot over 1000 rounds of cheap ammo and had one stove pipe and no feed failures.
I have fired a Ruger 22/45 with friends at the shooting pit.
I was impressed with its ability to feed the cheapest .22 rounds(Winchester, box of 500) flawlessly with no jams.
Anyone know how well it functions with Mini-Mag and Stinger rounds?
A local place carries a few different models starting at $209 USD, I think I’ll pick one up.
-n
I have a Ruger Mark I that I bought from a friend in 1964 for $35, and have hardly shot until last year, and a Ruger BuckMark. I regularly shoot them back to back in target shooting and much prefer BuckMark.
I recently purchased a Browning Buckmark Standard and am very pleased with it. I looked at all the other models (Ruger, Walther, SIG). And always came back to the Browning. I liked the way the grip feels. When I first took it out, I had to do quite a bit of adjusting to the rear sight. But now, I am shooting very good. It will accept all types of ammo. Had some problems with the Federal Lightning ammo (duds, stovepipes). All other ammo I tried was flawless (CCI, Stinger, Remington). Before I bought my Browning, I tried a friends Ruger 22/45. The grip was nice, but I didn’t like the controls (safety, clip release, etc.). I also couldn’t hit anything with it. If you are looking for a fun, easy to use 22, the Browning Buckmark is it.
Gotta agree. The buckmark is a great pistol for
.22 shooting. Mine has ran thru thousands of
rounds, and the only problem I ever had with the
gun was that I had to replace the firing pin a
while back. Years of hard use take thier toll
eventually. But 6.95 and I was back at the range.
I’ve had good luck with mini-mag rounds, but stingers tend to hang up if you load the clip up with more than seven or so. Also, I’ve found that some types of hollowpoint rounds dont work well in
the buckmark, and will get hung up too.
I HAVE OWNED A BUCKMARK PISTOL FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS NOW AND THE ONLY TIME IT HAS EVER JAMMED IS WHEN MY DAD DROPPED IN THE SAND I HAVE FIRED THOUSANDS OF ROUNDS WITH IT AND HAVE FOUND IT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST HANDGUNS I HAVE EVER OWNED IT IS EXTREMELY ACCURATE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, VERY FUN
Bought a Buckmark Standard last year for $269. My friend bought a Smith&Wesson 22A a few days later. We took them to the local quarry/shooting range, and man, what a difference. My Buckmark performed flawlessly all day, while the Smith&Wesson jammed at least once per magazine. Granted, I had cleaned my Buckmark thoroughly prior to firing it, while my friend had not cleaned the Smith, but even so the Browning was twice the gun. Much more accurate, better balance and handling, and generally more fun to shoot. I’ve put maybe 500 rounds through it to date, and couldn’t be happier with it’s performance.
I have a Ruger 22/45 in a 4″ stainless and a Ruger “Great Eight” Blue slabside 8″ target type. I like them well enough but invariably when shooting the 9th round jamms up. The lead is smashed by the bolt and the case is dented. I wonder if this is problematic with the magazine design or the spring strength. Regardless the G8 does a very good job with Federal or Remmington bulk packs from mega-lo-mart and the stainless is okay for half the barrel length as well. No issue with the sights but for the controls they are painful to use after a while. The button type bolt release requires two thumbs. I reshaped the metal that actually holds the bolt from coming forward to have less surface area and therefore slides easier to close the bolt.
Well, I just ordered a Buck Mark Plus, with the 5.5″ barrel, wood grips, and high-vis front sight. Cost $350. It’ll be my first semi-auto pistol. The Browning seemed the best choice after reading all the praise here, on Kim du Toit’s site, and an old Gun Tests article from the 90s that picked the Buck Mark Plus as the best basic target .22.
For various annoying reasons I won’t be able to pick the gun up until the end of the month. I’m really looking forward to taking it to the range and seeing what it can do.
I had bought a S&W 422 for my wife and was using it for a while. Recently bought my friends Browning Buckmark 5.5 Field with a BSA Red Dot Sight mounted on the integral scope rail. The gun was completely apart and when I put it back together and remounted the red dot sight it took one small adjustment to get it on the X. While bench rested from 50 feet (or 20 yards, not sure which), comparing the S&W side by side with the Buckmark the Browning was consistently better, scoring 97, 97, 98 & 100/100 while I scored 88, 82 & 74 with the S&W. I think two of the major factors for the better scores are the trigger on the Buckmark is much smoother and easier as well as contoured for better feel on the finger — it also had a trigger job done to it already, and the wood grips she had already put on it while the S&W was stock. I’m looking into wood grips for the S&W & to see if I can get a trigger job done as well, but overall I think the balance of the Buckmark was also much better so the S&W will never be as good a gun. I really hope to see a difference at tonight’s bullseye match!
