Dexter Blackstock opened his R's goalscoring account, but honours ended even at Home Park.
Rangers' most expensive summer signing bagged his first goal in a QPR shirt on 16 minutes, only for Sylvan Ebanks-Blake to equalise just after the half hour.
A lively second half produced a flurry of half chances, but in truth, neither side did enough to warrant maximum points.
It was all square at the break, after a lively opening 45 minutes in the West Country.
Blackstock broke his duck on 16 minutes, when he ghosted into the box unchallenged to poke the ball past the advancing Luke McCormick.
Undeterred, Ebanks-Blake - a summer signing from Manchester United - capitalised on a defensive error at the heart of the R's back four to level the tie.
Gary Waddock made three changes to the starting XI after the disappointing 3-1 defeat to Ipswich Town last time out.
In came Marc Nygaard, Marc Bircham and debutant Egutu Oliseh, with Kevin Gallen, Steve Lomas and Ray Jones all making way.
Barry Hayles led the Argyle attack, as former R's boss Ian Holloway locked horns with his former club for the first time since being appointed Pilgrims gaffer.
Rangers created the first chance as early as the third minute.
Lee Cook's in-swinging free kick found the head of Nicky Ward, but the Aussie - despite being gifted time and space at the near post - headed high and wide.
Buoyed by that early opening, the R's fans - who again turned out in force - broke into their first rendition of ''Gary Waddock's Blue & White Army,'' which was met with a wave of acknowledgement from the R's gaffer.
The Pilgrims took time to find their feet, but when they eventually did, it was Hayles who stung them into life, heading inches wide of Paul Jones' left hand post from Akos Buzsaky's 12th minute free kick.
The goal Rangers' fast start deserved arrived on 16 minutes, courtesy of Blackstock.
The former Southampton striker - who scored four goals while on loan at Home Park in season 2004/05 - ghosted into the box unmarked and applied the faintest of touches to Cook's defence splitting centre to nutmeg McCormick.
Argyle centre half Hasney Ajofree became the first player to enter referee Mr Marriner's notebook on 23 minutes, for a late lunge on the lively Oliseh.
Undeterred, Argyle improved as the half wore on, with firstly Buzsaky, and then Hayles, each going close.
Buzsaky's 20-yard free kick flew a yard or so over, before the much-travelled Hayles squandered a glorious chance, when he headed wide from just inside the six-yard box.
The pressure was relentless and when Hayles broke free down the right flank on the half hour, Zesh Rehman was in the right place at the right time to clear the danger with Ebanks-Blake ready to pounce.
The pressure eventually told a minute later when a mix-up in the R's defence involving Rehman and Paul Jones allowed Ebanks-Blake to round the Welsh number one and roll the ball into an empty net from an acute angle.
Buzsaky's free kicks were a constant threat throughout the half and when his fizzing effort ricocheted of Cook's head, Jones was down well to smother the ball at his near post.
Ebanks-Blake was leading the R's defence a merry dance as the half drew to a conclusion and when he got to the by-line on the stroke of half time, the advancing Hayles was inches away from connecting at the back stick.
With the pitch bathed in sunshine at the start of the second half, it was Rangers who signalled their intentions on the resumption.
Blackstock rose tallest to Ward's right foot cross and when his knock-down fell at the feet of Nygaard, only a splendid block tackle from Ajofree denied the R's man from slotting the ball home.
The loose ball fell to the onrushing Bircham, but he got his effort all wrong, scuffing the ball into the stands from the edge of the box.
Buzsaky continued to cause problems for the R's back four and when he left Cook and then Milanese trailing in his wake, only a poor finish let him down with Rangers all at sea in their own penalty area.
Wearing the armband for the first time this season clearly had a positive effect on the impressive Rose, who was on hand to execute a perfectly timed tackle on 60 minutes, just as Hayles was setting himself to let fly.
Stewart was next in line to make a last ditch tackle, this time thwarting David Norris after the Argyle midfielder coasted into the box unchallenged.
Ebanks-Blake squandered a golden opportunity on 65 minutes, heading over from eight-yards from another Buzsaky cross, as the Pilgrims slowly but surely took control.
Rangers' best opportunities arrived on the counter attack and when Oliseh found Nygaard on the right wing, his piercing drive forced McCormick into a fine parry at his near post.
At the other end, Stewart produced another sensational block to deny Hayles from a tight angle, as both sides went in search of a winner.
Both manager's made a series of late substitutions in an attempt to breathe new life into their respective outfits, but the all-important third goal remained elusive, despite Jones forcing McCormick into a simple save with a deft header in the fifth and final minute of stoppage time.
Plymouth Argyle: McCormick, Nalis, Aljofree, Norris, Buzsaky (Chadwick 75), Ebanks-Blake (Reid 76), Hayles, Kouo-Doumbe, Wotton, Hodges, Connolly.
Subs: Capaldi, Sawyer, Summerfield.
Scorers: Ebanks-Blake 31,
Bookings: Ajofree 21,
Red Cards:
QPR: P Jones, Rose, Rehman, Stewart, Milanese, Oliseh, Ward, Bircham (Lomas 76), Cook, Nygaard (Gallen 95), Blackstock (R Jones 88).
Subs: Cole, Kanyuka.
Scorers: Blackstock 16,
Bookings: Stewart 43, Cook 64
Red Cards:
Referee: A Marriner
Attendance: 12, 138
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