Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns in a 22 pistol would you pick Browning Challenge, Ruger 22/45 or Ruger single six?

All three are good solid choices. I prefer the Buckmark, 4" barrel slabside. The Challenge with a barrel is a very good choice, I like mine, light, accurate. That is a difficult to find Buckmark model. A Buckmark Camper with 4" slab side barrel costs less than the Challenge. Re-sale Buckmarks are a good bet, price is around $250, even if they are well worn.

VA is right, the Ruger Single Six is a great versatile choice with the two cylinder options for 22 mag. I have also cycled CCI shot shells in a Ruger MKIII hunter.

I would pick the ruger single six.

interesting I went to look at the single six and my dealer was out of them, looked at the standard target bull barrel Mark III and the Hunter mark III, I liked the hunter stainless but the sights are a fiber optic with a rounded groove in the back something that I cannot see how one would use to any real precision. Bass Pro has a shorter barreled single six in stock so I will go look at it next week.

I've owned or have shot all of your choices.

The Brownings are very accurate, reliable and usually have a decent trigger.

I've found the Rugers a little more accurate but usually need a trigger job to be really sweet shooting.

Single-Six. All of the dual cylinder guns will shoot Magnums very well. As to Long Rifles, some I have had shot well others not so well.

Right now I have a MKIII Hunter with 6 7/8" barrel mounted with a 2X Leupold pistol scope that shoots like a rifle. Zero problems shooting any kind of ammo. Just put a 5" Hunter on lay-a-way yesterday. As to the FO front sight with V rear, I like a slightly smaller FO front dot but with a standard rear notch but in the case of my Hunter even with the rear sight cranked all the way down it still shoots high...a call to Ruger is coming tomorrow to see if they have a higher front sight.

The Single-Sixs I have are a Hunter with 7.5" barrel and a 4 5/8" stainless Long Rifle only. The Hunter shoots great with either cylinder and the short barreled SS is very accurate...much more so than the blue dual cylinder SS it replaced.

Favorite .22 auto is the Kimber 1911...Super accurate, extremely light and 100% reliable...

Bob

Of the 3 you mentioned my go to gun is the Super Single Six. Tough to beat and will last forever.

to all that replied, thanks I am going to get the Mark III in the 5 inch barreled gun, I want a single six but just don't think I want the convertible gun at this time.

Which 22 shells work best in the Mark III bull barrel gun?

Try 'm all out. Only way to know.

I've had very good luck with CCI SGBs and CCI Sub-Sonic LR HollowPoints, but with rimfires, each firearm is a law unto itself.

Good choice. You'll have to try different brands to see what your gun like but mine does well with Rem Golden Bullets.

I have a Browning Challenger 22 pistol.

It is fantastic but it is almost 40years old� they stopped making them in the 80�s

If you can get one you should.


http://www.browning.com/customerservice/dategun/detail.asp?id=30

"The Challenger .22 Caliber Pistol was introduced in 1962 and ceased production in 1985. The Challenger evolved to the Challenger II and III pistols in 1976.

The Ruger Mod 512 MKII 5 1/2" bull barrel is sweet. I also have a MKI standard 4", and a MKIII 22/45 AS in 4". I have shot lots of Single Sixes, but they don't have a place for the rest of my hand. None are as accurate for me as the MKII. But then, I have never shot a Challenger. Good luck.

all said and done, I had a single six in one hand, the 4.5 inch SS hunter with Cocobolo grips in the other hand could not make up my mind because the single six felt better in my hand was noticeably lighter but the trigger on the sample of the single six had some creep in it. I will buy the single six next time! It sure is a nice looking pistol with those black grips! Hope I can shoot with these fiber optic sights!

The trigger on a Single Six is EASY to tweak. Stupid easy.

I hate to ask but what are the lawyer induced changes in the Mark III? [/quote]


READ here: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:DYsrKEG2QBgJ:www.gunblast.com/Ruger_MarkIII-Hunter.htm+ruger+mk+III+changes&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Hope that helps. The only thing I ever changed on the MK II's, was to do a trigger job, and added a Clark Trigger w/over-travel stop, and a couple rec'd Volquartsen rear sights, resembling the original Bo-Mar Sight, now disc. as that co. went under......believe the founder passed.

My Rugers over the years ALWAYS did well w/CCI Mini-Mag HPs, often in 1-1.5" at 25 yds in the 5.5 bull, and that or better at 50 yds in the Slabside Comp model...scoped of course.

I have nothing against the Single sixes, but do like the fact that in an auto, lock time is generally better, and you have no inconsistent variable of how each cylinder lines up, vs. all going down the same chamber in line w/the bore as in the auto. No need to 'empty 6' and if you have extra mags loaded, it makes very fast loading.

The magnum cylinder if very useful for the applications requiring more than handgun L.R. performance. Bob Milek used his w/long bbl to drop a mountain lion. Treed I seem to recall of course. That round IIRC, DOUBLES the energy vs. a long rifle round. Also, you have a jacketed bullet capable of very good penetration....I assume the Jacketed flat point is available as is HP's and I believe SPs. I know someone who put a mag round to take care of a rogue alligator........from a 6.5" Single six.

When I need more than a 22, I grab my 41...Mag, but I do see a VERY practical package in the Single Six frame and 32 mag of sorts inc. the new 327. Not much in the way of varmints that round won't handle, w/modest recoil.

I don't mean to rain down on the MK III's for those owners, but I was fortunate to get MK IIs w/o the mods that I did not find necessary/desirable.

FWIW, I have pondered a Buckmark SS of sorts, and at one SHOT show, handled a model 'UDX' w/Laminated (black) grips, that had finger grooves that actually felt better in hand than the rubber version.

http://www.browning.com/products/ca...s-stainless-black-laminated-udx-firearms

Browning does indeed offer a 'plethora' of choices/configs, and the guns prove to be accurate, reliable, and have nice triggers. As much as I like my functional, reliable, and accurate MK IIs, I'd be inclined to get a Browning if I had to settle for a MK III, but that is my personal preference having had MK IIs since '81.

I did notice the magazine disconnect safety on it, I had one of a browning High Power and a smith auto one time. I wonder if it can be disconnected? The trigger is not bad however.

There are so many aftermarket items for the auto pistol as well. Right now a low power pistol scope might be my best choice.

I will pick up a single six as well or some variety of Ruger 22 caliber revolver on the next go round I am impressed with this pistol as well, the trigger on the one in the store just made the decision for me compared to the auto.

A .22 is a real useful tool these days, the cost of center fire ammunition to practice with is just ridiculous.

I have a MK II 678GC, a MK III Hunter and a MK III 512. I think I like the Hunter best, but I couldn�t stand the sights, so they were replaced with a VQ rear and a plain post front. I also did a trigger job using a VQ MK II hammer and sear. Using the MK II hammer eliminates the mag safety. I also put in a Marvel trigger. Of the other Lawyer features, I don�t pay any attention to the screw lock. Never used it. The loaded chamber indicator doesn�t seem to hurt anything, so it doesn�t really matter. I do like the Browning style mag release button, but the button is too short. I drilled and tapped the button and mounted a 1911 mag release extension. Now it is a useful length.

I have VQ rear with post front iron sights on the two MK IIIs, but I put an Ultradot L/T mini red dot holosight on the MK II. It is really fun to play with. It helps to maximize the amazing accuracy of my MK II.

how hard is it to install the mark II hammer and sear?

Jimmy, the hammer/sear is not hard to work with, just have to make sure all parts are in place when pins put back in, and there is a spring that needs to be in the correct position.

I see they sell a markii/markiii accessorizing kit (base model) for $100,00 then there is a book for $8 that give complete assembly instructions. What do you think!!!

I never read a book, it's not that complicated, but I have honed my own sears in the past, but I think a 'kit' would be a good value w/correct consistently machined components that match up, have a good final finish where all parts should work in unison, having a synergy if you will taking up slack, i.e. slop in holes larger in tolerances vs. the pins, etc.

As much as I like the quality of say a Smith 41 (had one and my Rugers shot right with it - and when plinking many rounds, racking the Ruger slide was easier on hands w/large slide 'ears') , customized money aside, a tricked out Ruger w/quality trigger, grips that fit the user's hand, and an accurate bbl w/sights to satisfy....is to my thinking hard to beat. I have handled some Volquartsen tricked out Rugers, as well as Clark Custom Guns, and they are very nice.

Having the triggers done right (by say Clark's or buying a kit via Vol.) should eliminate the chance that you get a trigger done by self, w/excessive 'CREEP' as they can turn out with more take up than you like when just 'free-handing' a sear on a stone.

MOST Ruger auto's I have shot, would shoot better than I could hold them w/factory bbls, with good ammo, trigger quality (stock vs. custom/honed) being the biggest variable.

I unfortunately sold a 4.25 SS MkII std. config model years ago, that trigger was the best I ever worked and broke like an icicle at around 2lbs IIRC, I can tell you whether shooting birds or turtle heads, it was DEAD accurate and I attribute my offhand ability w/that gun HEAVILY on that crisp light consistent trigger. That's what you want...so when you want the shot to go off, it's almost willed.......no/little chance to pull the shot due to a trigger pull far heavier than the gun itself.

Other triggers varied from very good, to not as good, but all better than factory when I put a stone to the sear.

What I know now w/my experience, a KIT or having a smith do the work would be money well spent, paying in years of satisfied use.

don't like the fiber optic sights, good for coke cans, shotgun shells up close but not so good for target shooting!