I almost bought a Ruger due to a great trade but passed because of “the look.” I finally horse-traded successfully thanks to a friendly shop in DeLand, Florida for a standard Buck Mark with high-viz sights. I’ve had a few problems with jams using inexpensive (Armscor) ammo but it likes domestic stuff fine. Love the trigger and the look of the gun. Feels great and shoots the lights out. Takedown is somewhat unfriendly but that doesn’t outweigh what I like.
Your web sight is difficult to read. A light background and dark text would make it easier.
I Just bought a Buck Mark Camper. I love it. Just wondering if anyone has shot it with a red dot system on it? If so, how do you like it? Does it mount to a weaver standard mounting plate? If you could also reply by email I would appreciate it. ccokhouse4@aol.com
Make that cookhouse4@aol.com Sorry
I bought a Hammerli Trailside (competition model), an excellant pistol EXCEPT for the sights. Th front sight is milled from the same piece of steel as the barrel so it can’t be changed, (not really a big problem since it’s nice and crisp).
The rear sight is another story. The elevation barely reaches 25 meters, (six o’clock hold), the windage adjustment is mushy, (can just barely feel clicks). This is maybe a five dollar sight.
I e-mailed the importer, Sig Arms, about my problem (no response). I then wrote them a letter . . . no response.
I am stil looking for a fix for this pistol, (I did try shooting it with a scope and it is very accurate), lawyer proof trigger though.
I am looking into getting a browning buckmark, I was wondering if anyone that has owned one has put other types of sights on it. If any word please email me at plewi006@odu.edu
I just bought a Ruger 22/45. The store also had a Browning and I was tempted to buy it instead, but it was somewhat scratched.If the Browning is a better shooting Piece than my Ruger,it must be one great handgun. I hope to find someone who will allow me to fire their Browning Target gun. I may buy one of those also. I think Browning may be pumping the “Well Balanced” theme a bit much. The Ruger is very “Well Balanced” and is pin point with a steady Barell. Jerry, Vidor Tx. 77662
Update to my last post (Buckmark Camper, 4th from top, 17 Dec 2003). Shot a friend
OOPS! Inset “their” between with and $500.00 in my last post. BTW my S&W cost $209.00 new in 2002.
I bought a beretta neos and sold it at a loss due to a trigger that had almost as much “jump and creep” as my SKS. It looked like the muzzle had a gouge also. The buckmark hunter 7 1/2″ I bought has a trigger as good as my remington 700 (with a trigger job) and it shoots an inch or less with a red dot sight at 25 yards. Spend the extra money, it’s worth it.
I own a Walther P22 and it jams terribly with all ammo (works best with CCI Velocitors though.) I am too frustrated with it and am now thinking about the Buck Mark 22 pistol. I wish I had read the reviews on this site before buying the P22!
I bought a Browning buckmark about 3 months ago. I shot several .22 pistols before making my final purchase. They all were fun and had great features. The Browning was by far the best. I have never had a problem with the gun jamming. When hunting small game I use CCI Velocitors.
I have shot several .22s and I have found that the buckmark models handle and shoot as well as any of the others. I find mine to be much nicer than the ruger and it shoots almost as well as my $700 HS 107. I love the pointing qualities and the trigger is much better than most other lower cost .22s. I did have a reddot on it and loved it but it was a little heavy for the most art so I rarely use it. there is a company in Penn that makes a weaver rail for it. Great product. Take a good look at it if you are in the market for a decently made, lower priced .22
I returned my Ruger Mark III after it would not re-assemble. I
I BOUGHT A BUCKMARK HUNTER. FIRST TIME OUT SUCKED BECAUSE THE FACTORY GREASE SLOWED THE ACTION DOWN TO THE POINT IT WOULD JAM EVERY OTHER SHOT. NEXT TIME OUT WITH A LIGHT OIL CLEANING THE GUN WAS STILL JAMMING BECAUSE OF CHEAP PMC SIDWINDER AMMO. THE THIRD TIME OUT, WITH THE GUN STILL UNCLEANED FROM THE SECOND SHOOTING SESSION THE GUN SHOT GREAT DUE TO THE AMMO CHANGE FROM PCM TO CCI MINI MAGS. IT SHOT OVER 250 ROUNDS WITHOUT A JAM.
