Browning's Buck Mark Lite Gray URX 5 1/2

The Browning Buck Mark was introduced in 1985 as a replacement for the Browning Challenger product line. Unlike the Browning Challenger that began as Belgium manufacture than moved to Morgan, Utah in 1976, the Buck Mark has always been an American made product.

Spec box narration…

The Buck Mark barrel is fixed to the frame and does not moved as the pistol cycles. The action is a simple blow back design where slide velocity and acceleration are controlled with recoil springs and the weight of reciprocating material.

This Lite model’s 0.085″ wall thickness alloy steel barrel is shrouded in aluminum with 0.258″ wall thickness; substantial containment of the .22 Long Rifle’s modest 24 kpsi chamber pressure. The aluminum sleeve does not add heft like a steel bull barrel, but it provides steel barrel liner stability and the aluminum rapidly dissipates barrel heat. The steel barrel is recessed 0.050″ within the sleeve to shield it from contact damage. The barrel’s chamber is hand reamed to precision dimensions.

The rear sight has 16 clicks per rotation for  adjustment rather than a more typical 12. The result is smaller increments of adjustment for more precise target work. The front sight is a Marble’s Truglo® fiber optic piece. While this front sight element is green, Browning also offers a HiViz front sight kitwith interchangeable colors. Williams Gun Sight makes a green-red combo fiber optic sight set that replaces both front and rear sights. personally, I like the Browning factory set best.

A case where revisions can make a huge difference. Older Buck Marks, like the one in the foreground, have side gripping surfaces that are forward of the rear sight when the slide is closed and the rear of the slide ends with a transition radius from sides to rear surfaces. It is an invitation to grab the sides of the slide, pinch the sight base and run into the sides of the rear sight.

The current model, left, has elongated gripping surfaces and they are moved aft. Instead of the radius surfaces at the rear, the slide is dog eared as a positive gripping surface moved well after of the rear sight. The newer wrap around grip with finger groove have an improved contour and they are more hand filling. They have a very natural feel and they help form a natural point.

It took a bit of adjustment… practice, before the Browning Buck Mark Lite felt comfortable in my hand. Because of the large barrel sleeve diameter, I guess I kept expecting a nose heavy feel when the actual heft is more uniformly balanced and light.

After perhaps 50 rounds, the Buck Mark took on a comfortable feel that remained in all of the range days that followed. The sights are terrific but then I am a fan of fiber optic element sights. The rear sight adjustment is precise and adjustments stay put. The target above is a good example of the pistols accuracy with high velocity rimfire ammo, in this case Remington Golden Bullet ammo. The 1 1/4″ group was shot at 50′ from a rest.

Between a 454 Casull and 44 Remington Mag…

The Browning Buck Mark project came up between two heavy magnum handguns, which take a little on the fly perspective adjustment. Ultimately, it represented a relaxing break and opportunity for a little fun. Everyone should have at least one good 22 LR pistol and there are fewer good rimfire pistols than one might suspect. Fortunately, the Browning is one of the good ones.