Ruger MKII or Browning Buckmark?

L

LiquidTension

New member
Thinking about getting a 22 pistol. It's just for plinking at the range, not going to compete with it or anything, won't put optics on it. The Buckmark is a little more expensive and not as easy to find around here. I'll probably end up ordering one anyway. Any opinions or comments on these 2 guns would be appreciated.:)

- LT
 
RUGER

I traded my Buckmark in on a Ruger Competition Model Slab-Side after having
it only 6 weeks... Haven't regreted it since.
 
Either one would be a good choice. I have owned a few of each. I currently have only a Buckmark Plus. The Ruger is probably more durable and certainly is a good gun, but I do not like the plastic frame on the 22/45 and I don't like the grip angle of the regular Ruger pistol. If Ruger made a 22/45 style pistol with a metal frame I would be interested. Until then I'll just keep the Buckmark. Watch-Six
 
I own both.

Buckmark

Pro: It fits my hand, shoots well, you have a large choice of options including barrels. I love their triggers, very crisp.

Con: most people complain about the fact that the sight base gets loose after about 100 rounds. It may or may not fit your hand well, it doesnt work well for small hands.

MkII

Pro: designed to take a tactical nuke head on and still shoot. A LOT of options and accesories out there. Shoots well.

Con: Their triggers feel mushy to me. The grip angle may or may not work for you, it doesnt for me. Field striping takes some getting used to and requiers a mallet. You can not change barrel type or length without getting a new serial number and that whole legal mess (barrel is part of the receiver and part of the legal "gun").



All that aside, I prefer the Buckmark. It works for me better then the MkII. I can shoot it better even though it has a shorter barrel. I can clean it faster and I like the grip angle and trigger. Will I sell my MkII? Hell no, it is more reliable and it is easier to teach new people how to shoot it. Basicaly, the Buckmark is my range gun, and my MkII would be my field gun if I ever need it one. Please dont take that to imply that the Buckmark is fragile. Its just that the MkII is made out surplus battleships as far as I can tell.

Hold them both in your hands. Try renting or borrowing both and see how they shoot for you. Either way you can really go wrong.

Loch
 
Additional Buck Mark concern

It's full of tiny little parts and has a plastic recoil buffer that wears out.

Ruger is easier to maintain overall, especially in Stainless.

However, I shoot my Buck Mark better than my MkII slabside 6 7/8.

Regards.
 
Both are fine-fine guns, but I'd stick with the Ruger. A real classic for sure. But' I sure hate field-stripping the Ruger (old design)! Myself, I use a 6" Smith&Wesson 617 for targets, dead on!!!
 
The Buckmark's

magazines are a lot easier on your thumbs than the traditional Mk series Ruger.(It's a toss-up with the plastic Ruger.) . They also have arguably better adjustable sights. You can swap barrels as another poster mentioned. In effect, you can have one for plinking duty, and another for target use w/o the expense of another gun. The Browning is also available in a Challenger model with a dramatic reduction in the dimensions of the grip frame. Perfect for smaller hands, like kids. Lastly, you can see the chamber on an open action from both sides of the gun, no matter which side you lay it down on. The safety officers at the public range really like that.:)
 
This again?

Just pick the one you think feels best for you. Really. Trust me on this. (Or browse the previous threads. You'll see that there are people in favor of both the weapons, and what it really comes down to is personal preference.)
 
I recently asked the same question. I settled on a used stainless Ruger Mark II with a 5.5 bull barrel. It is a great gun and I'm totally satisfied. I was shocked (after reading many negatives about the topic) at how easy I was able to break this gun down and reassemble it. That said the Buckmark seemed to be a pretty nice gun also, but the Ruger seemed the better buy to me. Do a search under 22 pistols and you'll find a lot of info on these two guns.
 
I have a Browning BuckMark because it was the cheapest one on sale at the time I wanted a .22lr pistol.

Shoot both and buy whichever one you like better.
 
I`ve got both and much prefer the Buckmark. My ol Ruger MK2 5.5" bull barrel was a great shooting gun but it was always a PITA to strip,the grip angle never felt right (to me),the heel magazine release stinks,it`s heavy to carry around and the button type controls are uncomfortable and difficult to use fast. That said I shot untold thousands of rounds through it and enjoyed it just the same. It was stolen 14 years ago and recently recovered discarded mere yards from my old house rusted solid in the dirt. :mad: No gun deserves to go that way. :( The Buckmarks I`ve had on the other hand feel great in my hand (same grip angle as a 1911),the mags jump right out when you punch th release (BTW the mags are also much easier to reload),the controls are large and easy to use (and all just like a 1911),it`s a bit lighter and flatter which makes it nice to carry when hiking etc.,and as a bonus the triggers are much better. Between my 2 Buckmarks I probably put 10K rounds through em and I`ve had 0 problems,no worn out buffers,no lost parts,nada. They both still work and shoot just like new. I gave the standard model to my Father and currently have a nice two tone Micro Plus Nickle SE which I LOVE. Compared to a close relative`s Ruger 22/45 the Buckmark has it all over it. Overall quality,fit and finish are better. The trigger is much better. The mags don`t have those huge plastic baseplates and the controls are,again far more comfortable and easier to use. The Ruger however sports an Optima 2000 and is a blast to shoot. You can`t go wrong with either brand but IMO the Buckmark is a nicer package. Marcus
 
Browningsare my choice!

I have owned numerous .22 pistols over the past several decades, Ruger 22/45s, Mk Is and IIs, S&W 2206 and 22S and 22A, Browning Challengers and Buck Marks, Bersas, Tauri, Colt's Cadet (oops, can't all it that), even a Colt Ace, so my opinion comes from a fair amount of experience.

I currrently have three Brownings:
A 4" Micro with adjustable sights.
A 5.5" Target with Tasco Accu-Dot
A 10" Silhouette with Simmons 2x scope.

They are each accurate, easy to shoot well, possess nice triggers (adjustble on the Target and Silhouette models) and feel so much nicer to my hand than any of the others I have owned. They are better than most I have owned, and just as good as others, which is why I still have them.

Are the Rugers good guns? Yes.

Do I prefer the BuckMarks to the Rugers? You bet!
 
It was stolen 14 years ago and recently recovered discarded mere yards from my old house rusted solid in the dirt.
Click to expand...

That's a unique tale. Reminds of the time someone swiped a portable color tv from my house. There was a vacant old dog house in front of my residence and that's where they stashed it. Found it several days later. I guess it pays to check the obvious.
 
I have a Buckmark and love it. Because of my own carelessness, I damaged the gun and Browning was super in replacing it at no charge. Can't comment about Ruger, but service from Browning is EXCELLENT.
 
After the first cleaning or so, you no longer need the mallet to separate the barrel assembly from the frame. Also, for those of you who do not enjoy the take down and reassembly of the Mark II (a real macho feat) a kit is now on the market that simplifies the operation.
 
lochaber hit the nail on the head about all the pros and cons of each. I hate how the Buckmark's sight base almost always works loose. The sight base holds the gun together so its not too good when its about to fall off! The Buckmark trigger however is better than the Ruger's. I've found that accuracy is comparable with both models. And since your intended purpose is plinking at the range I'd recommend the Ruger overall because of the solid construction, fairly good trigger, and good accuracy. If you do decide to get a Buckmark make sure you bring the allen wrench to tighten the sight base down if it works loose
 
When it comes down to a fun plinker (or any gun), get the one that feels the best in your hand. Try to buy used even, save some money. Both guns will outlast you with a little bit of care.
 
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