New Year, New Gun, New Joy! (Stoeger Cougar 8000 9mm)

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Corner Pocket

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I bought a new Stoeger Cougar 8000 pistol yesterday. You might have read in a different thread that my trip to the range after I left the store with it was a bust. A real disappointment, with lots of stovepipes and FTF activity going on with it. I had read several positive reviews on this gun and I purchased it with a high degree of optimism. But I left the range with my tail really draggin', so to speak. :confused:

I did note that the gun appeared to be very dry when I examined it there at the range. So last night I gave it a thorough cleaning and also a good session of lubrication. While at it, I also dressed the feed ramp a bit with some #600 grit automotive sandpaper, and cleaned and lubed the magazine springs.

I managed to get off work early enough today to make a quick trip back to the range to see if I might have better results. I shot 150 rounds through it today, feeding it 5 different types of ammo. Two of them were factory loads, and the other three were loads that I put together myself. The bottom line ---- not a single failure in those 150 rounds! The gun shot straight, felt great, and the long and short of it is that I'm as happy as a June Bug on a watermelon rind! :D This Stoeger Cougar 8000 is sweet, Sweet, and SWEET! I'm so glad that I selected this one from among the possibilities! (The moral of this story: what a difference a little lubrication makes!)

Corner Pocket
'pumped, stoked, and jacked up in Texas!'
 
sorry to hear that you had trouble, but i am glad that you got it worked out, and you are happy with it. Keep us posted on how it performs over the long haul.
 
That's not surprising at all with the rotating barrel mechanism. It needs a LITTLE lube to work right.

Yes little was capitalized to indicate that it won't require a lot of lube.
 
Does it have full length frame rails? I'm not familiar with these guns, but I've read somewhere that guns with full length frame rails (ie Sig) might not function properly when completely dry.

I noticed you said that you lubed your magazine springs? That might not be such a good idea...

The lube might attract dust particles and grit, which would increase the likelihood of a malfunction over time. I think magazine springs are meant to be dry. Might want to get a second opinion on that though...good luck! (and post some pics already!)
 
Yes the Cougar needs a drop or two of oil and likes to be run a bit wetter than other autos. Use the regular amount of oil on the rails and the mechanism, and make sure that the rotating block has some lube on it as well. Some people advocate the use of grease but I personally think that is not needed, especially if you clean and lube regularly.

Its a good idea to clean and de grease any new gun before trying it on the range, also makes it easier on the hands!!!

The Cougar is a great weapon and fantastic value for money. Its also very accurate and for me at least fits the hand very well. The only issue with the gun is that it is a bit thick and is not very concealable, but I can live with that!!! Have had mine for over a year and not had any problems at all.

Good luck!!!
 
Many thanks for the replies, folks.

CP shooter, the rails on this gun are not full-length. I'd say about half-length. Your point is well taken regarding lubing the magazine springs. I may have made it sound like I put a lot more into that process than I actually did. Basically I wiped the mag springs lightly with an exhausted Rem-Oil patch, and then wiped them good to get everything off that would come off. So there's very little lubrication there to become problematic. Even so, I'll keep an eye on that.

I think I've definitely learned my lesson as far as cleaning and lubing a new gun before taking it to the range for its "maiden voyage." With this one, I let my excitement override my better judgment. After pondering this a bit, it seems to me that the rotary-barrel design of this gun would necessitate more lubrication than most other guns. Metal rubbing against metal with insufficient lube between them is certainly not a thing that one wants to promote. ;)

MightyPir, I'm with you as to the thickness of the grip on this gun. If it were a little slimmer, I'm sure that I would like it all the more. (The slim grip feel is what immediately attracted me to the Ruger P345 when I bought one a while back.) But even with the Stoeger Cougar 8000's somewhat thicker grip than what I'm used to carrying, I'm sure that I'll enjoy carrying it concealed. I carried it for a couple of hours last night with no problem at all.

FWIW, one additional benefit of me choosing this gun over the others that I was considering is the ease with which the slide can be racked. My wife has very small hands. She has tagged along with me at various times when I'm in a store looking at guns, and I've often asked her to "try and rack this one, honey." There are not many semiautos that she is able to perform that operation on. But this one is no problem at all for her. And that's a definite plus!

