Stoeger Cougar 9mm Review

[JHansenAK47]

They did not change that to make such a minisucle profit...they did it for improvements. Once they changed it on their Cougar...Stoeger kept the improvement when the manufacturing line was moved to Turkey.

Are you kidding me? Shortcuts are about nickels and dimes times by however many parts they need. Take for example the Beretta 92 using plastic triggers and safeties. (plastic parts with metal inserts) Notice they used shortcuts to avoid raising the price of the pistol because of inflation.

I've also heard that the change to plastic guide rods was because if in the right situation and your guide rod bent your gun would be inoperable with a steel rod but it wouldn't matter at all with a plastic one.

Ya i'm sure it was because they had so many bent rods. Look using cheaper parts for a small savings is very common these days. CZ makes plastic guide rods, Kimber uses MIM parts and Springfield uses cast M1a receivers. Why because they work and allow them to sell their wares for cheaper; so more people could afford them.

 

[DawgFvr]

yup...so does Glock...not becuase they are cheaper...because they are more efficient, lighter in weight...etc. Couple of my friends changed out to all metal after-market parts (guide rods) in their Glocks and they are having beau coup malfunctions. I say...stick to the original...Glock and Beretta have been making weapons a long time...if the poly guide rod had any problems...it would have been replaced. After Market add-ons are always looking for Rubes to make a profit methinks. If it isn't broken...don't fix it.

 

[JHansenAK47]

yup...so does Glock...not becuase they are cheaper...because they are more efficient, lighter in weight...etc.

Ya I'm sure price didn't weigh in at all. My plastic guide rod for my Glock 34 broke at the base on the side that goes in that pocket next to the chamber. Glock sent me a new one for free. One of the reasons Glock is popular with law enforcement is they don't break the bank compared to other firearms not just because they have no manual safety and they are reliable. Cost is a widely talked about topic at any corporation. Please note that I didn't say it didn't work. I said cost was a major factor in why they procured plastic instead of steel. It is not the only factor, but you can't sit there and tell me a well built steel guide rod is more prone to breakage than the equivalent plastic one.

 

[DawgFvr]

Beretta stated that their new poly guide rod was an upgrade to the old, original metal guide rod. The after-market metal guide rod is not even close to the original fit:

Original Beretta metal guide rod <part no. C85962 (9mm)>. It has 37 coil count using carbon steel wire with the thickness measured at .0415".

The Olhasso metal guide rod appears to be stainless steel wire which measured at .0475" with 33 coils. I don't have a scale but the Olhasso is at least a couple pounds heavier than the stock Beretta.

Top: Olhasso Bottom: Beretta



This is a typical report after replacing the OEM poly guide rod with the "after market" version of the old metal guide rod:

"The stiffer spring is more "limp wrist" sensitive with the 115 gr. FMJ. I experienced a couple failure-to-eject while practicing weak hand unsupported fire. One of which was the more nasty variety where there was an empty case lodged in the ejection port while a round was partially chambered. It was not something a simple tap-rack-bang clearance drill could/would fix."

Bottom line...if you are going to carry a weapon for self defense, do youself a favor and do not intentionally make it unreliable. Too many shade-tree gun-smith Joe-Bobs out there IMHO.

 

[JHansenAK47]

Bottom line...if you are going to carry a weapon for self defense, do youself a favor and do not intentionally make it unreliable. Too many shade-tree gun-smith Joe-Bobs out there IMHO.

I think that goes hand in hand with actually function checking your pistol. If you were really motivated you could remove the spring and put your factory spring on it, but I won't recommend it because they are a %%&*^ to get off and back on. I'm going to have to try unsupported firing with my beretta spring and my ohlasso one.

 

[DawgFvr]

Good idea...and, BTW, that is what the below person did:

"Pumped another 150 rounds down range the other day. Continue to have occasional FTE with the Olhasso spring when using the WCC 115 gr. FMJ. Upon closer examination, I think the Olhasso spring is a Beretta made for the .40 and .45 cal. (part no. C85963). If he did not get it from Beretta, it's a very close copy of the same. Just for fun, I installed the Beretta 9mm spring rod and fired 100 rounds with it. No more FTE with either factory mag."

I'll just keep the OEM poly guide rod myself...unless there is a problem with it, I wont be replacing it just to say I have a metal guide rod...just me.

 

[JHansenAK47]

I don't CCW mine but if I did I would test the Ohlasso with +p rounds first. The rounds I would actually be carrying.
Also have you noticed the Beretta 92 mag springs look amazingly similar to the Cougar mag springs. I might just have to buy some wolff extra power to put in one of my mags. I bought my beretta cougar used and think the cop that owned it might have unloaded his magazines every night. Oh well at least they are hicaps. I bought a couple of brand new beretta factory cougar mags and they work just fine. All the rds feed the slide isn't getting locked back on those two particular mags.

