Anyone have a Beretta 8000 Cougar? Update - went back for the rifle.

[sigp220.45]

I love Berettas and I’ve never had one of the rotating barrel jobbies so when this one presented itself at $349 (with my friends & family discount) I went ahead and got it. 9mm, two 13 round mags, zippered leather case, very nice condition.

My son has an 8045 and it is a great gun.

Its in gun jail until Friday. Good ol’ Colorado.

I’m trying not to buy guns just because they might be a good deal, but this falls under the “never had one” exemption. Now I’m trying to talk myself out of a 1990 Remington 700 .270 with a middle of the line Burris 3x9 on it at the same place for $299. Its a nice one, beautiful wood stock, black fore end tip, not the ADL. I have no use for it and I learned long ago that the ones I get to “flip” never get flipped. Maybe I’ll snag it for one of my kids.

 

[stu1ritter]

Yup, been shooting one for years. 8045 Cougar from Stoeger. Softest shooting .45ACP I know of. A little trigger work on the single action and a D mainspring and they are very pleasant shooters.

Stu

 

[LVSteve]

I have a bunch of Grand Powers that use different rotating barrel system, and I love them. You will think you are shooting squibs in 9mm.

I have a Mauser M2 that uses a very similar arrangement to the Beretta and it is very mild in recoil for a pistol chambered in 45 ACP.

 

[kbm6893]

I had a Stoeger Cougar and it was nice. Then I stumbled onto an Italian INOX Cougar for $479 from Robertson's Trading Post like 10 years ago. It did have import markings but it was a beautiful gun. Had sweet wood grips with the Beretta medallions. I stupidly sold it, and it is one of five guns out of the many dozens I have sold over the years that I truly regret.

And I MUCH prefer the Cougar to the PX4, which I also owned, but don't regret selling at all. I believe you can modify 92FS mags to work with the Cougar, as well.

 

[Jocko-44]

Nice gun OP, and a good price!

 

[sigp220.45]

I went back for the Remington 700. I couldn’t resist.

The price immediately came down to $225. It came complete with the sadly familiar backstory: Gramps died and left his beloved guns to his grandson, who put them on consignment. He set the price - after the store takes it’s cut he’ll probably get $150. He also put up a nice 1970s Python ($3600 - it’ll be there a while) and a very clean .22 Diamondback ($1499, probably gone by now).

Its a 1990 Mountain Rifle, 3x9 Burris scope, .270 caliber, no extras. While I was doing the paperwork an employee said he was going to buy it but it needed too much work. What work? He said the bolt needed to be rejewelled and the barrel would have to cut because of muzzle damage. You can see the picture below - not real clean, but not damaged. I think I can live with the bolt.

The store mostly deals in black plastic stuff, and they are pretty clueless on older stuff. I’ve gotten some good deals there.

I have no use for it, but my youngest boy may find it under the Christmas tree this year. He can leave it to his kid (if he has any) and it will probably wind up back on the rack.

 

[diyj98]

Great deal for you, but the shop really screwed the guy by not giving him some advise on the pricing on that rifle.

 

[sigp220.45]

Great deal for you, but the shop really screwed the guy by not giving him some advise on the pricing on that rifle.

They were both equally clueless.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

That crown is filthy but otherwise fine. Somebody shot up grandpa's ammo and never cleaned the gun!

Ivan

 

[Bald1]

$225 whoa. Around here it would easily bring twice that without the scope. Congrats on a great rifle

 

[A10]

IIRC those Remington mountain rifles were built for back country hunts, fairly light weight. The recessed muzzle crown is a big plus when knocking around in the High Lonesome.

That's a fine rifle. And though I too would have no real use for it I would not have passed it up.

 

[CH4]

A goofy buddy of mine collects the Cougar and has all the variations; he probably has about 50 of em. I regularly thank him for leaving all the cool guns for me.

 

[Ameshawki]

I have the full size Stoeger version in 9mm. I like it, accurate, reliable, the rotating barrel gives a different sort of recoil impulse. Biggest complaint is they don't take 92 mags, Beretta dropped the ball on that. I have an affinity for odd ball pistols, the Cougar fits the bill.

 

[Farmer17]

Wow that mountain rifle is sweet! That would probably be an $800 dollar gun and Burris makes a very good scope, which new are near the $250 range. I don't think you would ever lose on that deal and those older Remington 700s were excellent shooters.

 

[mtgianni]

Bottom end Burris scopes used to go on sale 20 years ago for $220 with a "free" pair of binoculars or spotting scope. Your choice. I think you got a great deal.

 

[LoadedRound]

That rifle for $225. Wow.....just wow.

 

[dmar]

I bought a new 9mm Beretta Mini Cougar back around 2000. Nice gun, and at the time was one of the smallest 9mm concealed carry options available. That changed pretty quickly so it just spent time in my safe until I sold it 10+ years ago. I think I sold it for $400 or $450 back then.

It was in great shape, but really was useless to me as there were so many better options for 9mm carry, and it was far from a good range gun. The full size version may be better for that. The Mini Cougar was 100% reliable, good quality, easy recoil, and decent trigger (similar feel as a Beretta 92). Got decent accuracy. As nice as it was, It’s one of the few guns that I don’t really regret selling. Berettas are nice guns, and there’s folks out there that collect the Cougars.

That Remington was a steal, and a great caliber to boot!

 

[jaguargolf]

I have the Beretta 8045. It's very nice. All the best for you and your new 8000.

 

[Abbynormal]

If you're worrying about the muzzle, just do the marble trick with a polishing paste, you could do the same to the bolt (without the marble) to make it shiny, but the machining would still lightly show through.