So I been reading TheHighRoad a lot today. One thread got me curious about the dimensions of one of my pistols. I went looking for my digital calipers. Still haven't found them but I stumbled across a stash of .22 LR I had forgotten I had. Between that & looking at the thread about the Browning Buckmark & the E-mail I got from CDNN advertising a sale on the same with a $50 rebate I am thinking it might be a good time to buy a BuckMark. I have never had a .22 Target pistol I did have one of the little Heritage Rough Rider revolvers for a bit but that is a different thing. Anyway looking at what CDNN has on their site I am leaning towards the Buckmark Practical URX that has a 5.5" bull barrel & a tru-glo fiber optic front site. Of course there is a UFX version that is slightly cheaper with the same barrel length as well as one with a 4" barrel. Is there any advantage to the shorter versus the longer barrel. Any advantage of one model over the other that I am not aware of.
.22 Target Pistol Barrel Length
- Thread starter Mike J
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browningguy
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Personally I'd prefer the 5.5" with fiber optic sight. A little longer barrel and the FO front site would be a lot more accurate with my tired old eyes.
JJFitch
Member
Of course sight radius works in your favor ie. 5.5 over 4"'s! Beyond that some types of target competition has a maximum barrel length ie. 5.5"'s!
Smiles,
Smiles,
ColtPythonElite
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Make mine 10".
Omaha-BeenGlockin
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For your first one, I'd get the 5.5in-----just a balance of all the factors involved
Since I already have two 5.5in Rugers---I'd be looking at the 4in for easier carry while hunting usually while carrying a shotgun or the 10in as a substitute for a .22 rifle. Yes, I've been looking at both lately, but wanting to really get a Browning SA22 rifle right now.
Since I already have two 5.5in Rugers---I'd be looking at the 4in for easier carry while hunting usually while carrying a shotgun or the 10in as a substitute for a .22 rifle. Yes, I've been looking at both lately, but wanting to really get a Browning SA22 rifle right now.
The longer barrel might seem more nose heavy if you aren't using any type of red dot or scope but it will have a longer sight radius for better accuracy.
While I do not own a Browning Buckmark, I have owned plenty of other 22 pistols with both 4' and 5.5" barrels. The two target/competition type pistols I shoot the most are my Kel-Tec CP33 and S&W 22A, both have a 5.5" barrel and they do well out to 50 yards. I also have a Ruger MkII with standard 4 3/4" tapered barrel that shoot well too.
For me, the 4" barrels are nicer for hunting or just plinking. For more precise shooting I prefer the 5.5" barrels.
While I do not own a Browning Buckmark, I have owned plenty of other 22 pistols with both 4' and 5.5" barrels. The two target/competition type pistols I shoot the most are my Kel-Tec CP33 and S&W 22A, both have a 5.5" barrel and they do well out to 50 yards. I also have a Ruger MkII with standard 4 3/4" tapered barrel that shoot well too.
For me, the 4" barrels are nicer for hunting or just plinking. For more precise shooting I prefer the 5.5" barrels.
Jim Watson
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My real target pistols are 5 and 5.5", my old 4.5" WMT is pretty but the shorter sight radius is a disadvantage.
Now if you are going to put a red dot optic on it, as is common these days, sight radius doesn't apply so get the barrel length that you think "balances" well.
Now if you are going to put a red dot optic on it, as is common these days, sight radius doesn't apply so get the barrel length that you think "balances" well.
chicharrones
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railroader
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Very nice. Keep an eye on the top strap screws. They tend to loosen up after a while when shooting. I put a little of blue loktite on my screws to keep them snug.
doubleh
Member
Pistols are like rifles and shotguns. A longer barrel swings slower and that's an aid in a target pistol until it gets to the point where supporting muzzle weight becomes a problem.. Then there is barrel diameter to consider about muzzle weight and so on. You have to find a happy medium and you will have to determine that. What I like might not be at all what you like. I'll add this as an example. I have a Ruger MK IV Target and a MK III 22/45 lite. I am much more accurate with the heavy MK IV than the MK III lite and it's all because of the weight difference. I believe with another inch of barrel on the Target I could do even better.
Tallball
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Me too. I check them before every range trip and always have the right wrench in my range bag.
