# Buckmark searching, which barrel works best for target



## Audioi (Oct 26, 2014)

Wanting to get a Buckmark but since I cannot shoot first and buy later I thought I would ask which of the two longer barrels works best on this gun, 5.5 or 7.25?


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

I've owned several BuckMarks over the last 15 years, and shot several more, and for me, the 5.5 bull barrel seemed to "hang" with the least amount of wiggles, without being too heavy for longer shooting sessions. If you're going to shoot iron sights only, then the added sight radius of the longer barrel might be of assistance, but the additional weight of the longer barrel may be counterproductive during longer range sessions (at some point, a person's muscles get tired of holding/supporting the pistol and the wiggles start to get worse; no matter how strong you are, that point will be reached sooner with a heavier pistol and later with a lighter one). If you intend to add an optical sight of some sort (an electric red dot sight, a scope, or similar device), then the longer iron sight radius of the long barrel will not be of any help at all, and as the optical sight and mount/rings will add some weight, it's probably better to go lighter than heavier for a pistol that will later have optics added.

Even the non-bull-barrel Camper model I owned shot very well after the trigger was tuned-up, and it was even lighter than the 5.5 bull barrel. I had to add an optics rail later, where the heavy-barrel target-model pistols come with the rail, but it's not too hard to swap the rear sight base for a rail mount. 

I don't really think there are any bad choices in the BuckMark lineup; pick the one you like the most, and get busy shootin'!


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## Audioi (Oct 26, 2014)

Thanks for the factual informative response, it all makes sense to me.


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## Audioi (Oct 26, 2014)

DJ Niner said:


> I've owned several BuckMarks over the last 15 years, and shot several more, and for me, the 5.5 bull barrel seemed to "hang" with the least amount of wiggles, without being too heavy for longer shooting sessions. If you're going to shoot iron sights only, then the added sight radius of the longer barrel might be of assistance, but the additional weight of the longer barrel may be counterproductive during longer range sessions (at some point, a person's muscles get tired of holding/supporting the pistol and the wiggles start to get worse; no matter how strong you are, that point will be reached sooner with a heavier pistol and later with a lighter one). If you intend to add an optical sight of some sort (an electric red dot sight, a scope, or similar device), then the longer iron sight radius of the long barrel will not be of any help at all, and as the optical sight and mount/rings will add some weight, it's probably better to go lighter than heavier for a pistol that will later have optics added.
> 
> Even the non-bull-barrel Camper model I owned shot very well after the trigger was tuned-up, and it was even lighter than the 5.5 bull barrel. I had to add an optics rail later, where the heavy-barrel target-model pistols come with the rail, but it's not too hard to swap the rear sight base for a rail mount.
> 
> I don't really think there are any bad choices in the BuckMark lineup; pick the one you like the most, and get busy shootin'!


I see browning is making the Buckmark in a Lite version with aluminum, does anyone have history with this one?


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## berettatoter (Sep 1, 2011)

I have never shot the longer barrel, but I did have one in 5 1/2 inch, and it was damn accurate. I actually shot it better with the irons than I did with the red dot I had put on it.


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

Audioi said:


> I see browning is making the Buckmark in a Lite version with aluminum, does anyone have history with this one?


Nope, sorry.



berettatoter said:


> I have never shot the longer barrel, but I did have one in 5 1/2 inch, and it was damn accurate. I actually shot it better with the irons than I did with the red dot I had put on it.


You must have darn good vision to see and align iron sights that well! Give me a dot-sight or a scope over irons any day of the week...


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## Audioi (Oct 26, 2014)

Went to the shop and checked them all out, ended up with one of the upper models as it has the finger grips built in the frame (unlike most others), has a 5.5" slab sided barrel, wood contoured grips and Hi viz site on the barrel, cannot wait to get it on the range!


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## Jonie45 (Feb 15, 2011)

Hope you got the time to shoot your new pistol. Just wondering how did it go?


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## Audioi (Oct 26, 2014)

Jonie45 said:


> Hope you got the time to shoot your new pistol. Just wondering how did it go?


Loads of fun, very accurate! Only got a chance to shoot about 150 rounds so far but it's a great gun. Not sure that it likes the cheap Remington ammo but its too new to tell. Cannot wait for more range time as soon as its above freezing.


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