What Do You Need to Know About the Browning Buck Mark Pistol?

First released in 1985, the Browning Buck Mark pistol is well-suited for honing your skills at the range.

Rimfire pistols are great for a number of tasks, ranging from teaching the fundamentals of marksmanship to new shooters, to hunting small game, to doing some plinking at the shooting range without breaking the bank. Though Ruger has dominated that market for a long time with the Ruger Mark I, Mark II, Mark III, Mark IV and 22/45 models, those are far from the only choices available to those looking for a quality semi-automatic rimfire pistol. Indeed, the Browning Buck Mark is a great option for those looking for a nice handgun to fill that role.

Here are a few things you should know about the Browning Buck Mark pistol before purchasing one.

Browning currently produces 22 different variants of the Buck Mark pistol, including the Buck Mark Standard URX (pictured above), Buck Mark Rosewood UDX, Buck Mark Field Target (below), Buck Mark Hunter, Buck Mark Contour URX and the Buck Mark Camper UFX.

The different models have various features. You can choose from a stainless steel or matte blued finish, and grooved or straight grip. Barrel lengths range from 4-7.25 inches, which are available in fluted, tapered, slab-sided or bull barrel. It also features a Picatinny rail, a Tru-Glo fiber optic front sight and the ability to accept a suppressor.

Browning also produces several California Compliant versions of the pistol.

Browning manufactures all variants of Buck Mark pistol in the United States. They're also all chambered in .22 LR and have a straight blowback action. Browning machines each pistol out of a solid piece of aircraft-grade 7075 aluminum alloy with a CNC machine. These handguns also feature a single-action trigger, a 10-round magazine, a thumb safety and Browning's Pro-Target adjustable rear sights.

By and large, the Browning Buck Mark has performed very well over the 30-plus years it's been in production. Among other things, it has a reputation for excellent accuracy out of the box. Due to its light recoil, this pistol is also a really easy gun for many shooters to handle.

It's not exactly an easy pistol to disassemble and take down, as it requires a couple of Allen wrenches. On the other hand, it does still have a big advantage over the Ruger Mark I, Mark II and Mark III models in that regard, though. However, Ruger greatly simplified the takedown process for the Ruger Mark IV compared to previous Ruger models and the Browning Buck Master.

Like many rimfire pistols, the Browning Buck Mark can be a little finicky with ammo. That being said, it's generally a very reliable handgun as long as you properly clean and maintain it.

It's also a relatively easy gun to customize with all sorts of different features like a red dot sight, a new barrel or custom grips. The Browning Buck Mark comes from the factory with a nice, crisp trigger. However, it's also possible to install an even better one on the pistol as well.

There's certainly a lot to like about the Browning Buck Mark. Not only are there are lots of variants available, but they're all accurate, reliable and reasonably priced. For those reasons, these pistols make nice gifts for hunters.

If you're in the market for a new rimfire handgun, then check out the Browning Buck Mark pistol. If you like what you discover, then by all means add it to your wish list.

Like what you see here? You can read more great articles by John McAdams on The Big Game Hunting Blog. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, & Instagram.

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