Highstandardguy
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If you're only going to have one .22 pistol, then I too recommend a 5.5" bull barrel. I would prefer a Ruger but you can probably get a Buckmark cheaper unless you find a nice used Ruger.
Trashyshoots
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A man of patrician taste. I love huge scopes on target pistols.
I mostly did it as a joke.
My buddy convinced me to buy a pair of PFI scopes (i think so he wasn't the only one buying them), and Ive been trying to figure out what gun to put that one on....he said my .22, obviously meaning either my 457, or my 795......
So I slapped the 3-12x42 scope, and a jav mount on my 10" buckmark.
Ive had that gun out to 200yds on bowling pins using a red dot, so I AM curious what it will do with a high-power optic on it. I pulled the PFI, and am installing a 4.5-14x40 Simmons ATV for our next range outing.
I bought the Browning with the URX grips over the Ruger MKII years ago simply because I liked how it felt in my hand. Eventually I shot it so much that a chip at the face of the barrel caused extraction issues. I than bought a barrel a longer version and it is very forward heavy so I will be ordering the 5.5 version as it gives the best balance for me. My curiosity got the best of me but for me longer barrel are not great. I put a red dot to help the balance just not happy with it.
You can see the chip on the original barrel.
You can see the chip on the original barrel.
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22LR is a versatile round intended to be shot from both pistols and rifles. 22 LR powder is perhaps a bit slower than a round intended to used in pistols exclusively, the slower burning rate improving bullet velocity in a rifle length barrel. Consequently, velocity will suffer a bit as barrels get shorter than 5 or so inches. I have several .22 handguns, one of my Ruger MKII's has the 6 7/8" barrel which shoots supersonic, the 5 1/2" bull barrel one shoots just subsonic, and the 4" one is noticeably slower yet. I like the balance of the 6 7/8 and 5 1/2 better than the 4" one. The accuracy of both target barrels (6 7/8, and 5 1/2) will shoot 3/4 inch groups at 25 yards. I pack the shorter on with me when fishing or hunting. I guess it's all a tradeoff, I would get the one that feels the best for you, I don't think there is a "wrong" choice. good luck and enjoy
Trashyshoots
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Yes! let me know how it goes. I tried it as a joke once too and never got tired of outshooting ar bros at the local trash berm.
I'm having a 1911 built with the same thing in mind. Should be hilarious.
toivo
Member
I suggest the purple Loctite. (I'll get to why in a minute.) Also, you can get an aftermarket aluminum top strap from Tactical Solutions that incorporates an accessory rail and an integral rear sight.
I used the blue Loctite on my Buck Mark rail. The next time I tried to remove the rear screw to take the barrel off, there was no way I was going to get it loose. I tried heating, tapping, everything. I stripped the hex heads on the mounting screws with a T-handled hex wrench and ended up taking it to the gunsmith. He said that putting steel screws into an aluminum receiver with blue Loctite is like welding them in. He had to drill them out. From then on, I use only a tab of purple Loctite, and I don't tighten them too much. They still do come loose occasionally, so I carry the appropriate hex wrench in my range bag.
If you want to get crazy after you've had the gun for a while, Google the "Heggis flip" as a poor man's trigger job. It doesn't work on everybody's pistol, but it worked on mine. (You can always order an extra sear spring just in case you mess yours up in the process.) That and an overtravel-adjustable trigger and you'll have a pistol that you can shoot bullseye with confidently.
Ive been meaning to order one of those 7.25s for years. I almost never use my 5.5 simple because the extra weight of the 10 hangs better on target, but that things a bit cumbersome....one of these days ill get around to it lol.
If you like the basic feel and length just not the weight, you might try a trail-lite. I tried one on a friends buck mark and found it balanced much more like my 5.5
Ive got an optics mount that bolts to my 10mms lower rail, ive been meaning to buy a decent pistol scope to see how accurate that thing actually is.....tho as always the weak link is probably me lol.
bannockburn
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Have tried quite a few different barrel lengths on various .22 target pistols but I always came back to my favorite; the Ruger Mk.II with a 5 1/2" bull barrel. In terms of balance and handling it just feels right and that works for me (got to admit that I love the way it looks too)!
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