MY CONCLUSION IS THAT THE BUCKMARK IS A GREAT PISTOL THAT DOES NOT LIKE GREASE AND LIKES A QUALITY AMMO TO OPERATE THE SPEEDY BLOE BACK ACTION.
I HAVE NEVER HAD JAMMING PROBLEMS WITH REMINGTON LIGHTNING BOLT AMMO OR CCI MINI MAGS, ALL 500 ROUND FOR 6 DOLLARS AMMO JAMMED.
I have had many .22 pistols. Starting with my first the Buck Mark. I bought it used for $150 the day I turned 21. About 10 thousand rounds later and mabby 10 jams, I decided to try something diferent a ruger single six a great gun. The single six saw little action but was traded for a Walther P22. The walther is a cool looking gun and the acuracy was good as well. After about 300 rounds through the p22 the slide would not stay open. A new clip fixed the problem. I found the walther clips to be good for about 500 rounds. On my third cleaning or so I found extensive ware marks on the inside of the slide. And i don’t know about you but 1500 round is nothing,so I got rid of it for a Trailside. The trailside is probebly one of the most acurate hanguns I’ll ever shoot but…..The very first time I shot it the triger guard broke. After about 500 rounds the slide sometimes did not go into full battery so you have to press it forward for your next shot. Wow 500 bucks ony bought acuracy. Well after six years of .22 Im back to the Buck mark a proven performer. I just put a optima 2000 sight on mine and wow what fun. I have about 2500 rounds through my new buck mark and mabby 2 failures. All the problems that people named above are small compared to the problems I had with my other .22′s. And by the way I just bought a used sigle six. I consider the single six the second best 22 made. just below the Buck mark.
I need heelp disessembling my smith and wesson model 422 to clean it i lack the owners manual can anyone help me
its the best gun……………… NOT.
I have owned around 15-16 guns in my life, but when it comes to fun, I liked my 22/45 (short bull barrel) more than anything else I ever fired, assault weapons included. I just had an extra 250. or so burning a hole in my pocket, wanted to do more pistol shooting but at lower cost and lower noise(being a considerate neighbor). Turned out to be the most enjoyable “toy”(for lack of a better term) I ever laid my hands on.
I did not keep it for long, as financial burdens forced me to sell it shortly after, but when I get the urge to do some shooting for fun, I miss my old Ruger .22 Almost all of my firearms have been self-defense related, this wasn’t and it might be my all time favorite.
I like steel better and next time will probably get a MK II, but the 22/45 I was extremely happy with and I would reccomend it as a fine recreational peice.
I had a Mark II target with a 6&7/8″ barrel. That .22 shot 10 round groups at 25 yards that could be covered by a quarter!!! Turned my back on it while chatting with a buddy at the range and when I turned back there was no Ruger on the bench!!! ouch!
Replaced it with another Mark II target, with a 5.5 bull barrel. The new ruger had the worst trigger pull I ever encountered. After a trigger job, though, it was fine…most rugers seem to need trigger jobs.
I was disappointed with this gun. It shot very well but never equalled the accuracy of the long barrel. Wasn’t balanced as well, either. Of course, a gun like my original can spoil you.
One thing I despise about the Rugers…they’re a pain to field strip and even worse to reassemble. I literally set up in front of the TV set for the evening when cleaning this gun…not my idea of fun!
So, I’m looking for a replacement for my replacement. I’d heard good things about the Buckmark so thought that might be the way to go. But I’m gun-shy (sorry) about the comments regarding the stripping of the Buckmark…can anyone speak to that subject for me???
I have owned my Browning Buckmark Plus since early 1988 (serial # 655PP025xx) and it is very rare that it jams, except when it gets truely dirty! I find the takedown process a little annoying, but I do not complain about it compared to some other guns I have had in the past or those that I have borrowed from friends and had the responsibility to then clean. As for the iron sights, have not had any problems coming loose, but a little “Lock-Tite” will surely fix that problem.
As for accuracy, other than a heavy barrel .22 rifle I have dating back to 1940′s that belonged to my dad — Nothing shoots as well as this darling of a pistol. Over the past 15+ years I cannot even guess now on how many rounds have been fired through the barrel. My friends and I used to shoot every week at the indoor range that I belonged to and so I bought 1000 rounds or more each month. It really likes the Remington “Golden Bullets” (accurate and clean burning) and I hate the Federal ammo seeing they burn slowly fouling the barrel so easily.
