I bought it at the Local Gun Store for $399 with a box of 9mm shells thrown in. That is a good price for the FNP. The store here in town is out of SR-9's as a matter of fact they are out of almost everything right now. Good Luck with what ever you get. Enjoy the gun, clean it regularily, and then start thinking about what to get next.

RCG

Well I got a little free time this morning and headed out to the range with my new Cougar. This is one heck of a sweet handling pistola. Right out of the box I was getting 2 and three inch groupings at 15 yds. The DA trigger is smooth as butter and the single action pull is absolutely effortless. The grip feel is incredible. Recoil is light and very manageable. Stoeger has done an excellent jog on this gun. This is a keeper for sure. I also took my new Sig P250 IN 45ACP. I'm not sure about this one and not very excited with it. For a full size semi-auto it has a lot of recoil. Maybe it's just me. If I had taken only the Sig I might feel different. After shooting the Cougar the Sig just did not feel that good. I'm not too sure if I like the DAO. I'll give it some more time.

good to hear you like it from someone who might purchase it! im not gonna lie, youre making really want one (heck or just any handgun ) enjoy it!

Yeah and it is a very good looking gun too. i am always happy to hear good reports on a new pistol. Enjoy!!!!!!!!

RCG

Originally Posted by rccola712

good to hear you like it from someone who might purchase it! im not gonna lie, youre making really want one (heck or just any handgun ) enjoy it!

rccola712, you just might want to ease on down to your dealer and pick one up before Stoeger finds out what a winner they have with this fine piece and up the price. For a $400.00 gun you can't get better than this.

When Beretta manufactured the "Beretta 8000 Cougar" it drew rave reviews and many were sold to very happy users across the globe! Extremely reliable, accurate, easy to shot were just a few of the comments that described this gun! You just didn't find a bad review or for that matter a dad comment about this excellent firearm...except one! "It's too expensive!"
While it was and is a great gun, and Beretta sold a lot of them, it was just overpriced for the market situation it was put in! This along with the rampid proliferation of polymer guns i.e. Glock, and it was just a matter of time till Beretta fazed out this nice piece.

The Cougar was then brought back in a deal with the Turkish Ministry of Defense to manufacture the Stoeger 8000 Cougar, (Stoeger is a fully owned subsidiary of Beretta holding inc.). Beretta shipped the entire Cougar production line from Italy to Turkey and the new Stoeger Cougar is manufactured on the exact same machines and tooling as the original Beretta branded model with Beretta overseeing QC! The only difference is the name stamped on the gun and the price you pay for it!



Clarification...I think?

If I remember this right Stoeger is officially owned by Benelli and Benelli is officially owned by Beretta and they are all operated by Beretta

Originally Posted by Dougsboy

Well I got a little free time this morning and headed out to the range with my new Cougar. This is one heck of a sweet handling pistola. Right out of the box I was getting 2 and three inch groupings at 15 yds. The DA trigger is smooth as butter and the single action pull is absolutely effortless. The grip feel is incredible. Recoil is light and very manageable. Stoeger has done an excellent jog on this gun. This is a keeper for sure. I also took my new Sig P250 IN 45ACP. I'm not sure about this one and not very excited with it. For a full size semi-auto it has a lot of recoil. Maybe it's just me. If I had taken only the Sig I might feel different. After shooting the Cougar the Sig just did not feel that good. I'm not too sure if I like the DAO. I'll give it some more time.

Thanks for sharing your range report, Dougboy. That Cougar pistol sounds like a gem. I'd like to find one to rent.

Originally Posted by Dougsboy

Well I got a little free time this morning and headed out to the range with my new Cougar. This is one heck of a sweet handling pistola. Right out of the box I was getting 2 and three inch groupings at 15 yds. The DA trigger is smooth as butter and the single action pull is absolutely effortless. The grip feel is incredible. Recoil is light and very manageable. Stoeger has done an excellent jog on this gun. This is a keeper for sure. I also took my new Sig P250 IN 45ACP. I'm not sure about this one and not very excited with it. For a full size semi-auto it has a lot of recoil. Maybe it's just me. If I had taken only the Sig I might feel different. After shooting the Cougar the Sig just did not feel that good. I'm not too sure if I like the DAO. I'll give it some more time.

Thanks for the report... I also read several of the reviews on this particular weapon and decided to purchase one as a CCW and truck gun.. Just pick it up a couple of weeks ago.. Anxious to shoot it, even more so now that I read your report...

Originally Posted by Dougsboy

Well I got a little free time this morning and headed out to the range with my new Cougar. This is one heck of a sweet handling pistola. Right out of the box I was getting 2 and three inch groupings at 15 yds. The DA trigger is smooth as butter and the single action pull is absolutely effortless. The grip feel is incredible. Recoil is light and very manageable. Stoeger has done an excellent jog on this gun. This is a keeper for sure. I also took my new Sig P250 IN 45ACP. I'm not sure about this one and not very excited with it. For a full size semi-auto it has a lot of recoil. Maybe it's just me. If I had taken only the Sig I might feel different. After shooting the Cougar the Sig just did not feel that good. I'm not too sure if I like the DAO. I'll give it some more time.

Thanks for letting us know about your experience with the Sig 250. That was a handgun I have been looking at - among others - and I did not like the part about it having "a lot of recoil." As you said, maybe it was just in comparison to the Cougar's lighter recoil that it felt worse to you, but as for the Cougar independent gun reviewers (e.g., gun-tests.com) also report that the Cougar "eats up recoil," even in 40mm.

