I think my Buckmark Target 5.5 pistol is suffering from light primer strikes, resulting in very frequent misfires.  I've been battling of and on with this issue on this pistol for about 6 years, fooling with it for a while trying to fix it, getting frustrated, then putting it back in the safe.

I brought it to one gunsmith several years ago who told me nothing was wrong with it, just because it didn't misfire in the dozen or two rounds he fired through it.  Fine, whatever.

I think I'll give it one more good try, and if I still can't locate the problem I'll bring it to another gunsmith (hopefully one who will actually put some effort into fixing it).

Anyway, I'd really like to see some photos of spent shell casings from other Buckmarks, just out of curiosity.  Compared to a shell from one of my Ruger rifles on the right, the Buckmark strike sure looks light to me.



Thanks!

--Mike

Should be easy to fix if indeed you're gettinglight strikes.

Be sure the firing pin chamber is clean & free of debris & oil sludge. Spray it out with some gun scrub or brake cleaner. NEVER USE CARB CLEANER ON A GUN!

If actually necessary, replacing the striker/firing pin spring from Wolf may also cure its ills?

My .o2

Thanks.  I've tried a lot of things over the years to fix the problem, but I don't think I've tried replacing the mainspring.

--Mike

Quoted: but I don't think I've tried replacing the mainspring.

Sometimes it's easy to overlook the obvious?  

Hmmm... I went to the range today, and decided at the last minute to take along the Buckmark.  My intention was to determine for sure the ratio of misfires (IIRC, last time I shot this pistol it was 1 misfire every 10 or 20 rounds).  But today, out of about 100 rounds, there were no misfires.  Just for the record, let me answer the obvious "are you sure it wasn't just bad ammo before?" question by mentioning again that this has been an ongoing problem since I first got the gun about 6 years ago, and I've tried many different brands and batches of ammo.

Anyway, at the suggestion of a gunsmith knowledgeable about Buckmarks whom I spoke with on the phone about a year ago, I did do a little work to the pistol since the last time I shot it, but when I saw the primer strikes appeared to be just as light as before, I didn't even bother taking it out to the range again, figuring the problem was still there.

And maybe it is still there... perhaps today I was just lucky (100 rounds isn't enough to prove conclusively that the problem is solved).

So, my original request still stands... I'd be very appreciative to see what the primer strikes of other Buckmarks look like.

--Mike

I don't have a digital camera, otherwise I'd be happy to oblige you.

I still believe your solution (whatever it ends up being) will be both quick & cheap.

Quoted: I don't have a digital camera, otherwise I'd be happy to oblige you.

Actually, if you have a Buckmark, you can be of great help if you can examine the photo above and tell me whether or not the shell on the left looks like a light strike compared to yours.

Thanks!

--Mike

Quoted: Actually, if you have a Buckmark, you can be of great help if you can examine the photo above and tell me whether or not the shell on the left looks like a light strike compared to yours.

Relatively speaking, yes, it looks light. As long as it goes "bang", I wouldn't sweat it. Once it stops going "bang", then I'd make a concentrated effort to make it right. Not much of a good answer, I realize but only you can decide of it indeed is a problem or not?

The round looks like one of two things that I have experienced:

1.  A broken firing pin (I had one break that took me awhile to figure out, it was misfiring for a few weeks and then just gave up the ghost).  A firing pin is about $5, and you have to drift out one pin to replace it.  This is easy to diagnose.  If you strip the pistol for cleaning you can see the firing pin in the ridge on the top of the bolt.

2.  The top strap may be loose.  When the top strap is lose the bolt tends to raise up just enough to cause the firing pin to hit too light for reliable ignition.

Just a couple guesses.

Thanks for the suggestions.  I have replaced the firing pin, and also confirmed the rail screws were secure.

--Mike

Quoted: I have replaced the firing pin, and also confirmed the rail screws were secure.

And???????????????????????????????

Just what I needed .... A reason to shoot

Here ya go :



Just for reference , my Buckmark will light strike if the top
strap is loose . Other then that it has untold thousands
of rounds through it , and it is without a doubt my favorite
.22 handgun . Out of several I own .  

Many thanks, chrome1.... this is very helpful.

--Mike

I have owned two Buckmarks previously and both functioned flawlessly.  Sounds like your was built by High Standard, LOL.  It definitely looks like it is striking too lightly, I never photographed my brass, but I know they were hit a lot harder than yours.  The Buckmark was the only .22 semiauto I've ever owned that I could feed ammo to a brick at a time.  Hope you get it sorted out, looks like you've gotten some good suggestions here.  Maybe I can trade that guy back for my original??????

I'll post a picture tomorrow if I can borrow the digital camera from work for a few minutes, but my Buckmark seems to produce strikes somewhere between yours and chrome1's.

Remington bulk ammo in a 1997 Buckmark Micro FWIW.

Thanks, jchewie.  I put another hundred rounds through it today with no misfires.  Still looks like it's hitting light, but the misfire rate is tolerable now at least.

--Mike