Late 1990s Beretta 8000F (Cougar) 9 mm, Impulse Buy

NCBeagle · Jan 21, 2022

This caught my eye today, sitting in the "used" case at a Charlotte, NC gun shop. A very cool late 1990s Beretta 8000F. It is a DA/SA, decocker, alloy-framed, hammer-fired, 9 mm pistol. Two magazines. It appears unfired but has a few small marks from handling and storage. Looks like a new gun at arm's length.

These are solid pistols. NATO qualified and expected to last tens of thousands of rounds. North Carolina State Highway Patrol used the .357 Sig version of this pistol, the 8357. It shares a lot of qualities with the CZ P-01 and third generation Smiths that we like so much. It is; however, a bit chunky. That's okay. Somebody should call the NCSHP to come arrest me for stealing this gun at $379.00. It is worth quite a bit more. Went from owning no Berettas to having two in as many weeks.

I do not have any real experience with this pistol. Anyone else have experience, observation, comments, etc?

B.Thomas · Jan 21, 2022

I like it!

Erocksmash · Jan 21, 2022

Thats a hecka deal I would have bought one at that price, nice find....

.357 sig in that would be neat

LVSteve · Jan 21, 2022

Great score at that price. I've been looking to get an 8000, Stoeger Cougar, or PX4 to add to my collection of rotating barrel guns.

URIT · Jan 21, 2022

Wow! Great gun at a nice price. Congratulations.

NCBeagle · Jan 21, 2022

LVSteve said:
Great score at that price. I've been looking to get an 8000, Stoeger Cougar, or PX4 to add to my collection of rotating barrel guns.

I just picked up a Beretta PX4 Storm Compact Carry G a couple weeks ago. It is my first Beretta, rotating barrel, etc. Really like it. It is, like it's predecessor here, a chunk. Still carries just fine AIWB with a good holster. Wouldn't mind a single stack version with 11-12 +1 capacity. Or, just to make some of the folks here cringe...15-17 rounds of Federal's 30 Super Carry.

VaTom · Jan 22, 2022

Nice! Looking at your pictures I see it is made in Italy. Berettas made in Italy have a date code stamped on the right side trigger guard or frame so you should be able to tell exact year made. It is a two letter alpha inside a small square box. You can go online for the code chart. Looks like yours says 8F or BF. If it is BF then date is 1995. My 92F has it on the trigger guard.

Baxter6551 · Jan 22, 2022

Nice gun ! Such a large forward frame area (dust cover) you think they would have cut for a rail? I bet it makes it a little heavier and is probably a great shooter. My CZ75 SP01 has the same large dust cover but it is a rail. It’s a heavy gun and a pleasure to shoot. Great price and great condition. Does the NC Highway Patrol still issue them ?

NCBeagle · Jan 22, 2022

VaTom said:
Nice! Looking at your pictures I see it is made in Italy. Berettas made in Italy have a date code stamped on the right side trigger guard or frame so you should be able to tell exact year made. It is a two letter alpha inside a small square box. You can go online for the code chart. Looks like yours says 8F or BF. If it is BF then date is 1995. My 92F has it on the trigger guard.

Thanks for the info. Yes, it is BF. Did not know about the code. Found the chart online and, as you said, it suggests 1995 production. Beretta also has a serial number lookup on its website. That database says 1999. Not sure why we have conflicting date info.

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NCBeagle · Jan 22, 2022

Baxter6551 said:
NDoes the NC Highway Patrol still issue them ?

I think that NCSHP stopped using the Beretta 8357 in 2005 or so, with the switch to Sig P226 and P229. But, I cannot say for sure. They may have a few hanging around. It has been awhile. We have some forum members who likely have current / first hand information...ladder13? WCCPHD? 18DAI? Anyne know?

dmar · Jan 22, 2022

Great deal on a nice pistol, congratulations. I bought a new Italian made Mini Cougar back in 2000/2001. Liked that gun a lot, it was a good shooter, and that rotating lock-up made it a soft shooter.

For back then it had good round capacity to size ratio. That changed when the smaller 9s emerged. The Mini Cougar quickly got outdated. I ended up getting a Kahr PM9, and sold the Beretta to a friend. Of course now there’s even better micro 9 options (I now carry a Sig 365). If I had the full size Cougar, I probably would have kept it...

Coyote56 · Jan 22, 2022

Highly under rated pistol. I carried this one for years. Never a problem.

GeoJelly · Jan 22, 2022

Very good catch sir! I have the .40-cal version which I picked up before I moved out of the US. Spent 16 years working in Germany and missed my chance to get an 8000F

. I had a PX4 Compact but it just wasn’t the same and I needed some cash two years ago.

oldman10mm · Jan 22, 2022

I have a 8040 Cougar F. Bought it way back when the Cougar series first came out, still unfired. Always on the lookout for a 8357.
Don't see many/any Cougars at gun shows so I guess they're excellent pistols as the people that bought them don't want to part with them.
Occasionally I'll see a Stoeger (owned by Beretta) 9mm Cougar at a show.
Beretta had the 8000, 8357, 8040, & 8045. When Stoeger took over the line, the 8357 was discontinued.

mscampbell2734 · Jan 22, 2022

Never owned one but shot a few in the late 90s in 45 after my Department authorized it as a private purchase duty weapon.

The combination of lightweight alloy frame and 45 energy imparted to the barrel, and the barrel rotation sudden stop caused the gun to twist/snap to the right when fired.

Jeppo · Jan 22, 2022

Jeppo’s on it

NCBeagle said:
Somebody should call the NCSHP to come arrest me for stealing this gun at $379.00.

I’m waiting to hear back from them about the bounty.

NCBeagle · Jan 22, 2022

Jeppo said:
I’m waiting to hear back from them about the bounty.

You better watch out Jeppo. I suspect that you are on their most wanted list, having snagged a good deal or too.

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Mrnurse · Jan 22, 2022

NC Beagle ...Ive got a 1st year Beretta 8000 with like 3K rds through it...runs perfect. Copy of a Mauser Barrel locking system. If you bought it at Firepower or Shooters im shocked it sold so low. Im in Indian Trail NC. Nice Buy.

kbm6893 · Jan 22, 2022

I would have surely grabbed that one. I really like the Cougar. Had a Stoeger version and an INOX Beretta model. Shouldn’t have sold that one. Also owned a PX4 nice gun but the original Cougar is much classier in my opinion.

jeffrefrig · Jan 23, 2022

That is one beautiful Cougar that I would LOVE to grab. $379? Is that a misprint??! I do believe you did good. I really like that, and if there were more, I would probably call everybody I knew to loan me a couple/few hundred to get more if I didn't have the money on me or in my accounts! Very cool. That should be a great shooter.
Looks like you fell into a good deal like I did recently, but, IMO, I believe the Beretta may be a few steps up the ladder from what I bought! But I'm happy, as I'm sure you are, also!

Late 1990s Beretta 8000F (Cougar) 9 mm, Impulse Buy

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