Originally Posted by Donato

Thanks for letting us know about your experience with the Sig 250. That was a handgun I have been looking at - among others - and I did not like the part about it having "a lot of recoil." As you said, maybe it was just in comparison to the Cougar's lighter recoil that it felt worse to you, but as for the Cougar independent gun reviewers (e.g., gun-tests.com) also report that the Cougar "eats up recoil," even in 40mm.

You're right. In comparison to the Cougar probably wasn't a good comparison. I have since sold the Sig and purchased a new CZ97b. I haven't tested it yet but it is much heavier than the Sig so it should handle recoil a bit better.

Dougsboy,
How is the grip on the Cougar? Do you find it comfortable and ergonomic? I only got to handle a Beretta PX4 and I found that a little "fat" for my smallish hands. Does the Cougar come with various grip sizes? Thanks!

Originally Posted by Donato

Dougsboy,
How is the grip on the Cougar? Do you find it comfortable and ergonomic? I only got to handle a Beretta PX4 and I found that a little "fat" for my smallish hands. Does the Cougar come with various grip sizes? Thanks!

Donato, I also have small hands but the Cougar feels extremely comfortable in my smallish hands. It has a rather roundish feel to it but I like that. The trigger reach even in double action is very good. I don't believe the Cougar comes with different grip sizes. I've never handled a PX4 but I sure like the looks of it.

I've decided that the Cougar will probably be my next gun. I want something a bit more compact than my 96, and the Cougar just feels...familiar. It feels like my Beretta, and I like that. The PX4 feels a bit lighter, but it seems more bulky to me. I guess it's a good thing nobody around here has it in 9mm, or I may have already bought one. I already have two .40s, so I wanted to diversify a bit.

I went to the range again last night to test some new hand loads in my Cougar.

Shot 200 rounds of 165g JHP over various amounts of TightGroup powder and Magtech small pistal primers.


First impression is that I STILL LOVE MY COUGAR. This thing ate up all my reloads without any complaints, slips, nothing. It was ALL BUSINESS regardless of the powder charge. The thing cycled and fired every time.


I found that moderate loads were the most accurate. I couldn't get the real light loads to group and the heavy loads scared me as I progressed up near the top of the load data charts. I must say the gun didn't complain and the recoil increase was hardly worth noting. I just didn't feel comfortable.

I agree with everyone's opinion here, nice shooter and $400.00 to boot. As long as they can keep the price down it will be a good deal, for more get the Beretta PX-4.

And speaking about the PX-4, I wish now that Beretta has a polymer model that they would make a frame mounted decocker like the FNP-9 because the present safety/decocker sometimes bothers me when I rack it.

That besides the weight is why they don't sell more of them, IMO.

I just got mine in the .40 the other day I pick it up next week I'm super stoked I've heard nothing but great things about the cougar.

Originally Posted by Drewdtf

I just got mine in the .40 the other day I pick it up next week I'm super stoked I've heard nothing but great things about the cougar.

Congrats on your purchase! When you have had a chance to shoot it, let us know how you like it. I read that the Cougar eats up recoil even with .40 and I'd like to know if it's true. Please comment on ergonomics and grip comfort too. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Drewdtf

I just got mine in the .40 the other day I pick it up next week I'm super stoked I've heard nothing but great things about the cougar.

Drew, you gonna' love it. I take mine out and break it down nearly every day. I have never seen a pistol anywhere that you can break down so effortlessly. I still can't believe the ridiculously low price of this thing.

Is the Stoeger Cougar identical to the original Beretta Cougar? They look identical except for the Beretta or Stoeger emblems on the grip.
and the small clip on the Stoeger. (What is that for?) I think I like the looks of the Beretta better.

[B]Beretta Cougar:[/B


Stoeger Cougar:

Do the beretta magazines for the stoeger? I would think they would any one know? Any one know about accessories too? does most of the beretta stuff go both ways?

Originally Posted by Drewdtf

Do the beretta magazines for the stoeger? I would think they would any one know? Any one know about accessories too? does most of the beretta stuff go both ways?

Yes, they work fine. Pretty much anything that will fit the Beretta Cougar will also fit the Stoeger Cougar.

So I've got a little over 300 rounds through my new Cougar and I love it. Great feel not too big fits my average size hand perfectly, great power, amazing accuracy Very low recoil I shot it for the first time with a buddy of mine and he had his glock 17, the difference in recoil is very noticeable It felt like a 9mm to me, I have the .40 S&W and so far I have no complaints it live in my dresser drawer a foot away from my head board and I would recommend this gun to anyone looking to get a great .40 fro a great price. I got mine for 4 out the door.

Good choice Drew. I like mine more and more everyday.

I've had my Stoeger now for probably 6-8 months. I think it is hands down the best value in a 9mm pistol for the money. It is extremely well designed and manufactured. For a 15 round gun, I think it is pretty compact. The large indentation on the backside of the upper part of the grip seems to really make the gun fit your hand well. And the rotating barrel design gives it one of the smoothest, easiest actions out there. It is so easy to rack the slide on this gun compared to most handguns. But on top of all of these things, it is a VERY accurate gun. With the Cougar, rather than the barrel camming up and down as it does on most guns, the Cougar barrel rotates and is always in alignment with the target as it strips the spent shell and loads the next round. I have found that I am the limitation as far as how tight the groups are that it produces. I absolutely love my Cougar and will probably never get rid of it. On top of that, I bought it for $299. I wasn't even looking to buy a handgun that day...I was shotgun shopping. But when I saw the price, and knew that it was essentially a Beretta Cougar, I just couldn't pass it up. The only thing I wish it had was a rail for my TLR-1 light. However, I have word from the Stoeger factory in Turkey that a railed Cougar should be out in 2010. I plan on buying one as soon as it hits the market. If you have the funds, I highly recommend buying a Stoeger Cougar. I just don't think you'll regret it.

Robert