I need to replace the wood grips with the newer rubber grips, (I didn’t like the cheap flat plastic grips for a backup set), so not to ruin them shooting outdoors, and save their beautiful wood finish so when I pass this down to my kids. Also thinking of getting a new 7 inch fluted barrel from Browning later this winter and a scope for a change of fun.
I have recommended the Browning Buckmark’s with a 5-1/2″ or longer barrelled gun to all my friends and would not trade or sell it thinking a Ruger Mark “anything” would feel or shoot as well !!!
my wife just got her first pistol abuckmark she can shot almost as good as myself
I’ve only ever owned 3 .22 pistols. A Browning Buckmark Camper, a Walther P22, and a Colt Huntsman (made in 1962). I like the thick barrel of the Camper and the look of the P22, but the best shooter by far is the Huntsman. I’ve plucked birds out of the air, shot links out of a dangling chain at 30 yards and made many other sharp shots with the Huntsman, but I can’t make the same claims for the other two. I can’t complain about any of these pistols as I’ve put at least 15,000 rounds through each and only rarely had jamming problems. I highly recommend using Mini-Mag or Velocitor ammuntion through the P22. Thanks for your time.
The Browning is a good gun but is not in the same class as the Ruger 22/45. I have earned medals in the military for shooting the .45 so the 22/45 having the same setup is fantastic. The Ruger will shoot any ammo and is much easier than the Browning to clean. If you are the type to overlook cleaning your gun than the Browning is fine if you do not mind the often jams you will experience. They are both accurate.
my family owns a mark i, ii, and iii(22/45). we have never had a single problem from any of these weapons and i find them to be insanly reliable. we have shot over a thosand rounds between cleanings on family outings on the mark i and ii. all are insanely accurate. i will admit though that i have always admired the brwonigs trigger, but the ruger can be fixed with a volquartsen sear.
What do you think about the Ruger KMK10?
It’s a Mark II with 10″ Bull barrel and all in stainless steel? Putting balance and sights aside, do you think the BuckMark hunter is more accurate?
i’ve been torn back and forth between 3 guns. The Walther p22 due to its looks and ease of adding accessories, the Ruger Mark II or III becaue Rugers are unstoppable mules, and the Buckmark because of reviews from this site and others. WHAT IS THE BEST??
I bought a Ruger 22/45 Mark 3 pistol with a 4 inch barrel.I dont understand people having problems with them.First thing i did when i brought it home was dissasemble it i read the directions,and it took me 15 minutes to dissasemble and put back together.shooting it was great.I have shot about 5000 rounds through it,cleaning it every 1000 rond or so and havent had any problems with it at all.It is very accurate.I hit quarter and dime size targets with it with just regular sights.I Love It.best 22 i have ever owned and i have owned alot of them.
i would have to agree.ialso have a ruger 22/45 and it is awsome,it eats ant ammo you feed it,its extremely rugged,accurate,what more do you need? i like mine so much i had the barrel threaded and bought a gemtech outback 2 silencer for it.and now its even more fun.i would agree it is the best 22 pistol.well its been selling since 1949,and still selling like crazy.thats got to tell you something!
Bought my Browning Camper when they first hit the market (150 bucks), and never looked back. I have shot a lot of 22s, mainly my dads old Colt Targetsman (FANTASTIC gun), but the trigger on my Browning is wide, flat, smooth, and accurate.Love the bull barrel. Looking to red dot site it, any suggestions?
Just bought a buckmark camper with blue trim. $279. Cant wait to pick it up. A friend has the one with the flat barrel sides, and says its been fireing flawless for 8 years. At the range today, i fired 3 of my handguns over 100 rounds, No problems at all. 1.glock 19. 2.taurus pt-140. 3. Ruger p-90. My friends new desert eagle 44 couldn’t hardly get 2 round out without a jam and 3 kinds of ammo. He’s had it back to store/gunsmith 3 times. He took it back again and got store credit and bought a ruger superredhawk 44, and a ruger gp100 357. I almost bought a gp100 blue but needed the buckmark to plink around with the kids.
I’m looking into buying a Buckmark as my first pistol. I’m mostly a rifle and shotgun shooter.
I would like to know if anybody has handled or shot the new Sig Mosquito yet. I’m always partial to browning and with all I’ve heard about the ruger, s&w and the beretta, I think John gets the sale again.
