Browning Buckmark or Ruger 22/45 Lite

[gomer pyle]

I'm looking to get another 22 pistol. My P22 doesn't really fit my hands so little man just got his first pistol. I will be shooting it suppressed and i am thinking hard about a MRDS. I like the feel of the buckmark but I know that I will have to replace the barrel, which adds to the cost. I like the new 22/45 lite cobalt, aluminum lightened barrel and a rail. My worry on the 22/45 is that the rail is too high and will cause problems with my red dot. Also, will the poly frame hold up to a suppressor?
Thoughts?
Also, I'm looking at the Mueller Quick Shot, any opinions or reviews on this sight?

[ehull20000]

How heavy is your suppressor? Edited July 18, 2015 by ehull20000

[bucnball]

Don't have/own/shot a Ruger 22/45 but do have a couple of type 1 & 2 Rugers (the type 2 has a 10 in. bull barrel and Burris scope) .. They both shoot well depending on the ammo, etc., but the Browning shoots better IMHO. Had to buy a "Big Ears" slide because it's hard to cock the pistol w/the stock slide ..Other than that peeve, the Buckmark shoots precisely where I point .Other shooters can verify the accuracy of the Browning.. If accuracy is paramount, consider a Hammerli or other European brand pistol... For my money, the B is adequate. 

[Joe357]

If it were me, I would go with a regular Ruger 22/45 with a threaded barrel, replaceable gripes and rail. IMHO the lite will not be as balanced or may not hold up for the long haul.

Also if you go with the Ruger I would highly recommend doing the mods. Edited July 18, 2015 by Joe357

[Jonnin]

I'm looking to get another 22 pistol. My P22 doesn't really fit my hands so little man just got his first pistol. I will be shooting it suppressed and i am thinking hard about a MRDS. I like the feel of the buckmark but I know that I will have to replace the barrel, which adds to the cost. I like the new 22/45 lite cobalt, aluminum lightened barrel and a rail. My worry on the 22/45 is that the rail is too high and will cause problems with my red dot. Also, will the poly frame hold up to a suppressor?
Thoughts?
Also, I'm looking at the Mueller Quick Shot, any opinions or reviews on this sight?

 

I do not know about suppressors.  But poly is pretty durable, and the suppressor is mounted on the metal barrel anyway, so I don't understand your question?

 

IMHO the ruger is better made than the browning, but not by much.  

 

The rail is fine for your red dot.  You can adjust those red dots quite a bit and it will do fine once sighted in.    The trouble is elevation adjustment ...  is very tied to range in a .22 handgun.   At less than about 15, maybe 20 yards, if you shoot up close, the elevation needs to be adjusted nearly for each 5 yard increment.  Past 25 yards or so it holds steady for a long time then gravity starts to kick in hard and you are back to adjusting.   Anyway, my advice is to pick a known distance to shoot it and keep it "around" that range with a red dot. 

 

No idea about your specific brand of sight but Ive long suspected the electronics are all made in a couple of places regardless of brand.  That aside, my #1 comment here is to make sure you have a good (lifetime...) warranty.   I used a tru-glo cheap one but it had a warranty, and the couple of times I had problems, it was replaced no questions asked.   Ive moved on to a precision ultradot, but I have to say, I did have a few problems with a couple of brands and the warranty is really the key to my happiness with red dots (scopes too, for that matter).

[gomer pyle]

I have a sparrow. It is 6.5 oz.

What mods would either need? Barrel suggestions if I go with the buckmark?

Thoughts on the Mueller? My only concern is that it looks to set up high.

[gomer pyle]

I do not know about suppressors.  But poly is pretty durable, and the suppressor is mounted on the metal barrel anyway, so I don't understand your question?
 
IMHO the ruger is better made than the browning, but not by much.  
 
The rail is fine for your red dot.  You can adjust those red dots quite a bit and it will do fine once sighted in.    The trouble is elevation adjustment ...  is very tied to range in a .22 handgun.   At less than about 15, maybe 20 yards, if you shoot up close, the elevation needs to be adjusted nearly for each 5 yard increment.  Past 25 yards or so it holds steady for a long time then gravity starts to kick in hard and you are back to adjusting.   Anyway, my advice is to pick a known distance to shoot it and keep it "around" that range with a red dot. 
 
