Buckmark vs Mark IV

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • XJ.Cherokee

    Member
    Jan 5, 2021
    70
    Harford county
    Anyone have first hand experience with either of these? Looking for something to mainly compete with.

    Threaded barrel is a must.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    The Mark IV wins hands down. Aside from it being very accurate right out of the box, it has one of the largest selection of aftermarket parts available. You can't go wrong with a Ruger Mk of any kind.
     

    davidg

    Member
    Mar 19, 2019
    55
    The 22/45 has a polymer lower. I'm planing on building a mark iv this winter. But I perfer the grip angle and weight(lower half) of the standard one. You can also look at the smith and wesson victory.
     

    md_al

    Active Member
    Apr 25, 2014
    724
    Middle River
    Mk IV 22/45 only takes seconds to disassemble. Press a button then it comes apart. Then pull out the bolt. It has a Pic rail on top for a red dot.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    Wife has a Ruger 22/45 light. I have a browning Buckmark.
    I prefer the buck mark.
    Ruger is just as much of a PIA I feel to take apart and from experiance, needs to be taken apart and cleaned more often.
    There is a spring in the ruger that can be tricky so I watch the video every time since its the wife's and she usually shoots it.
    Both are easy to put a red dot/reflex sight.
    I have run both from a rest to look at accuracy and used various ammo. Ruger was more accurate from a rest.
    Ruger as mentioned has lots of upgrades like triggers. I have run both stock though.
    Weight on my buckmark is heavier and one handed, I shoot the buckmark better cause it moves less with my trigger pull. I"m sure with a trigger upgrade the Ruger would shoot better than it does.

    I did a test on both with minimag 36g copper coated. Ruger lasted about 500 rounds before it needed cleaning (FTE/FTF). Buckmark ran well over 1000 rounds and I did not even have a hiccup. I cleaned the breech and bolt face w/o dissassembling it at 1100 rounds and ran another 500 and even though it did not fail, I dissassembled and cleaned it anyway.
    I feel the mag on the buckmark has a better feel in inserting it. Her ruger, I have to double check its in all the way or it drops after the first or 2nd round is fired.
    Ruger was a threaded barrel so it was suppressor ready. The buckmark I got was not.
    Ruger needed a mod to the bolt release button. Buckmark was GTG out of the box.
    I have not done a trigger mod as mentioned but strait out of the box, Buckmark was much better IMO. If you get the 22/45, I feel be prepared to do mods.
    I have had both since 2013

    They are honestly both accurate as the shooter and you will need to be a VERY experienced shooter to know the difference or otherwise, its mostly the fit and weight that would make the difference. My wife has small hands and much prefers the light gun. She has shot my Buckmark and did not like the weight. As mentioned, me personally, I shoot the buckmark better one handed, but 2 handed they are pretty much the same.


    Wife's cousin was in town and friday we took her to shoot the 22/45, by the time we were done, she was hitting 12" steel @ 25 yards 6/10 shots.

    You can't go wrong either one you choose, but if you want to do mods, check out what mods you want to do. I just hear (as already mentioned) a Ruger has more out there for mods.
     

    XJ.Cherokee

    Member
    Jan 5, 2021
    70
    Harford county
    Wife has a Ruger 22/45 light. I have a browning Buckmark.
    I prefer the buck mark.
    Ruger is just as much of a PIA I feel to take apart and from experiance, needs to be taken apart and cleaned more often.
    There is a spring in the ruger that can be tricky so I watch the video every time since its the wife's and she usually shoots it.
    Both are easy to put a red dot/reflex sight.
    I have run both from a rest to look at accuracy and used various ammo. Ruger was more accurate from a rest.
    Ruger as mentioned has lots of upgrades like triggers. I have run both stock though.
    Weight on my buckmark is heavier and one handed, I shoot the buckmark better cause it moves less with my trigger pull. I"m sure with a trigger upgrade the Ruger would shoot better than it does.

    I did a test on both with minimag 36g copper coated. Ruger lasted about 500 rounds before it needed cleaning (FTE/FTF). Buckmark ran well over 1000 rounds and I did not even have a hiccup. I cleaned the breech and bolt face w/o dissassembling it at 1100 rounds and ran another 500 and even though it did not fail, I dissassembled and cleaned it anyway.
    I feel the mag on the buckmark has a better feel in inserting it. Her ruger, I have to double check its in all the way or it drops after the first or 2nd round is fired.
    Ruger was a threaded barrel so it was suppressor ready. The buckmark I got was not.
    Ruger needed a mod to the bolt release button. Buckmark was GTG out of the box.
    I have not done a trigger mod as mentioned but strait out of the box, Buckmark was much better IMO. If you get the 22/45, I feel be prepared to do mods.
    I have had both since 2013

    They are honestly both accurate as the shooter and you will need to be a VERY experienced shooter to know the difference or otherwise, its mostly the fit and weight that would make the difference. My wife has small hands and much prefers the light gun. She has shot my Buckmark and did not like the weight. As mentioned, me personally, I shoot the buckmark better one handed, but 2 handed they are pretty much the same.