I just bought a Ruger Mark 3 22. Hunter 6 7/8″ barrel. Using remington 22. high power hollow points, 2nd bullet jammed. 4th bullet jammed. 5th bullet jammed. Loaded clip with just 5 bullets. Same thing happened. Changed Magazine to the second mag (came with two mags)Now it only jammed half as often… I put 480 rounds through the gun in 4 hours. I had missfeeds at the top of the chamber and at the ramp… I must have had at least 30 rounds with slices in the bullet tips… It jammed just as predictably at round 480 as it had at round 2! Too bad as this was a very accurate handgun. I’m going back this weekend and trying different ammunition. Has anyone else had this experience with this gun? Oh, also after about 300 rounds, the front sight came lose and was twirling around the top of the barrel. The rangemaster tightened it for me and after 50 more rounds it came loose again. I asked him to use loctite and that worked. Too bad he put the sight on backwards (LOL) Wait till I bring it in to him this weekend…
Hi all, I am caught between a buckmark bullseye used for $280 or a new ruger. I have a 10/22 and love it to death and I like how the ruger has an ejection port. It looks like a 9mm. The bullseye aside from being dirty is as new and it is the bullseye. Is the single blowback better? I heard the firing pins go out and I plan to fire thousands through it.
Can’t speak on the Browning, haven’t shot one. Like the feel, balance, and trigger though.
Friend of mine at work got the Walther P22. First visit to the range he had jamming problems. We’ll see how that goes after a box or two.
I have the 6 7/8″ bull barrel Ruger MkII. Took wife to the range with it. First time with any kind of gun. She did well (70% of first 2 mags, 75% of second 2 mags).
When she was done, she said, “I want one just like this.” Took me a couple of weeks, and visits to every gun shop in a 30-mile radius, but I found a twin MkII (bull barrel and all).
The Ruger, shooting one-handed dueling stance at 30 feet, grouped inside a circle the size of a tuna can lid. Better with two hands. Very clean, very smooth. Sweet pistol.
I have owned the Ruger Mark II, stainless bull barrel for several years and recently purchased a Buck Mark Camper as my wife and daughter had developed some interest in shooting with me. I have now on several ocassions had both pistols at the range. Without exception, friends and family that have picked up the two, choose to start out with the Buck Mark. All have liked the feel of the grip better on the Buck Mark than the Mark II. Again without expeption, everyone that shot with both ended up hogging my Mark II. Once the get a look at their pattern with the Mark II, I can’t get it back. I too love the grip on the Buck Mark but am much more accurate shooting the Mark II. I have a few jams with the Buck Mark but attribute that to being relatively new. Seems to get better as a few round pass through.
My biggest concern with the Buck Mark arose today when my wife attempted to fire the pistol and nothing happened. Realizing that the saftety was engaged, she pulled the pistol back to disengage the safety. As soon as she disengaged the saftey, the gun discharged. Fortunately she is very good about always keeping her weapon pointed down range.
When I got home I tried to duplicate the mishap and found that if the safety is not fully engaged, it will keep the weapon from discharging when pulling the trigger and the pin hits as soon as the safety is disengaged. Is this peculiar to my Buck Mark or do others do this? I consider this to be a hazard as it is fairly easy to push the safety up but not quite all the way up. I could not duplicate this with the Mark II, either of my 380s, 1911 or 9mm.
My Buck Mark wants to drop the magazine every two or Three shots. I have two clips and it happens with both of them but one a bit more frequently. Anybody had this problem and did they solve it??
appreciate a response if any one knows the answer.
Jimh
Hello
I just purchased a Micro Buck Mark made by Browning with the Bull barrel. I love the pistol but it hates the ammo I am using; Remington .22 shells? The pistol never jammed but refused to fire some rounds 1 or 2 shells per clip. When reloaded into the clip the shells fired on the second attempt?
I am a GLOCK owner and not used to this; is there anyone who could recommend an ammo that is more reliable. “Please”
Also will the pistol accept a scope?
Where can I get new grips, accessories?
Thank you in advance for any words of wisdom and happy holidays….
Hello
I just purchased a Micro Buck Mark made by Browning with the Bull barrel. I love the pistol but it hates the ammo I am using; Remington .22 shells? The pistol never jammed but refused to fire some rounds 1 or 2 shells per clip. When reloaded into the clip the shells fired on the second attempt?
I am a GLOCK owner and not used to this; is there anyone who could recommend an ammo that is more reliable. “Please”
Also will the pistol accept a scope?
Where can I get new grips, accessories?
Thank you in advance for any words of wisdom and happy holidays….
