Buckmark

[AustinMike]

I'm looking at getting a .22 for steel. Rugers just don't seem to fit my paws very well, so I'm looking at the Buckmark. There's a bunch of different models, so which one works best for steel? The 5.5 slab side barrel seems to feel balanced to me and the grip is much better to me that the Rugers. Is something like the Contour (full length rail) desirable in case I might put an optic on later? Or stick with the Standard model and slap a rail on if need be? Or maybe a light weight like the Splash? Too many choices!

Also are older ones any better than new production? I saw a '96 (based on serial number code) 5.5 slab side on consignment, but they were asking $390, which seems awful high for a used Bucky. I wasn't sure if there is anything about older production models that make them more desirable.

[BayouSlide]

I bought a Buckmark Contour URX 5.5 just to play around with and to see if I---and my aging eyes---might benefit from an Open gun. Liked the gun and barrel length. Naturally, with the rail I soon began experimenting with some inexpensive red dots. I began to REALLY enjoy with it with a ATN Ultrasight, a C-more style red dot but with multiple recticles....the balance felt perfect, especially since I mounted it a little on the forward side. The additional heft in the right spot was the ticket to smoothing transitions for me. Prior to that, the balance always felt a little odd, considering I shoot a Glock 34 in Production. Great fun now with steel plates.

We have a 4-gun match yearly and I've been shooting Open class just to use the Buckmark with the dot.

Mine just loves Federal Automatch, BTW.

[mwx40x40]

I don't own one , but I would be tempted to get the one they call Buckmark Fusion. It has some funky splatter paint on it, but that's not why I like it. These models already have aluminum shrouded barrels that should make it a bit lighter , but with decent sight radius.

[AustinMike]

They've got a couple light models out there. Looks like the Splash Lite and Contour Lite have the aluminum barrel shroud. Hmm... Lighter is probably better for steel, huh? Actually, the Splash looks pretty pimp, but I don't know about the Hi Viz front sight.

[BayouSlide]

YMMV, but sometimes lighter isn't better...Probably comes the majority of trigger time shooting Production USPSA with my Glock, but I almost found the Contour URX a little TOO light at first, twitchy rather than planted, if you get my drift. Whatever the reason, I like it best with the addition heft and balance from the dot sight.

When I shot steel challenge-type events with my 9mm I actually found the additional heft of a tungsten extended guide rod helpful in planting/stopping the muzzle where I wanted it in the wide swings from target to target. Of course, that wouldn't necessarily be useful in a fast run on a plate rack.

All that said, what I don't know about shootin' would fill many books...Brian our host wrote one of 'em

[warpspeed]

I bought a camper. Cheapest one I could find. Changed out the top rail & barrel with stuff from Tactical Solutions and off to the races.

Not sure what a Splash Lite is but I'll have to weigh mine and see how close the weight is. As far as the front sight, one screw and it's gone !!!

[Kingman]

I have a 5.5 target with the full rib on top. Mine is an older model. Probably 17 years old or so, and love it.

[AustinMike]

Well, I guess it was my lucky day. I popped into a gun shop and in their used section was a pristine looking standard Buckmark for $180. No scratches, clean bore. The only thing I didn't like was that some nimrod evidently dryfired it and there was a little peening on the chamber face. It's not creating a burr into the chamber that I could tell, but I had the shop's smith take a look. Looked fine under magnification and he said he'd take care of it if there were any problems. So, it came home with me. I ran 50 or 60 rounds of the bulk pack Remington Golden bullet through and had two fail to fires. The first happened on my second shot, which had me worried, but when I ran the cartridge through again it still didn't go off, so I guess just bad ammo. It happened one more time a few magazines later. The strikes look deep enough (should be if the firing pin dinged the chamber face.) 50 rounds of CCI high mini-mags ran fine. No fail-to-feed or fail-to-extract from anything. I think I'll stick with the mini-mags for matches and the bulk crap for practice.

Now, how long can I hold off pimping this beauty out with Tactical Solutions stuff?

[zhunter]

Great buy dude!!!

[warpspeed]

That's the ticket !

I got mine for ~ $200 and it has been pimped already.

[gm iprod]

I'll keep this quite in case the wife hears me typing.

Bought a Buckmark Camper Stainless Steel yesterday (round barrel with rubber grips) with fibre optic front sight, my Dad bought one a month ago and my eldest daughter loved it. She beat him at my Dad's local club last weekend and again on Wednesday. Grandpa is pleased and not pleased at the same time.

