Ruger Mark IV vs Browning Buck Mark: The Classic .22 Duopoly
Two families have ruled serious rimfire pistols for generations. Ruger finally fixed its one historic sin — the takedown — and Browning kept polishing the sweetest trigger in production .22s. Choosing between them is a good problem.
Updated July 2026 · Specs reference the Mark IV Target 5.5" and Buck Mark Standard/Camper 5.5" — each family's core model.
The Mark IV is the better buy for most people — the one-button takedown transformed the platform from a cleaning-day nightmare into a thirty-second job, the bull-barrel accuracy is superb, and the aftermarket is the deepest in rimfire.
But buy the Buck Mark if trigger feel decides things for you — Browning's factory break remains the standard — or the lighter, slab-sided ergonomics simply fit your hand better. Nobody ever regretted either gun.
Side-by-Side Specs
| Spec | Mark IV Target | Buck Mark 5.5" |
|---|---|---|
| Caliber | .22 LR | .22 LR |
| Capacity | 10+1 | 10+1 |
| Barrel | 5.5" bull | 5.5" |
| Weight | ≈42.8 oz | ≈34 oz |
| Takedown | One button, tool-free | Screws (hex tools) |
| Trigger | Good; great with drop-in kits | Excellent from the factory |
| Sights | Adjustable rear; drilled/tapped for rail | Adjustable Pro-Target rear; rail options |
| Street price | ~$450–550 | ~$400–500 |
Both families sprawl: Mark IV runs from the polymer 22/45 Lite to stainless Hunters; Buck Mark spans Camper to Medallion. The core comparison holds across trims.
The Takedown Story
For sixty years, the joke about Ruger's Standard/Mark pistols was that they went together like a Chinese puzzle box and half the internet existed to help you reassemble one. The Mark IV ended the joke: press one button, tip the upper off, clean, click back together — thirty seconds, no tools, no YouTube. Given how filthy rimfire ammunition runs, this isn't a convenience feature; it's the reason Mark IVs get cleaned and shot more. The Buck Mark still asks for hex wrenches and care with its sight-rail screws — routine for the devoted, genuinely annoying for everyone else. This section alone converts most undecided buyers to Ruger, and it should.
Trigger & Accuracy
Browning's rebuttal is the part of the gun your finger lives on. The Buck Mark's factory trigger — light, glass-crisp, with the gold-plated blade Browning can't resist — remains the best out-of-box break in production rimfires, and paired with its clean-slab ergonomics it makes bullseye work feel unfair. The Mark IV's trigger is good rather than great from the factory, with more overtravel; the equalizer is a giant drop-in aftermarket (Volquartsen and friends) that makes it the better trigger for a hundred-dollar kit — if you're willing to spend it. Raw mechanical accuracy from both is superb; the heavy Ruger bull barrel holds steadier on target, the lighter Browning fatigues your arm less over long sessions. Match shooters split between them for exactly these reasons.
Ergonomics & Aftermarket
The Mark IV Target is a heavy gun — nearly nine ounces over the Browning — which steadies wobble but tells on younger and older wrists alike. Its 22/45 sub-family answers with 1911-pattern grip angles and polymer weight savings. The Buck Mark's grip is slimmer and more neutral, often the better fit for small and medium hands. On upgrades, Ruger wins by landslide: barrels, triggers, optics mounts, and compensators exist in numbers the Buck Mark ecosystem — respectable but smaller — can't match. Buy the Browning to enjoy as-is; buy the Ruger as a platform.
Price & Value
Street prices overlap heavily around the $400–$550 band depending on trim, so money rarely decides this. Both hold value stubbornly — used examples of either sell fast at strong prices, and both will outlive their owners with basic care. The honest summary: the Ruger is the better *owning* experience (takedown, aftermarket, variants), the Browning the better *unmodified shooting* experience (trigger, weight, feel). Pick your verb.
Who Should Buy Which
Mark IV: The tinkerer & volume shooter
You'll clean often, shoot cases of bulk ammo, maybe add a dot or a Volquartsen trigger later. The one-button takedown and bottomless aftermarket make it the rimfire you build a relationship with.
Buck Mark: The purist
You want the best trigger and the most refined feel straight out of the box, at the lighter weight, and you'd rather shoot than modify. Browning's polish is the product.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Ruger Mark IV really easier to clean than older Marks?
Dramatically. The Mark IV's one-button takedown replaced the notoriously difficult Mark I/II/III disassembly with a thirty-second, tool-free process. It's the single biggest reason to choose a Mark IV over a used earlier Mark, even at a discount.
Which has the better trigger, Mark IV or Buck Mark?
From the factory, the Buck Mark — its light, crisp break is the benchmark for production .22 pistols. The Mark IV's is good and becomes excellent with inexpensive drop-in kits from Volquartsen and others, but that's an added cost the Browning doesn't ask for.
Are these guns too heavy for new or older shooters?
The steel Mark IV Target runs nearly 43 ounces — steady on target but tiring to hold. The Buck Mark saves about nine ounces, and Ruger's 22/45 Lite variants drop weight further. For limited wrist strength, the Browning or a Lite-series Ruger is the kinder choice.
Mark IV or Buck Mark for a first target pistol?
Either is a lifetime gun. Default to the Mark IV for its takedown and upgrade path; choose the Buck Mark if you dry-fire both and the trigger sells itself — which it often does.