    Wife's cousin was in town and friday we took her to shoot the 22/45, by the time we were done, she was hitting 12" steel @ 25 yards 6/10 shots.

    You can't go wrong either one you choose, but if you want to do mods, check out what mods you want to do. I just hear (as already mentioned) a Ruger has more out there for mods.

    I appreciate the insight into the Buckmark. I'm guessing you have the mark 3 Ruger though?
     

    Sundazes

    My brain hurts
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 13, 2006
    21,304
    Arkham
    I have a MK3 22/45 and a Buckmark I got used a long time ago. The Buckmark comes to range a lot more than the Ruger. Both are a pain to disassemble, but I don't strip a firearm down after every session either.
     

    sbmike

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 19, 2011
    1,651
    Almost Heaven, WV
    I have both a Ruger Mk 4 (Hunter) and a Buckmark. Both have red dots on them and both are very accurate but I prefer the feel and comfort of the Ruger because of the additional weight.
    I also prefer the Ruger for its ease of disassembly which is completely different than the previous Mk 3 iteration mentioned by Melnic. The downside to the Hunter is that it is not threaded so obviously I use the Buckmark for suppressed shooting. I'm lucky to have both options available to me.
    I believe Ruger offers different models that are threaded but not sure if it is available on the Hunter. I don't believe you will be disappointed in either one but if you can put your hands on both for comparison, go with the one that feels the most comfortable to you. Just my 2 cents worth. Your mileage may vary.
     

    OMCHamlin

    Ultimate Member
    BANNED!!!
    May 17, 2017
    1,115
    The Cumberland Plateau
    I’ve had quite a few .22 pistols, a wonderfully (incredibly) accurate bullseye pistol was my Hamden made Supermatic Trophy, IF you could get it to not misfeed for a whole 30 rd match. The factory mags were in great condition but needed to be kept really clean.
    Had a Browning Challanger, but it never felt right. A Marvel .22 conversion unit that just plain wouldn’t work at all, Ruger MK II KMK 678, govt target, did okay but another that didn’t feel right.

    Then came the MK III 22/45 Lite, and Tandem Cross/ Volquartson parts, reliable, feels great, great flat trigger, threaded for my little Gemtec can, I’ve found MY .22 “semi” target pistol. Wife liked it so much, she confiscated the first one, but I got another. Great for plate matches too.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    I appreciate the insight into the Buckmark. I'm guessing you have the mark 3 Ruger though?

    You know your right! Her's is a Mark III so nix what I said about take down, so getting rid of that plus both Buckmark and Ruger come in different varieties which have different weights, If I were to buy something now, things are different.
     

    Privateer

    Always Watching
    Feb 27, 2008
    91
    Annapolis
    Mark IV Lite

    I have the Mark IV Lite
    Easy to takedown
    As has been said earlier - plenty of aftermarket kit available (I have the Tandemkross mag extention, trigger and other gear on mine)
    Tack driver out of the box ....
     

    Thwack22

    Member
    Aug 8, 2012
    54
    NoVa
    I bought a Buckmark because I liked the way it felt, but traded it for a MKII KMK-512 because I wanted a stainless bull barrel .22. The Ruger is chore to disassemle no doubt.
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,564
    Harford County, Maryland
    I have a MkII 5.5” bull barrel target model I bought new in 1982 or ‘83. It is my rf bullseye gun though now it would share those duties with full house Clark High Std 107. The 22/45 and standard grip frame guns are the same above the grip frame.

    The Buckmark/Ruger choice will come down to what you want to do with the pistol and grip angle. If you look ahead to building it, get the Ruger as others have said for the reasons they said. I don’t have issue with any Mk Rugers when servicing. Mechanical things have been my career so that is a nonissue. Once you get into the grip frame the operations are about the same for Mk’s I-IV.

    The Buckmarks have a following and shoot well enough but they are still a distant second to the Ruger Mark guns. As for the 1911 feel, one would have to drop the mag 9-10 times to see if clean mag ejection would be an issue.

    The grip frame and hand size may cause need for technique adjustments with the 22/45 guns. When dropping the mags on a Mk II (especially) or Mk IV 22/45’s, the mag would drag on the heel of my hand. Not an issue if recreation or bullseye shooting. Getting into the action speed games requiring mag changes there could be issues.

    I tried both the MkII and MkIV 22/45 pistols to see if they offered anything over my Ciener and Marvel 22 conversions on dedicated frames. I decided to stick with the dedicated conversions since there is no substitute for a 1911 like another 1911. The differences are just enough to be relevant. Flip side, buying the 22/45 is WAY less expensive than what I did with the dedicated conversion builds. The 22/45’s are also less expensive than just the Marvel conversion.
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,931
    Messages
    7,259,489
    Members
    33,350
    Latest member
    Rotorboater

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom