The Stoeger Cougar is a great gun for the money.

Originally Posted by cougartex

The Stoeger Cougar is a great gun for the money.

BIG PLUS 1 on the Cougar. Never knew they were out there until I got to this site! Now I have the 9mm and love it. Absolutely the best value new gun I've ever purchased. Bersas seem to be good from postings here. I'd take either over the taurus.
Eli

I absolutely love my XD-45 Tactical. It shoots accurately and has barely any recoil. It feeds everything I give it without a hiccup. I have mine fitted with a 200 lumen Surefire LED, as it is my bedside gun. You should be able to get it for less than $600.

Stoeger Cougar and Beretta PX4 Storm are great guns.

Another you might want to look into is the EAA Witness.

Here's my Witness in 9mm, but the .45 looks the same.




Buds Gun Shop has them on sale in .45 acp and includes a .22 LR Conversion kit for $509

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...ucts_id/200214

Mine has been a great gun.

Originally Posted by Tomex

So the search for an affordable .45 begins and wanted to see other people thoughts on the ones I chose? I am looking at the Bersa Thunder Ultra Compact Pro, Taurus Millennium Pro, or the Stoeger Cougar. Looking to stay around $600 or less. I haven't shot any of these or even held them but I chose these from reviews. Thanks for the help.

Out of ONLY these, I'd get teh Cougar.

In fact, while I have expensive 1911s, I want a 45 cal Cougar as well. I personally would skip the Taurus.

Originally Posted by Shipwreck

Out of ONLY these, I'd get teh Cougar.

In fact, while I have expensive 1911s, I want a 45 cal Cougar as well. I personally would skip the Taurus.

+1 Cougar all the way given your list.

I encountered a lightly used 9mm and a 40 S&W Beretta Cougar for $430 each last weekend at my local gun store. I think I might of made a big mistake by fondling but not buying them. Looked like they had never been fired. Mint condition blueing, nice walnut grips, slide to rail fit smooth as greased glass. Ya I think I just bummed myself out. Crap. Get the Cougar Tomex.

Very nice Witness dondavis. If I ever find one with the safety on the RH side I am in trouble. Rumor has it they exist but I have yet to find one.

+1 Tuefelhunden

thank you - it is a good shooter.

By the way I'm a lefty too.

I just ordered a ambi safety from them and it was easy to install.

Slide right in.

With $600 to spend, I'd go with an XD45 Compact, or a Glock 30. Either will most likely be completely reliable, straight out of the box, and will shoot accurately.

Of the three you mentioned, I know nothing, but I would immediately eliminate the Taurus, because I don't personally trust them for self defense. The Bersa and Stoeger Cougar seem to be fairly well thought of, with the Cougar maybe having the edge in .45.

The current Bersa UC45 Pro is a compact, all metal .45 with dovetail Sig Sights and a polygonal barrel. Very good shooting pistols, and available for less than $400. Also, excellent customer service is available. So, you could spend that extra $200 on ammo, gear, training ...

There are also a number of decent 1911's in your price range. Enjoy the search!

Glock makes 3 or 4 versions in .45, including a single stack model for carry concealed. Reliablity is good; the pricing is very good.

Originally Posted by dondavis3

+1 Tuefelhunden

thank you - it is a good shooter.

By the way I'm a lefty too.

I just ordered a ambi safety from them and it was easy to install.

Slide right in.

Thanks dondavis. That is good to know and gives me something to consider. These guns intrigue me. 10mm version really intrigues me.

From the choices that you listed, I would ONLY be interested in the cougar. As someone mentioned before, The PX4 would also be a solid choice for you, fits the price range and is very similar to the cougar. Of course, there are plenty of good .45's to choose from and there are many available new/used for less than $600.

From the choices that you listed, I would ONLY be interested in the cougar. As someone mentioned before, The PX4 would also be a solid choice for you, fits the price range and is very similar to the cougar. Of course, there are plenty of good .45's to choose from and there are many available new/used for less than $600.

please delete duplicate

Originally Posted by falchunt

From the choices that you listed, I would ONLY be interested in the cougar. As someone mentioned before, The PX4 would also be a solid choice for you, fits the price range and is very similar to the cougar. Of course, there are plenty of good .45's to choose from and there are many available new/used for less than $600.

please delete duplicate

The Glocks are all under $550.00 (new). A proven design that is being ignored in this thread.

Not on your list,but a great gun-Smith & Wesson M&P 45-also has 3 sizes to choose from.

Originally Posted by Packard

The Glocks are all under $550.00 (new). A proven design that is being ignored in this thread.

No offense, but the guy wasn't asking about the Glock. The Glock was mentioned anyway in posts 9 and 11 and now yours, so it has hardly been ignored.
Eli

The Stoeger Cougar 8045 is the best value on the market today. For $419 NIB (which is what they sell for at my local shop) you are getting a Beretta proven designed , made on Beretta machinery, under Beretta supervision handgun. When it was made in Italy (in the 1990's) they sold for close to $700. To buy that same exact handgun in today's market for a little over $400 NIB is an incredible steal.
They are dead nuts reliable, very very accurate, have an excellent "out of the box" trigger & very soft recoil.

I have never had any malfunction of any kind on either my Stoeger 8000 or 8045. I have fired close to 5000 rds of varying ammo without so much as a hiccup between the two.

I own other "Big brand name handguns" , the Stoegers are every bit as well made for a LOT less.

Thanks for all the input, I was kinda leaning towards the stoeger. I've read many reviews saying its a great gun. Think I'll get this one with my tax return and maybe buy the XD later.

A CZ97 in black can be had for under $600 with a bit of looking. I'm seriously thinking of getting a blue one myself. If it's anywhere near as good as the 75, it's a great gun.
Have you ruled out a 1911? There are a few available in your price range as well. Springfiel GI or Milspec will make the cut. Rock Island Armory 1911s get good reviews, they are definitely worth a look.

I have the Bersa UC. It is an exceptional value. After only 1000 rounds through it, there has been no hiccups at all. The polygonal barrel is extremely accurate and easy to clean. With a lifetime warrantee, what is there not to like for a 45 less than $400.