No idea about your specific brand of sight but Ive long suspected the electronics are all made in a couple of places regardless of brand.  That aside, my #1 comment here is to make sure you have a good (lifetime...) warranty.   I used a tru-glo cheap one but it had a warranty, and the couple of times I had problems, it was replaced no questions asked.   Ive moved on to a precision ultradot, but I have to say, I did have a few problems with a couple of brands and the warranty is really the key to my happiness with red dots (scopes too, for that matter).

I have read that the closer it is mounted to the barrel, the less you have to adjust it. But I wanted to hear ever ones opinion.
I will look at the warranties. Thanks

[Jonnin]

I have read that the closer it is mounted to the barrel, the less you have to adjust it. But I wanted to hear ever ones opinion.
I will look at the warranties. Thanks

 

well, when you mount it, you must consider a number of things.  Too far out the barrel and it pulls off the balance of the gun badly (extra noticeable for 1h shooting style).  Too far back and it messes with racking these types of guns.   Some positions can get the sight chipped by flying brass, esp the cheaper models, and esp the windowed models (compared to tubes). 

 

I dunno about position vs adjustments.  All I know is for sights, dots, scopes... the closer you get, the more elevation varies from yard to yard.   It has to do with the barrel and sight not being on the same vector, but parallel with a gap between.  The closer you are, the more that height over the bore matters.

[cannoncocker]

I have a 22/45 5 inch, a 22/45 4 inch TB  and a 22/45 Lite 4 inch TB.  I also own a Browning Buck Mark 5 inch and a Browning Buck Mark with a 4 inch Tac Sol TB.  All have rails and I have shot them without problems from 10 to 50 meters with a MRDS.

 

The Ruger 22/45 Lite belongs to the wife.  It is too light for me, even with a suppressor.

 

My recommendation is to buy a Browning Buck Mark 5 inch and a Tac Sol 4 inch Trail-Lite barrel.  It will balance perfectly with a suppressor.  I shoot mine with a Sparrow SS and a Primary Arms Micro Red Dot.

 

If you ever get to Knoxville, I could wrap your hands around any of the above.

[gomer pyle]

I have a 22/45 5 inch, a 22/45 4 inch TB and a 22/45 Lite 4 inch TB. I also own a Browning Buck Mark 5 inch and a Browning Buck Mark with a 4 inch Tac Sol TB. All have rails and I have shot them without problems from 10 to 50 meters with a MRDS.

The Ruger 22/45 Lite belongs to the wife. It is too light for me, even with a suppressor.

My recommendation is to buy a Browning Buck Mark 5 inch and a Tac Sol 4 inch Trail-Lite barrel. It will balance perfectly with a suppressor. I shoot mine with a Sparrow SS and a Primary Arms Micro Red Dot.

If you ever get to Knoxville, I could wrap your hands around any of the above.

Just what I was looking for, someone with both to compare them. I'll look into the buckmark/tacsol combo a little more. Thanks for the offer but I'm not sure when I can get that way.

[zybysco]

The Buckmark is better out of the box. That is comparing it to a mkIII. A 22/45 is a step down. If you find one with a metal frame, then it would be better. We have 22/45s as rentals and they don't hold up as well either. The pins have been known to walk out too.

[Jonnin]

The Buckmark is better out of the box. That is comparing it to a mkIII. A 22/45 is a step down. If you find one with a metal frame, then it would be better. We have 22/45s as rentals and they don't hold up as well either. The pins have been known to walk out too.

 

this may be, out of the box.  My mk3 has been converted to mk2 and is mostly metal.  Out of the box, it had a sorry trigger, the buck was better.  After the TLC, the ruger was better.  There are so many versions of both guns, its a tossup.  But out of the box, yea, browning is better, largely because of that trigger mechanism they stuck in the mark 3s for 'safety'.

[Grayfox54]

This is what works for me.

 

 

Buckmark Camper pistol

Tactical Solutions 4" barrel

Tactical Solutions rear sight w/rail

Burris Fast Fire red dot.

 

Browning is now offering the Buckmark with a threaded barrel from the factory. So you can save that expense.