Handgun Data Information

Friday, July 20, 2007

Stoeger Cougar 8000

This double-action pistol is available in either .40 S&W or 9mm. Stoeger’s Cougar is the same design as the aluminum-frame, Italian-made Cougars that Beretta originally introduced in the mid-1990s. Stoeger is actually a wholly owned subsidiary of the Beretta Holdings Group since 2002, and after adding new manufacturing capability to the Stoeger factory in Turkey, Beretta obtained a pistol manufacturing license for Stoeger from the Turkish Ministry of Defense in 2005.

It then shipped all of the machinery for Cougar production from Italy to the new location. So the newly branded Stoeger Cougar line is essentially identical to the original Beretta Cougar line, under the same overall ownership, manufactured with the exact same tooling, with the same Beretta-grade quality. The only real difference is the name stamped on the side of the guns and the very attractive price (around $350).

The original Cougar line was developed to provide a more compact alternative to full-size pistols chambered for the 9mm and .40 S&W. The basic Cougar platform was designed for the .40 S&W with the 9mm chambering added later. The Cougar features a barrel that rotates to lock with the slide, providing greater strength and accuracy. The barrels are cold hammer-forged and the bores are hard chrome lined for exceptional strength and durability.

Other features include rounded edges for snag-free drawing, removable front sight, matte-black finish, ambidextrous safety, and combat-style trigger guard. Incorporating Beretta technology and maintaining proven semi-auto features, the Cougar is a light, compact and reliable pistol. The Cougar comes with two high-capacity magazines—the .40 S&W magazine holds 11 rounds and the 9mm magazine takes 15 rounds.

The ambidextrous safety and decocking lever is easily accessible by the thumb of a right- or left-handed shooter.

Accuracy, reliability and manageable recoil make the Cougar a perfect choice for home defense, or for fun shooting at targets. I like the design, the unique rotatary barrel and the price.

Specifications:

Overall Length: 7.1”
Overall Width: 1.5”
Overall Height: 5.5”
Barrel Length: 3.6”
Sight Radius: 5.2”
Weight Unloaded: 32.6 oz.

Reviews
Guns & Ammo
Handgun Magazine

2 Comments:

  • Just bought one, shot 100 rounds through it the same day, and absolutely love the gun!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:42 PM  

  • I've had mine a week and I've been to the range three times, shot over 400 rounds!!! Not a single issue. Just clean and oil before first use and after each range session. Bought it for home defense and also to get my CHL.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:58 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home