Striplin Custom Guide Rod for Browning Buckmark?

[Bassat]

I just cleaned my Buckmark after a really nice 460 round range trip yesterday. In the process, I lost the damn 3mm spring-clip recoil spring retainer. An internet search led me to a Striplin Custom Guide Rod that replaces the factory original, and eliminates that pesky 3mm clip that flies into oblivion, frequently. I've already ordered one ($23), so the point is already moot, but here goes. Has anyone had experience with this piece of hardware? Is it as good as the company claims? Any problems with it? TIA.

 

[jwamplerusa]

I just cleaned my Buckmark after a really nice 460 round range trip yesterday. In the process, I lost the damn 3mm spring-clip recoil spring retainer. An internet search led me to a Striplin Custom Guide Rod that replaces the factory original, and eliminates that pesky 3mm clip that flies into oblivion, frequently. I've already ordered one ($23), so the point is already moot, but here goes. Has anyone had experience with this piece of hardware? Is it as good as the company claims? Any problems with it? TIA.

No experience, but I want to know what your experience is.

@Bassat since you are another Buckmark owner, have you had difficulty with the magazines feeding reliably? Mine Begin dragging at about the fifth round inserted in the mag. On firing the first 4 or 5 shots it is not uncommon for the round to not rise fast enough, resulting in an empty chamber, and having to cycle the action.


I have scrubbed the mags out which helped, but it's still doing it

 

[Bassat]

I had a 460 round range session yesterday. At 350-400 rounds I had 2 instances of no-feed, in separate magazines. I don't know which round it was (1 through 10) in either case. I do know I fired another ~100 rounds, and it did not happen again. Generally, after every outing, I clean the magazine, to include a light coat of oil on the inside of the magazine, and on what I can reach with a q-tip on the follower. This is the first time I've had this error with this gun, so I thought it was just really dirty. BTW, it was. It probably has less than 2000 rounds through it. This is my second Buckmark, the first one started acting up at about 10,000 rounds.

A few thoughts on other possible causes. Weak/worn/old recoil spring. Dirty/dry slide/frame interface. Cracked/broken/missing recoil shock absorber. Cheap, weak, or underpowered ammunition. Are your rounds nose-diving in the magazine when the no-feed error occurs. That is classic weak/worn magazine spring.

 

[Trapper Jim]

Be really sure your top strap screws are down and tight. Any slop at all (just a few thousandths) and your bolt will loose its consistency.

 

[jwamplerusa]

No the rounds don't nose drive, the rounds are simply dragging in the magazines and rise too slowly to be stripped out of the mag to the chamber.

I have been cleaning the mags far more than I used to, and it did seem to improve some before returning to the slow feeding issue.

I have never oiled mags, considered it a lint and dirt magnet. I may try that as well.

I generally fire Aguila 40gr cu high velocity, or minimags.

I'm really interested to hear your experience with the Striplin Custom Guide Rod.

 

[Bassat]

If you are positive the round is coming up too slowly, and I do not doubt you, how do you know that is NOT due to weak magazine springs? Beg, borrow, buy a new magazine and see if that fixes your issue. Out of curiosity, how many rounds through the Buckmark?

I will certainly post my experiences with the custom guide rod. I expect it will be here Thursday or Friday. Sadly, Wednesday is my day off. I work 12 hour shifts Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri., so it make take a few days to get to the range. I will certainly comment on the installation as soon as I get it in.

 

[jwamplerusa]

It could be mag springs, but the rounds literally are dragging in the mags. I can strip rounds off manually out of the gun and see they are slow to rise.

One mag is much newer than the other.

Regardless, I shall try to get new mag springs.

I don't keep a log of rounds fired, but I would estimate at least 3000.

 

[WebSnyper]

It could be mag springs, but the rounds literally are dragging in the mags. I can strip rounds off manually out of the gun and see they are slow to rise.

One mag is much newer than the other.

Regardless, I shall try to get new mag springs.

I don't keep a log of rounds fired, but I would estimate at least 3000.

I saw you mentioned 2 different ammo brands. Does it seem to do it equally with both? Do they have similar bullet profile /oal?

 

[jwamplerusa]

Yes, it seems to have the same failure at the same rate, and both have similar bullet profiles.

I have shot other ammo just to test, and have not noticed a difference in the failure mode or rate.

I ordered the Tandemcross green springs last night. I can't believe I hadn't thought of that previously, but I have never had to replace mag springs before, and these are the next to the newest Mags I have.

 

[Bassat]

My Striplin guide rod is scheduled for delivery Thursday. Will most likely install it Friday morning, before going to work.

 

[snorko]

My Striplin guide rod is scheduled for delivery Thursday. Will most likely install it Friday morning, before going to work.

I learned early on and have a pill bottle with a half dozen 3mm clips. I have not heard of this replacement and am intrigued.

 

[Bassat]

I learned early on and have a pill bottle with a half dozen 3mm clips. I have not heard of this replacement and am intrigued.

I didn't know about it either, until I lost my little clip while dis-assembling the Buckmark. Go to their website and watch the video about it. Neat little idea to eliminate the clip. The part is actually called,"Eliminator" guide rod for Buckmark.

 

[Bassat]

I got my Striplin Eliminator guide rod installed today. Pay attention to the directions on the back (2nd pic) of the insert. My Eliminator was about 1/16" too long. 5 minutes of trial and error with a fine, flat file and I was in business. Pic 3 shows the little hole in the rod, pic 4 is how/why you don't need the 3mm spring clip, pic 5 shows a paper clip in the guide rod hole, pic 6 shows the assembled guide rod, recoil spring, firing pin block, and paper clip all together. Note: In this photo the firing pin block and paper clip are on the same side of the guide rod. Rotate the firing pin block 180 degrees for proper positioning for insertion. Note: you have to pull the slide back about 1/2" for re-assembly. With the slide all the way forward, the firing pin block will NOT drop into the slide.

Note: You can file/fit the new rod with just the gun, recoil buffer, and rod. You don't need to re-assemble everything to test-fit the rod. MAKE SURE THE ROD is all the way into the recoil buffer, or you may file too much off the rod.

Once I got the rod filed/fit properly, I assembled/dis-assembled my entire slide assembly several times. Two or three repetitions and it will be second nature.
Last note: when I dis-assembled my Buckmark to do this, the guide rod, recoil spring and firing pin block flew about 20 feet into the living room. THAT will NEVER happen again!

 

[jwamplerusa]

Yes, it seems to have the same failure at the same rate, and both have similar bullet profiles.

I have shot other ammo just to test, and have not noticed a difference in the failure mode or rate.

I ordered the Tandemcross green springs last night. I can't believe I hadn't thought of that previously, but I have never had to replace mag springs before, and these are the next to the newest Mags I have.

Well, I feel rather sheepish about this, but then again I've never had mag springs fail.

The tandemcross Green springs did a remarkable job in improving the feeding of rounds from the magazines. With the magazines dry I had a 95% success rate overall and 100% in mag-1. Mag 2 is the most recent and I'm reasonably convinced that it got squished during shipping.

Taking the advice of @Bassat I lightly oiled the inside of the mags when I returned home and will see if that gets me to 100% on the next range trip.

I am both disappointed and surprised that on my newest mags the springs appeared to have already failed.

Thank you for the update on the Striplin Eliminator guide rod. That may be a purchase in my future.