Forget The Big 2
I'm not quite sure if everyone is over their spat with Smith & Wesson yet, but if your options go beyond the MkII and the Buckmark try out a S&W Model 22.
Available with interchangeable barrels in blue or matte stainless from 4" to 7" (no 4" stainless), 10 round magazines and prices starting at $179 for the blued 4 inch, I can personally vouch for this gun as I was a recent owner.
I tried a MkII and wondered what all the fuss was about, the grip angle was terrible and the gun looked like it was an air pistol replica of a Luger, on top of that just how in the heck does anyone manage to clean one properly. I envisioned hours of bending Q-Tips into awkward shapes and dipping them in Hoppes #9. The Buckmark was the better of the 2 but was pricier than the 22A. The Smith looks, feels and shoots great, the cheap and nasty plastic grips on the blued models can be replaced with the rubber version found on the Stainless, only the sights left something to be desired, but at least they were adjustable.
The gun never jammed right out of the box, and digested everything from standard to hyper velocity ammo without a hitch. I found it to be very accurate and superb value, I intend to buy another just as soon as circumstances permit,
Mike H