# FN Buckmark 22 Tgt



## Kestral (Sep 2, 2009)

Have a fairly new Buckmark 22 Tgt which is very accurate & nice to use, but it does have a problem.If the F/Pin is in the forward position it is very hard to pull the slide back to cock the gun. Once this has been don e it operates perfectly,until the F/Pin is released on an empty chamber again.Then I need a pick up truck to pull the slide back again.Can anyone give me a reason why this happens, would be most grateful as I really like using this gun.


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## Scorpion8 (Jan 29, 2011)

Off hand when was the last time it was cleaned thoroughly and re-lubed? Are the magazines hard to remove or do they drop free?


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## Kestral (Sep 2, 2009)

Thanks for your reply, yes its well maintained,& the mags slide out OK.Thats why Im puzzled as to why this problem,as it works fine after the 1st cocking has taken place


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

After you dry-fire the pistol, the hammer is in the forward position, resting on the inside-rear of the slide. Once the hammer is forward, to get the slide moving to the rear, you are not only pulling against the slide's recoil spring, you are also manually cocking the hammer at the same time, and this doubles (or more) the force needed to pull the slide back. The hammer's pressure on the slide is also an integral part of a balanced operating system in a blowback action, as the initial rearward thrust of a fired round's case is used to push the slide to the rear after each live shot is fired. Adjusting the mechanism to reduce the hammer's pressure on the rear of the slide could cause burst cases, if the slide opened too soon, leaving the case head unsupported while pressures in the barrel were still high.

The best thing you could probably do is make sure the face of the hammer is clean and lightly lubricated, to reduce the extra friction encountered when pulling the slide back after dry firing. I think Browning recognized this was a problem when they redesigned the shape of the Buckmark slide about 5-10 years ago. The added "ears" (or tabs) to the rear of the slide, one on each side, making it easier to get a good grip when pulling the slide back; it's quite possible that the extra pressure you encountered was the reason why they made this change.

If you normally reach over the top of the slide with your palm down, facing the top of the slide, when you work the action, then you might find it takes less effort to "slingshot" the slide for that first round. Hold the pistol in your shooting hand, pointing at the target or other safe area, and tilt it slightly toward your other hand. Then reach up with the other hand and grab the rear of the slide between the thumb and first finger, like you would grab the pouch on a slingshot. If you pull with the slide-hand while pushing forward slightly with the shooting hand, it may feel like it takes less effort to get the slide moving.


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## Kestral (Sep 2, 2009)

Thank you for your reply,most grateful. One way Ive just found that helps is to point the unloaded gun to my left with the butt pressed into my chest & held there with my RT hand. Using left thumb & forefinger onto the join of barrel & slide I push on the slide at the same time of pushing the butt to my left with my right hand.Its still a bit of a push,but it gets it done. Once the slide is moveable, & the gun pointing in a safe direction,I then insert a loaded mag.Unfortunatly these days I no longer have the strength to use a one handed pull back,but I will keep on trying.


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

That grip does give good mechanical advantage, but unfortunately also makes it very easy to point the muzzle at your weak side lower-arm/elbow during the slide manipulation. Folks have slipped and shot themselves while working the slide of an autoloading pistol to chamber a round in that fashion, so please, do be careful.

I did a bit of browsing around to see if anyone makes an easy-to-install "slide racker" for the Buckmark. They are an enlarged, sometimes hook-shaped gripping area for the slide, often used by competition shooters. There are drop-in/do-it-yourself versions for the Ruger .22 pistols, but the only thing I can find for the Buckmark required gunsmith installation (part of the rear of the slide is milled away to make room for the racker, and it is attached by two screws threaded into holes in the slide that are drilled and tapped for that purpose). Cost was about $89 USD, and you had to pay to send your slide off to have the installation done. Here is a link to it, if you're interested:

Link >>> Buckmark Slide Racker | eBay

EDIT: I just now noticed that you're not in the USA, so mailing away your slide may not be a reasonable option. Perhaps there is a local pistolsmith that could install something similar.

Anyway, good luck in all your shooting!


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## Kestral (Sep 2, 2009)

Thanks for all your help,much appreciated.Regret we cannot post gun parts these days,plus we no longer have a gunsmith,thats the problem of living on a small Island 5 x 8 miles 62,000 pop.We have one person who is reasonably good at fixing d/b shotguns,but he wont touch anything else.I purchase my handguns from a firm in Germany,but they will not take anything back or accept anything for repair.They send my purchases by courier which costs a heck of a lot,& returns would be twice the price so its just not feasable.What I need to do is get a time machine & go back to my younger days & become a Gunsmith...I`d make a fortune. Anyway, thanks again, I feel Ive met up with someone who really has helped me & I thank you again.


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