[CA357]

Thanks Old & Slow, there's nothing like real world experience.

Coincidentally, I found the Beretta forum earlier today and joined up.

[Westy]

I have two Cougars, a 9mm and the .45 ACP. Love them both! The 9mm was my carry weapon for quite a while. Shot tons of ammo through both and never had any trouble with them. The size fits good in my large hand too. I had a DOA but couldn't get used to the trigger so I sold that one.

Enjoy!

[group17]

I bought a 8000 a month ago. Holds 15 rounds.
What a great pistol no problems what so ever. Keep the rotating barrel port well lubed.
very accurate and fun to shoot.
Best of luck with yours!

[Viking]

Originally Posted by RL357Mag

I don't have the .45 but I do have the .40 version. Actually it is the mini-Cougar (8040) It's called the "mini" because it comes with a short 8 rd. mag which makes it very concealable but doesn't have sufficient finger purchase, and it comes with a 10 rd. mag with a grip extension which makes it a full-sized Cougar. I bought it in 1999 for $550 and have put about 1500 rds. through it. It's not a 25yd. gun, but I didn't buy it for target shooting. It's extremely well made and solid and I like it, despite it's weight. The design is solid and supposedly more accurate due to the locking axial rotation of the barrel via the double cam acting on a tooth on the central block, securely locking the slide to the barrel. I have not had any jams during the entire time I've owned it. The new ones are made by Stoeger and are considerably less money, though I have read reviews claiming the finish is not as nice as the originals made in Italy. You should enjoy it!

From the info that I have seen the "mini" Cougar is no longer manufactured, too bad as I would have liked to have gotten one when I bought my Cougar 8040 with the 3.6" barrel as it would be better for CCW. I'm rather skinny so it's a bit harder to hide weapon patterning on clothing, for now I use a waist pack and as far as I've noticed no one has raised an eyebrow as to what I'm carrying. As to the quality of the Turkish built Cougar, as far as I'm concerned it's very high. For me it's been great for front site point and shoot, I actually enjoy shooting it more than the XDm 40 I got before the Cougar. The finish on the slide looks like a baked on paint, probably a tough plastic because so far as many times I've had it in and out of holsters and the waist pack it's showing no wear. The axial rotating barrel lock up does give a different recoil which really helps on follow up shots as it pushes straight back with very little upward barrel flip. It's nice to have the 16 round magazines of the XDm but the 11 round mags of the Cougar are fine with me considering the Cougar is more accurate in my hands than the XDm so far. Nothing against the XDm, it's a great weapon but in retrospect the way the Cougar naturally fits in my hands I probably should have bought two of the same.