Jason D

The gun would stove pipe like crazy.

First the add ons and mods to get reliability.

1. VQ hammer/trigger kit
2. VQ bolt kit that consisted of a firing pin and extractor.
3. Deactivated LCI.
4. Polished feed ramp.
5. Removed magazine disconnect.
6. Modified magazine's feed lips.


The gun would stove pipe about every magazine.
What was happening was that the gun was ejecting the fired cartridges off from the magazine. This was causing the gun to eject a casing, and load a fresh round at just about the same time.

To fix this problem I had to round off the very front corners of the magazine's feed lips. Now the fired case bypasses the magazines and actually ejects off from the ejector like it should have to begin with.

The more research I put into the MKIII, the better fixes that popped up.
Xavier Thoughts: The MKII Magazine Tweak

For the sake of not being long winded, all reverences VQ are Volquartsen.


As for the outcome. The gun now works and is 100% reliable. It's just that all the trouble I went through has jaded me towards this particular gun.

jbird60

Wow that sounds like you got a lemon i have fired about 800 rds thru mine and have had zero prblems.

KJS

Before making my final decision to buy a MK III the other week, I looked into Buckmark as they make some .22s that appear quite popular & competitive with Ruger. One feature I found interesting was that on at least one model Browning has a scope base built right into the frame.

I ordered a copy of the Buckmark owners manual. Field stripping should be easier since from what I read Browning doesn't expect owners to strip much at all. Their manual instructs you to clean from the muzzle end, just as one cleans a revolver from the "wrong" end.

ARhunter308

With the Browning you can also buy the picatinny rail from their website and it fits on all (I believe) models, with a quick turn of the screw to remove the old sight base and put on the new rail.

ARhunter308

I can't do that. I know it says you only have to take it down so far to clean it, but I took it down all the way, and you wouldn't believe how much crud gets in there. I didn't think any of the propellent burns, I think it all gets dumped under/on top of/within the bolt. haha. I can't leave my guns like that. My FNAR is the same way, it says to only take it down so far, and after that only an armorer/gunsmith should take it down further -- to take out the bolt, for instance. Just to field strip it takes 4 different tools, so I believe them when they say to take it down further requires a professional. But it IRKS me to know that all that grime and crud is sitting in there, in the bolt. I usually flush it with Gun Scrubber II or some similar product. FYI, I forgot what it's called, but Break-Free makes a Gun Scrubber -type flushing product. It sells for about $10 per can, but you can get the same thing at Walmart, branded as Winchester, for $5.

Jason D

It was a ball of frustration alright.
I burned through the better part of a brick just doing function checks.
It was going to be a bullseye match gun. I couldn't afford to have the gun jam during a match, so I did whatever I could to it just to get it to run reliably.

I have about 700.00 invested in it not including the optics.
After I finally got it fixed, I ran 300 trouble free rounds though it.
I cleaned it the last time, and put it away.

bell407

Local gun shop has sale on MKIII 22/45 5.5 bull barrel. The standard MKIII with 5.5 bull barrel is more. I know about the polmer all metal and magazine differences but would really like to know if standard MKIII is worth the extra money. One thing I don't care for is the 22/45 magazine.

Tater

JasonD,

I had what sounds to me to be the same problem as you. Mine functioned flawlessly for about 2,000 rounds then began to have stovepipes once or even twice or more a magazine.

I didn't try any of the tricks you tried; I called Ruger and they fixed it up perfectly. I've now got about 3,000 rounds through the repaired pistol with no problems at all. Not one FTE FTF or FTAnything.

Recoil

1- Either brand will be more accurate then most shooters.
2- The price of a ruger polly 22/45 will be the lowest. Expect the all metal models to run more money.
3- The alloy buckmark's are great out of the gate. (Better trigger) The ruger can be made that way with custom bought parts.
4- Do not buy the camper model buckmark. It is the lowest cost model, but they use a plastic sight base on that model that is prone to failure. About 70 bucks to upgrade to a metal one.
5-I have 6 rugers and 1 buckmark.
Hold them all or rent them first. Buy what feels good and or meets your $ limit.

DOUBLESHOT

Just an update. My local range/gun shop got in a used (mint condition) S&W 2206 SS target pistol and I bought that for a mere $279.00. Could not pass it up at that price. It is more accurate than either of my Rugers. The only downside is that in doesn't like HV ammo. It is flawless with the CCI SV stuff. This is something I can live with. It was just what I was looking for at a price cheaper than either alternative.

Yellow Rock Ranch

Both are good guns, the Browning points better for me, but the Ruger is more durable. Browning has a plethora of bolt on accessories. You can change a barrel out in about 5 min. In my opinion the Browning has a better out of the box trigger pull.

TLJack

I have fired over 2000 rounds through my Mark III and have never had a problem. A guy at our range was having a bit of trouble with his shooting Remington bulk ammo. That stuff is nasty, dirty! He changed ammo and has not a bit of troubles since.

If anyone is having problems with their Mark III or any other Ruger for that matter, before spending a bunch of money on it and time getting angry with it, send it to Ruger. They will make things right. I have owned over 100 Rugers since the 70s and have only had a proble with one gun. Sent it to Ruger and had it back in 2 weeks. It has worked flawlessly since

Wee Hooker

I've had (and still have) both. The Buckmark has a better out of the box trigger but less aftermarket accessories are available to make it fit/work better. Mags and accessories are also cheaper for the Ruger. I can tell you that in all the local club bulls eye/gallery leagues around here( which require accuracy and reliability), you'll find 4 MK II/III 's for every Buckmark.

I myself preffer a Ruger ( with Volq sear) over the Buckmark for most .22 work.

JimB

I love my Ruger MKlll HunterSS 6 7/8 barrel. She likes Federal Premiums. It is a Great Shooter.

jimku

I have just installed all of the Volquartsen parts in my MKIII Competition. Trigger pull is now 2.29lbs, very minimal pre-travel, nearly zero overtravel, zero creep, very clean break and extremely smooth. All for right around $100.00

I don't think it is possible to obtain this nice of a trigger pull in a Buckmark. If it is possible, it is definitely not this easy to do, and probably requires extensive and far more expensive work by a gunsmith. For me, that trigger pull trumps ease of takedown any day!

Also, to field strip a Buckmark you must remove the backstrap - which is where you mount any kind of optic - which means disrupting the zero of any optic you have mounted every time you field strip the gun.