It cost me 500 rounds winchester 22lr and a new gun.

The only thing I will modify on the gun is take out the magazine disconnect.

[AustinMike]

Does anyone know if a C-more Railway on a tactical solutions rail allows you room to still get to the take down screws on top or do you have to remove the C-more?

[B.J. Norris]

Mike,

The C-more railway will cover the top rail screws, however mine pretty much holds zero when I take it on and off as long as I'm careful to put in back in the exact same place.

FWIW, I don't think I've seen Remington bulk ammo run right in ANY gun, and when it does... It misfires... I've had good luck with Federal bulk in my Browning, but only the stuff from Wal-Mart. I don't know why, but every box I've gotten from a Wal-Mart (not just my local store) has been quite a bit better than the 3 boxes I bought at a local gun shop, best part is that the Wal-Mart packs for more ammo for less money.

[uscbigdawg]

B.J.,

So...coin toss (three sided). Buckmark, Mk II/22-45 or TS upper for 1911.

Rich

ETA: Are there custom parts available for the Buck Mark (i.e. trigger jobs, extractors, etc.)?

[AustinMike]

Thanks for the info, B.J.! I'll have to try some of that Walmart Federal. This box of the gold bullets I have sucks. The gun is whacking the primers hard, but I've probably had one out of every 30 rounds or so not ignite.

[warpspeed]

Are there custom parts available for the Buck Mark (i.e. trigger jobs, extractors, etc.)?

There is a great thread on rimfire central about a Buckmark trigger job

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174356

It is so amazingly simple it is had to believe it works but it does.

Other than that, factory parts work just fine.

[B.J. Norris]

Rich,

I'd say without a doubt TacSol 1911 upper, Browning with TacSol barrel and grips, and 22/45 with TacSol Upper in a very distant third, I believe that the TacSol 1911 upper is one of the most reliable .22's you can get. Even with Mini-Mags, my Browning doesn't run well enough for me to shoot it in a match (I think it needs a new extractor, but I haven't had a chance to figure it out). If you can get both guns to run equally well, which is possible with some work, it comes strictly down to personal preference. Minus the scope, I'd estimate my Buckmark with a 4" TacSol barrel, comp, rail and grips to be in the 25 oz neighborhood, whereas my 1911 upper, comp and rail feels like 45-50 oz. Needless to say, the 1911 just kind of vibrates when it fires, but I do have to put a little muscle on the Buckmark.

If I had the Browning running 100% with a good trigger (Pat Cochran is THE MAN on Buckmark triggers, consistent 16-20oz pulls that run), I honestly can't say for sure what gun I would shoot in SC. I suspect that it would still be the 1911, however I do feel like I can swing the ultra-light Browning a bit faster.

It all comes down to light and fast vs. heavy and slow...

Feel free to give me a call if you want to chat about it (nine-zero-three)830-0724

Edited January 15, 2008 by B.J. Norris

[uscbigdawg]

I'll definitely do so. BTW...by Pat Cochran, do you mean of AFTEC in Georgia?

Rich

[AustinMike]

Browning with TacSol barrel and grips

What barrel length do you use on the Browning for steel challenge?

[Bruce]

TacSol 1911 upper? Are those available for purchase yet? Price? thanks

[B.J. Norris]

I like the 4" Threaded barrel with a comp, the overall length of both comes out to about 5.5", this keeps the front of the gun very, very light. The TacSol grips also cut a lot of weight from the gun, the stock rubber grips are actually pretty heavy compared to the alum grips that have been machined. If your gun has a mag safety, you'll need the "New-Style, Non URX" grips (have I ever mentioned how much I hate companies that like to change the frame design enough to need a new grip design at seemingly the drop of a hat...)

[AustinMike]

have I ever mentioned how much I hate companies that like to change the frame design enough to need a new grip design at seemingly the drop of a hat...

Looks like Browning has done it a couple of times recently, which was one reason why I was glad to find one a little older (looks like mine is vintage 2002 from the serial number.) My understanding is that the URX is a different frame than the older ones. Then, the UDX (wood grips) is different as well, with the finger grooves actually cut into the frame! That's got to drive the grip manufacturers batty! What are they they thinking? I'm all for keeping the same frame year to year unless there is a compelling design change that warrants a new frame. Let the aftermarket handle the customization! And don't get me started on mag disconnectors!