I have a good friend at work who is near buying an SR9. (That was one of the guns on my short list, largely due to its slim grip.) But I think he needs to see (and maybe shoot) this Cougar before he shells out the long green. He may still go with the Ruger, but I'll at least inform him as to my happiness with this one...

Corner Pocket
 
CP... No matter WHAT gun you buy, you MUST do a complete field-strip 'tear-down' (clean, oil, lube) BEFORE you do your first shoot... ANY GUN!!!
Glad you enjoy the Cougar, it's a great gun... and will get better with age (about 500+ rounds makes it sweeter)... you're gonna have many happy years ahead with her!
 
CP... No matter WHAT gun you buy, you MUST do a complete field-strip 'tear-down' (clean, oil, lube) BEFORE you do your first shoot... ANY GUN!!!
Click to expand...

No you don't. That may be your preference, but mine is to shoot every gun I buy right out of the box. I'll give it a quick once over to be sure there's nothing obviously wrong with it and then I take it out and run some rounds through it. No disassembly, no cleaning, no lube. I expect my guns to work and I want to see what they'll do right off the assembly line.
 
Cougar 8000

Hey, I wonder how many guys out there just like me didn't know that Stoeger is a subsideary of Beretta? I just found that out recently!! They have a plant in Turkey making the Stoeger Cougar on the Beretta machinery which was shipped from Italy after Turkey issued their permits to make the guns there.

On the lube question, I had the same experience with a little Taurus 9mm. I took it out of the box and went on range and guess what---it fouled up right off. Then I added a dab of lube and it now has some sevaral thousand rounds through it (without any more cleaning) without a hickcup!!

I'm about to try a "new" lube (it's new to me) which I understand some of our military guys are using. It's a molybdenum disulfide stuff, it evaporates dry very quickly, and leaves the moly compound where metal surfaces slide together. Being "dry" it also does not collect powder residue, dust, dirt, etc.

This compound is also added to motoroil lubes, and is also a component in DuPont's Teflon. It's really slippery!!
 
BREAKING NEWS: Old man in Texas is thrilled!

Now that I've had a couple of days to see how carrying this Stoegar Cougar 8000 would go for me, I am absolutely lovin' it! I opt for the 10 o'clock position in an IWB holster and this new sweetie is right at home there.

I just noticed something about this gun. I stripped it down and studied its parts so as to get more familiar with it. I note that the serial number is stamped on the frame, the slide, and the barrel. (Something that I haven't noticed on my other pistols, though that might well be the case.)

Stoeger, you rock! (That's a verb, not a noun.) :D

BTW, polekitty, what is the name of that mystery lubricant that you have mentioned above? Thanks!

CP
 
The gun shot straight, felt great, and the long and short of it is that I'm as happy as a June Bug on a watermelon rind!
Click to expand...
And that right there is the moral of the story, and the part that matters.

Pictures?
 
Owning a Cougar 8000

I too just recently purchased the Stoeger 8000 in a 40 S&W. I read the history of the Berreta Cougar and how it evolved into a Turkish made version at an affordable price. As a self protection weapon only, I find the handling of this gun to be excellent.
I have not as yet had a chance to fire the weapon as the temperatures here are frigid and the closest indoor range is a hike. I will however, as you did, tear it down and fully clean and lubricate before getting it to the range. Although the plastic grips are ergonomically suitable, I would like to find rubber grip panels instead of the plastic. If anyone knows of a source for this gun, please let me know. I have looked everywhere and no one lists the 8000. It would appear that some of the Berreta models may have the same grip as does the 8000. Any info would be helpful.
 
Tenponies: ... It would appear that some of the Berreta models may have the same grip as does the 8000. Any info would be helpful.
Click to expand...

The Stoeger Cougar 8000 grip frame is identical to the Beretta Cougar 8000 & 8040 grip frames. The 8045 is different, as are the grips for the Mini and Type L Berettas.

The only differences between the Stoeger Cougar and the Beretta Cougar are in the quality of the finish- the Beretta is slightly better.

Beretta Cougars came in quite a few variations. The Stoegar is a copy of the Beretta Cougar 8000L Type P (L is the lightened slide, P is standard grip frame)
 
Happiness still running rampant in Texas!

