Want to transform your stock Browning Buck Mark .22lr into a pistol your friends will lust after? Check out the Trail-Lite line of barrels and accessories from the good guys at Tactical Solutions. Now that the friendly folks at the ATF have kindly accepted my $200 tax payment and released the Silencerco Spectre II I purchased from the Silencer Shop it was high time to upgrade the base Buck Mark to a threaded barrel.
Browning produces many models of the Buck Mark pistol. Mine is a nickel receiver Pro Target 5.5″ bull barrel. This is a fine little gun off the shelf and, to this shooter, is a higher quality pistol than its main competition the Ruger. The trigger is fairly crisp and consistent on a gun at this price point. The simple blowback design of the action is reliable. The grip is comfortable for both kids and adults. Accuracy is fine.
My first modification was to install the Tactical Solutions Trail-Lite Picatinny scope base with rear site ($85). At the same time, I installed the Trail-Lite 5.5″ Threaded Barrel ($250). This lightweight barrel only weighs 6 oz.
Installing both the picatinny scope base and the new barrel requires removing only three screws. It is a five minute job to install both upgrades and is super easy. There are the two screws in the scope base plus one that seats the trigger. Upgrading these two parts could not be any simpler.
The finished product looks great on its own but really looks awesome with the Silencerco Spectre II as the barrel and suppressor are the same diameter.
Off to the range. We shot a variety of ammunition include high velocity Federal, Remington subsonic, and the new CCI Suppressor subsonic loads. 22lr ammo is notoriously dirty and finicky but we only had one fired cartridge fail to extract (on the Federal standard velocity ammo). Most impressively, the pistol cycled both the Remington and CCI ammunition flawlessly while running the suppressor.
Three different shooters each fired several magazines of each ammunition type. We worked through the cycle of non-suppressed high velocity, suppressed high velocity, then suppressed subsonic. Needless to say, with each cycle the grins grew wider and the suppressed subsonic action had grown men giggling.
The Silencerco Spectre II is outstanding. I really couldn’t hear any “first round pop” even with high velocity ammo. Running a mag of subsonic ammo is about as fun as it gets.
Browning Buck Mark + Silencerco Spectre II + CCI Suppressor ammo = stupid fun!
Stay tuned for a detailed review of the Silencerco Spectre II.
Mike Coker
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Why has no one offered an aluminum/polymer tactical forearm for the Buck Mark rifle? This forearm could have a full length rail on right and left sides as well as the bottom. It would be a great accessory for any existing Buck Mark rifle and some pistol models. I own the Buck Mark Target, laminate,fluted and threaded, target crowned heavy barrel that BEGS for such a forearm. Even if not stable enough for a laser, this forearm would be very utilitarian for such items as a folding forearm grip, flashlight, IR light for a night vision scope and a bi-pod. The barrel is threaded and I have Silencerco SS Sparrow.
Any idea as to who makes the rear iron sight on the Trail-Lite® Scope Base?
I ordered up a set of walnut grips for my Buckmark Camper as well
as the Specter suppressor. It is a fun gun to shoot. Tried out
the Gemtech .22 subsonic ammo the last time I went to the range
with it. Its an indoor one and the one of the range techs stopped
by to ask if I was shooting a suppressed .22 – I said yes, and he
mentioned that he had heard what turned out to be the weapon being fired but at first he thought there was something wrong with the
target return system as he did not recognize the sound as being associated with a weapon being fired. It is quite.
What are those grips you have on your buckmark?