Brothers, I am in the hunt for another 22 pistol. I got rid of my Single Six. The accuracy didn't meet my expectations.

I already have a Mark I. I need another 22 so my son can shoot with me.

The mark III looks great with the steel grip, the 22/45 looks great espcially since they are available with wood grips now. I am not so sure about the polymer grip though.

How about a Buckmark?

My favorite color is stainless as my son's sweat seems to be toxic to metal.

Any input?

Corbi

I don't think you could go wrong either way. I don't own either, but have shot each enough that I don't know wich one I would decide on if I had to pick one. Personal prefrence thing applys here I think. The rugers seem to be more popular around here from what I have seen. I am probably bad advice any way, cause I like my single six, its a fun gun, I have been shooting it quite a bit latley.

Look for a MKII Government Target Model...it has a 6 and 7/8" bull barrel, good sights and a fantastic trigger. Mine is an accuracy monster and is an honest 100 yard .22 pistol.

Any issues with the polymer frame? I have never had a polymer gun.

Corbi

Mine is doesn't have a polymer frame...maybe the new ones do...I got mine back around 1990. You are prolly talking about a new one, but I'll bet they are just as nice....I was looking around online and mine MKII Government Target is going for about twice what I paid for it back in the day....I knew I like it for some reason or other. I will say, it's a royal pain to strip and put back together, where they say the Buckmark is not....but, I just take the grips off and blast it for awhile under real hot water and let 'er dry and lightly WD40 it up again. It really don't need it much, tho, it's a pretty tight action.

I'm with Blaine on the Mark II Government slab-side ....mine is stainless, no polymer stuff...it is a pain to strip down, but I do that once a year or every two years.. spray it and run a bore snake thru it and it's good to go...and very accurate. once or twice with cheap Remington gold hollow-tip ammo, I have had a jam, but easily cleared.

I've got a new (about 1 year old) MKIII 22/45 and love it. It's got the polymer frame and hasn't caused me any problems. Accuracy is better than I can shoot it I'm sure. No complaints on my part, but it is sort of a pain to tear down as ruger480 said.

I'm familiar with the tear down on the Mark I. I have owned mine since 1981. I tore it down once in the '90's. The tear down was easy, the put back together was hard. A friend of mine actually put it together for me. I haven't taken it apart since.

Corbi

I cast my lot with a 3" 22/45 about 6 years ago. Can easily hit well at 50yds. The rugerLuger. Love it.

And my single six.

I got to handle the Mark III, the 22/45 and the Buckmark side by side yesterday.

Seems the safety, mag release and the slide release all functioned more smoothly on the all steel Mark III.

The Buckmark sure feels good in the hand.

Corbi

my first tear down was on the back deck....the pin (about 3/4 inch long and i/16 in in diameter from the slide)fell to the deck and disappeared.....the deck was new, the gun was new....I called Ruger and they were going to ship me a new pin...was I frustrated??!! Didn't want to tear up the new deck for a dumb pin!! Then I went out and looked more closely...the pin was nestled between two parkay boards...only secion that there wasn't a clear drop to the inaccessible ground under the new deck...

Lesson l'arned!!

after ypu've done the tear down a time or two, it's not bad...just have to know what to look for and to hold the gun upside down when reinstalling the slide so the key falls straight.

I put a Stainless bull barrel Mark III on layaway today. I was just a little short. I am going to be out of town for about 3 weeks. I figured if I don't have it held it will be gone when I come back.

Second week of June I'll have it. Can't wait to take the pair of rugers, my boy, and our dueling post out for a shoot.

Corbi

Would not trade my Buckmark for any other semi .22.

It's prolly best to keep the lesser pistols with the amatures.....

This is just my opinion but I don't like plastic frames on guns. Sure, some of them are great guns. BUT, how good is the plastic going to hold up for 50-60 or more years. When I buy a gun one thing I consider is will my grand childrens kids be able to shoot it (civilization continuing and laws allowing). I don't KNOW that the plastic will still be around then. I KNOW a steel (or good metal) frame gun will last forever properly taken care of.

That being said, I like the Ruger Mk series. I have a Mk III standard and while the "lawyer features" are distasteful I have found them to be totaly unobtrusive (so far).