Just got back from the range. This was the first time that my wife got to shoot this new Cougar since acquiring it a couple of weeks ago. She shot very well with it from the 7 and 10 yard line. (She really likes shooting at those "Shoot N C" targets, since they give immediate visual feedback as to where the bullet is striking the target.) She thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and of course, that added to my own happiness at having this gun.

We both shot it DA a few times, though we both prefer shooting SA. This is an excellent gun for the money. I wish that I had bought it before the price went up at the first of the year. But even so, I am thrilled with my Cougar and may well pick up another one somewhere out there in the not-so-distant future. These weapons are really a great choice for the money. :D

CP
 
GZOh Jr, I don't have a Beretta 92, so can't speak from experience. But I'm pretty sure that I have seen another enthusiast mention that the 92 mags will not work in a Cougar.

CP
 
I'm really glad Beretta passed the Cougar tooling on to Stoeger- I always felt like the Cougar was the Rodney Dangerfield of Beretta offerings. It never seemed to get any respect.

I just wish they offered it in other action modes than double/single. I have a couple of Beretta 8040 DAOs (full size and mini) and love 'em. They are the softest shooting .40s I've shot so far.

lpl
 
I've been drooling over those cougars(beretta and stoeger) for a while, I can't wait to get one. I like DA/SA guns for range use and such, not so much for carry.
 
Lee Lapin said:
I just wish they offered it in other action modes than double/single.
Click to expand...

Me too.

Theoretically, since they are using the same Beretta tooling, they already have the capability to make the DAO (Type D?) version of the Cougar. There are so many trigger variations with Cougars, for all I know there may already be a way to convert to pure SA... ;)
 
I got mine!

Greetings from the Maize and Blue State!

After nearly 3 months of research, gun shops, gun and knife shows, classified ads (which I don't exactly highly recommend), dumb questions and general futzing around, looking for my first handgun, I eventually settled on the Cougar .40-cal. Actually it was my strong second choice, given both the feel and price. I really, really had my heart and soul set on the CZ75 P-01, but it was either out of stock or (in most cases) beyond my price range at $650, some as high as $800. Most unfortunate.

A patient gunshop owner listened closely and answered my dumb questions over the course of 2 weekend visits, and one day took a look down at his case, reached way down there and came up with two Stoegers, 9mm and the .40. "Just got these a couple days ago, and thought of you. They're new, check 'em out".

Well, if the CZ was love at first grip, those Cougars were the next best thing. The curious thing was that both models were priced at $430, with the .40 coming with an extra clip and a right-fair guncase. I listened just as closely to the owner as he explained and demonstrated all the features, stripped it and reassembled it with apparent ease, then checked me out on 'em until he was convinced I could handle the gun without bobbling it. He then said "You two spend some time together. You can check out the sights on that big meatball hangin' on the wall behind the counter, but otherwise keep that beast pointed down-range and at the floor, if you please. I'll be back in a bit", and walked away to tend to other customers. He seemed to be really hamming it up to a newbie for the benefit of those within ear-shot (but on the way home I realized he probably spoke from experience).

ANYHOW, long story short, I am now a proud, somewhat excited, and quietly respectful owner of a Stoeger 8040, and I most seriously intend to strip that puppy down, clean it, oil it, familiarize myself with it, and find a place in my house for it that is both safe, yet quick to get to. THEN.....after a little more research, and dumb questions, I will go out in search of ammo. Looking forward to Saturday.

That CZ had its chance. Maybe somewhere down the road, when my personal economy has stabilized, and I've got a bit of experience and a few thousand rounds under my belt.

I'll check in later and let y'all know the details.

Cheerio!
 
I have had my Stoger Cougar 8000- 9mm for three months now and have put 800 rounds through it. To date I have had no malfuctions, excellent pistol. I have kept it clean and well lubed from day one.
 
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I've been told time and time again to do the strip, clean, and lube before firing for the first time. On the flip side, I've been told that's a load of crap. I'll go with option 1 because, hey, what can it hurt??

Question: any suggestions as to type of lube, and type of range ammo? I'm sure I can hit WalMart for something cheaper than what my gunshop is selling.
 
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