Sponsors

**CA357** · 06-27-2009, 09:55 PM

This is a Beretta Cougar model 8045 which is a compact .45ACP. The mags are fat enough to be double stack ten rounders, but only hold eight. So capacity is 8 + 1. I haven't yet been able to find higher capacity mags, but I'm on the hunt. If they exist, I want some.

The pistol has a 3.75" barrel and a fairly wide full length grip. There is a Mini Cougar version made with the same overall dimensions, but with a shorter grip. It comes with Trijicon night sights, but they are, sadly, quite deceased.

The barrel rotates on recoil rather than tipping up like the Browning design. Some say this lessens felt recoil, but frankly, I couldn't discern much difference.

It's a wide/fat pistol and it feels good to grip and aim. Mine is an agency trade in, but must have belonged to an officer or a desk jockey as it looks practically new.

Fit and finish is excellent. It's the standard Beretta matte black. Mine came with the Beretta blue plastic case and two mags. No manual.

I cleaned and lubricated it before it's first range trip, but without a manual, the rotary barrel was a bit tricky to reassemble. It's simple once you know how.

Now, the Range Report:

I wanted to test for function, accuracy and reliability. To that end, I fired a wide range of ammunition.

Ammunition was Blazer 230gr. FMJ, WWB 230gr. FMJ, Federal 165gr. Hydra Shok and my favorite .45 round Hornady 230gr. truncated cone/flat point FMJ's. (it's the round that the late Col. Jeff Cooper developed in conjunction with Hornady)

First off, it fed everything beautifully, but there were several failures to eject with the Blazer and the WWB. The Hornady and the Federal worked flawlessly. So my SWAG is that it likes hotter loaded ammunition.

The trigger breaks cleanly and crisply, but the slack takeup feels two feet long. I'm going to find out what can be done about that. It definitely took some getting used to, but I guess that's part of it's nature as a concealable service pistol.

As you can see on the target, I wasn't on my best game today. After a while I was able to feel the trigger better and also to get a better sight picture.

Here's some pics of the pistol and the target. Range was 15 yards. Of approximately 250 rounds fired, this one was my last target.

skullcrusher · 06-27-2009, 10:43 PM

Looks like a winner and a dead bg right there. Very nice.

Gojubrian · 06-28-2009, 12:34 AM

Cool lookin' 45! Looks like good shootin' to me!!

Thanks for the range report!!

RL357Mag · 06-28-2009, 01:49 AM

Nice shooting CA357! Your description is accurate. My 8040 mini-Cougar has a long DA trigger take-up as well. Once I got around the fact that it's not a target pistol, I started enjoying it more. It never jams and feels comfortable in the hands. Is yours made in Italy or Maryland?