Browning Buckmark Vs Ruger Mark IV – Full Comparison
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The Browning Buckmark and the Ruger Mark IV have a lot in common; they’re good hunting handguns, but which one will last longer or perform better?
This article breaks down the similarities of Browning Buckmark vs. Ruger Mark IV to help you decide.
Browning Buckmark Vs. Ruger Mark IV – Reliability
Ruger Mark IV
Ruger Mark IV is top tier on reliability. It’s great for self-defense, recreational shooting, or training.
If you’re new to handguns, you can start with the Mark IV. The manufacturers make it easy for amateurs to resolve the dreaded bullet jams when shooting.
You will fire a few hundred rounds before maintenance or cleaning.
Browning Buckmark
The Browning brand is famous for quality and reliability, and the Buckmark pistol confirms that. You can fire up to 1,000 rounds without having a single failure.
You can achieve great shots at up to 25 yards, thanks to the sighting system.
The simple, direct blowback mechanism is dependable and consistent, and the trigger is light and snappy.
Since it’s a .22, there won’t be much of a kickback, which is another thing to consider.
Verdict: Browning Buckmark
Browning Buckmark Vs. Ruger Mark IV – Customization
Browning Buckmark
The gun is superb straight out of the box, but you can customize it for best use. You can change the sights, holsters, and the gun’s original rail if you wish to add a red dot sight.
Ruger Mark IV
The Ruger Mark IV is more significant in customizability. Everything on the pistol, including the trigger and the general frame, is replaceable.
You don’t want to tear down your gun to build a useless rifle, so speak with a gunsmith about that. Disassembling the gun may hamper its performance.
Verdict: Ruger Mark IV
Browning Buckmark Vs. Ruger Mark IV – Barrel
Browning Buckmark
Some variations come with bull barrels with good stability. The challenge model has a tapered barrel, while the lite model has a steer liner in an ultralight aluminum sleeve.
You may also like that each chamber is hand reamed, and the muzzle crowns are recessed, preventing damage and retaining accuracy.
It’s available in 4,” 5.5,” 5 ⅞,” 6,” and 7.25″ barrel lengths.
Ruger Mark IV
The bull barrel with a recessed target crown offers pistol stability and accuracy. The barrel is cold-hammered stainless steel with ultra-precision that gives you shooting accuracy.
Verdict: They’re Both Great
Browning Buckmark Vs. Ruger Mark IV – Sight
Browning Buckmark
The adjustable Pro-Target rear sight is standard for all Browning Buckmark models. Their 16-click/revolution is way ahead of the standard 12 clicks per revolution.
It gives shooters accuracy for even the smallest targets.
The post-style target front sight is incredible too. Some of the costlier versions have an excellent fiber-optic front sight.
If you get a model with a Picatinny rail, you can improve the sight by adding a red dot or any high-quality sight.
Ruger Mark IV
Ruger also has an adjustable rear sight, but you need screwdrivers to make adjustments. The front sight is a fixed, non-adjustable post with a fiber optic inlay.
Nonetheless, you can modify the windage on the rear sights so that the Point of Impact meets the Point of Aim. Aiming and shooting are easier.
Verdict: Browning Buckmark
Browning Buckmark Vs. Ruger Mark IV – Magazine
Browning Buckman
Their 10-round magazines are nicely positioned to reach it with your thumb and reload.
It also has coil springs that provide continuous pressure on the shell follower at the correct angle.
The spring assist is an excellent feature because it helps push the rounds out of the magazine and makes shooting faster.
Ruger Mark IV
The steel, 10-round magazines have oversized base plates and great reloading buttons. Like the Buckmark, it consists of internal steel wire springs to make shooting easier.
The magazine is nicely positioned on the frame, so you can easily reach it with your thumb. Each Ruger Mark IV pistol comes with two magazines; if one goes wrong, you can switch.
Verdict: Ruger Mark IV
Browning Buckmark Vs. Ruger Mark IV – Body Design
Browning Buckmark
The CNC frame is made from 7075-T6 aluminum alloy, which guarantees durability. The trigger is gold-plated, which isn’t only functional but adds aesthetics.
The trigger pull is approximately 4 pounds, lighter than Mark IV.
Ruger Mark IV
A single piece of CNC-machined metal makes up a Mark IV frame except the polymer-frame 22/45. The trigger pull is about 5 pounds, which is lengthy, heavy, and gritty.
Fortunately, you can replace this with a more convenient one.
Verdict: Browning Buckmark
Browning Buckmark Vs. Ruger Mark IV – Control
Browning Buckmark
The grip on the pistol varies depending on the model; some come with a rubber grip, wood grip, or laminate grip.
The ergonomic interactive surface, finger grooves, and laser stippling place your hand in the same spot on the grip for every shot.
The grip angle is very natural, similar to 1911, and the finger grooves make it even better. The side panels are a bit raised, making them easy to hold.
You can also operate the manual slide with your shooting hand.
Ruger Mark IV
The Ruger Mark IV sports offers excellent backstraps, small grips, and a reliable trigger position. Because of its ergonomic design, you don’t need large hands to use Ruger Mark IV.
The grips are compact and easy to grasp. The back strap also features a strong frame that performs an excellent job of dampening recoil.
Verdict: Browning Buckmark
Browning Buckmark Vs. Ruger Mark IV – Safety
Browning Buckmark
They have a manual thumb safety mechanism. Once you remove the magazine, the trigger disengages.
You can’t fire without the magazine, a superb safety feature. The downside is you can’t turn the thumb safety off from a firing grip, as it’s too far away.
Ruger Mark IV
The Ruger Mark IV safety mechanism locks the trigger when it’s engaging and prevents accidental firing. The safety also allows for easy disengagement with a push of the thumb.
You can’t activate the safety unless you cock the gun. The safety lever then descends over the sear, preventing the sear from moving.
Verdict: Ruger Mark IV
Browning Buckmark Vs. Ruger Mark IV – Maintenance And Cleaning
Browning Buckmark
It would help if you kept your gun clean to last longer.
With the Browning Buckmark, all you need to do is take out the magazine, slide a bore brush through the barrel, and apply Gunfighter oil or its alternatives in the barrel, slide, and frame.
The manufacturer says no field stripping, but you’d need tools if you were to do that.
Ruger Mark IV
Some guns are difficult to disassemble and clean, but not the Mark IV. Ruger Mark IV comes with a single push-button takedown which makes field stripping easier.
With this button, you can quickly remove the bolt and clean from the chamber rather than the muzzle.
Verdict: Ruger Mark IV
Browning Buckmark Vs. Ruger Mark IV – Price
Browning Buckmark and Ruger Mark IV are affordable guns with slight price differences.
Though the price differs according to the dealer, $500 or more can get you a Buckmark or Ruger Mark IV.
Verdict: Both Have Good Pricing
Overall Verdict
So, while both guns make admirable designs, the Browning Buckmark edges out the Ruger mark IV in reliability and accuracy (sights), but Ruger is more customizable and safe.
A clear winner for this comparison is Browning Buckmark for its reliability, sight, and control.