Looking to buy my first 22. Im looking at the S&W 22a and the buck mark but not sure which one. Both with about 5.5 – 7 inch barrels. I have not found to much info on the comparison of these two. How do they differ? The 22a seems to be the cheapest 22 that shoots well with minor problems. Is the Buck Mark so much better? Is it worth spending $100 or $200 more for??? looking for a fun gun thats accurate and reliable. easy to clean would be nice too. any info will be appreciated
Just bought a Beretta Neo U22 with 6″ barrel and immediately took it to the range and put nearly 400 rods through it, Remington bulk hollow points (525 rds for $10). The gun points great and functioned flawlessly. The trigger was just fine and I had no trouble double tapping steel swingers and keeping the groups tight from an offhand position. I only shot at 10 yds, so it wasn’t that difficult, however, I didn’t have any trouble hitting the swingers at 50 yds and beyond either. The magazines are easy to load and the modular U22 system is very cool and parts are relatively cheap. The only flaw was the rear sight screw would drift out on it’s own every few magazines. I hope blue locktight is the solution, it seems so. I think this one will be a favorite, a top favorite (I have ~ 30 shooting guns)far into the future.
Jack
I bought a Sig Mosquito and Walther P22 the same day, The P22 functions flawlessly and the Sig Mosquito, well is not worthy of the Sig name, does not work with any thing i have put in it but cci mini mags and i refuse to just shoot mini mags, sent gun back to Sig for reapair or replacement, so we’ll see what they do
I have been shooting a Ruger 22-45 Great Eight for about 5 years. Put maybe 3000 rounds of the cheapest ammo K-Mart sells through it. I have never had a jam. Not one jam, Not one stovepipe. One dud, I think. (or was that in my rifle?) When I really want to splurge I use Remington hollowpoints. They’re perfect, too.
I have had a BSA red dot scope on it most of the time, and it’s far more accurate than I can hold it. Off a sandbag it will put 10 rounds through a one inch hole at 50′. With my holding it, I get a 3 to 4 inch group. I love it, but I’m getting old and shaky, and it’s not that light.
By the way, it’s not hard to reassemble if you follow directions and practice every morning for a couple of hours before you get up.
I have just ordered a Buck Mark with countour 5.5″ barrel, and the neatest rubber grips I have ever felt. It’s lighter than the Ruger, so my son will likely inherit the old gun and my weary hands will try the new ($310) pistol after my 10 day California waiting period is up. (“But I’m angry NOW!”)
More then…
Anyone compare a Buckmark .22 with a Kimber .22? Haven’t been able to find a Buckmark .22 for sale anywhere, backordered, not sure of delivery. Thinking of Getting a Kimber because its available now, even though much more money!!!
I am astonished at some the reviews about the Hammerli Trailside. I own a buckmark and the Trailside, while my brother owns a MKII Ruger. When it comes to operation, there is no comparison. The Trailside takes the cake, thousands of rounds and MAYBE… MAYBE 1 or 2 jams due to being dirty. I believe my Buckmark has a better trigger than the MKII but, it is not comparable to the Trailside’s PERFECT trigger. I said it, PERFECT.
Buckmark is an awesome deal for the money, but if you want the best target .22 pistol without spending thousands, you have to try the Trailside… ITS A HAMMERLI!!!!
Just took my buckmark camper out for a quick 100 rounds. Lifetime rifle shooter/hunter, and I’ve fired a half-dozen to a dozen friends’ pistols/revolvers/S.S. handguns. (Single Six, Glock 19, Redhawk in 45 Colt, T/C 44 mag, T/C 45/70 WWII Browning .22 pistol, Llama .45 ACP, S&W Sigma 9mm etc.) Buckmark camper is my first handgun. Right out of the box (literally) it is spot on, and no failures of any kind. Started making a big mess out of the centers of several cactus pads from 30 to 50 feet. Ended up shooting the tops off of flowers about every other shot. Trigger is crisp with short travel light pull. The only triggers on the above list that are comparable are the Single Six, and the WWII browning. All were great, except the LLama, which had FTF problems, and couldn’t hit water if fired from a boat. (Glock put 50 rounds high and to the left, but I’m sure it was just a bad match between gun grips and my grip. They were all in nice tight group high and left.) 100 rounds in and I love the Browning.
I purchased my Buckmark Plus UDX stainless, 5.5 inch slab side barrel, with adjustable Truglow sights a year ago. It has been the most fun to shoot of any caliber handgun that I own.
I added a Reflex red dot sight which improved my groups from fist size groups at 15 yds to thumbnail size groups.
It is a beautiful little gun that shoots as good as it looks.