 

[steelyblue]

Ijust put 250 more rounds through the Cougar and I'm really starting to love that gun. I'm going to see just how much abuse it can take! After the initial couple of rounds, I can get down to 2" at 15yrds. Its definitely not at par with my Kimbers, but it is a blast to shoot. I will probably get one for my son and daughter. Recoil is nada. I just seem to have to concentrate a lot for the good groups, whereas my Kimbers can do it in rapid fire. I recommend this gun to anybody who wants a quality 9mm for a low price.

 

[DawgFvr]

I wrote Beretta directly for an answer. Til that answer comes back...note what they say about their 92/96 pistols with the poly additions:

"Starting in 2001 Beretta began phasing in polymer parts into our 92/96 pistols. This was done only after extensive testing confirmed the high tech Polymer parts showed superior wear characteristics and self lubricating properties. We feel these parts are a better choice in their intended usage then the originals, predominately due to the fact that the operating nature of these parts is that the surface finish wears with extended use. That is "silver color" starts to show through on blued steel parts. Polymer parts do not exhibit finish wear with extensive use. Some of the Polymer parts that may see high stress loads are reinforced by overmolding a steel subassembly. You will find that all current produced pistols have polymer guide rods, triggers, safety levers, hammer spring caps / lanyard loops, magazine bottom plates and followers."

 

[Monolith]

I also have a Stoeger Cougar, and I think it is a really great gun. I have the .40S&W version, and I really enjoy shooting it. I have long thin hands, and this pistol fits my hands better than any other, so it is very easy on the recoil, I think. I haven't shot it very much, about 200 rounds, but it ate those just fine, and they were cheapie Monarch brand from Academy Sports, so feeding cheap rounds inside of a "break in" period without problems makes me very satisfied about my gun.

 

[steelyblue]

I originally bought this gun to feed it steel cased Wolf rounds. I think it may eat them. I'm not worried about ruining a 300 dollar gun. Am I wrong?

 

[JHansenAK47]

I wrote Beretta directly for an answer. Til that answer comes back...note what they say about their 92/96 pistols with the poly additions:

Ruffle your feathers. Don't believe everything you see in ads. They aren't going to say that they also went polymer because it was cheaper and saved money.

 

[DawgFvr]

JHansenAK47: Methinks you protest too much.

Ruffle your feathers.

I do not understand that incomplete sentence. Please explain.

Don't believe everything you see in ads.

If you are referring to the Beretta metal replacement by poly explanation…it was not an advertisement. It came from their frequent customer question section. I checked the veracity of this explanation with other weapon manufacturers and believe it is right on the money.

I actually work in manufacturing and marketing and I can assure you that I do not believe everything I see in advertisements nor do I invest much in cynical comments from this forum if they are not backed up by facts.

Just as NASA has substituted ceramic for the metal nose cone on their Shuttle...there are many new discoveries wherein metal is far weaker or more brittle, etc., than newly discovered composite materials.

I am taking my Stoeger Cougar to the range today and I will be experimenting with every 9mm round I can get my hands on. I will keep my cougar stock and will report out. I will conduct my own research and will post my demonstrations. I will keep my mind open to all developments.

 

[steelyblue]

I had no idea a gun review would cause so much contraversy. Comments yes, debates no. I guess you can't post a new thread without an argument starting.

 

[DawgFvr]

You are quite correct steelyblue. Perhaps it is my fault...I did not stay focused around your original post. I'm afraid it really went to the "after-market" add-ons vs OEM controversy. Mea Culpa. I am field stripping my new Stoeger Cougar as we speak...I will post a separate post shortly w/photos. Got some fairly inexpensive Hogue wood grips for it...looks nice.

 

[steelyblue]

Don't worry Dawg! It was just an observation, not a critique. Besides, I'm the King of thread hijacks anyway. I enjoy the banter, it was just unexpected on this particular thread. It's all good.

 

[JHansenAK47]

JHansenAK47: Methinks you protest too much.

I did ruffle your feathers I brought up one point "plastic saves money."

Just as NASA has substituted ceramic for the metal nose cone on their Shuttle...there are many new discoveries wherein metal is far weaker or more brittle, etc., than newly discovered composite materials.

Actually ceramics tend to be brittle. I believe they chose ceramics for their thermal properties.

It came from their frequent customer question section.

Off of a website they own so beretta wrote it. Of course they wouldn't be biased; never ever ever.

Got some fairly inexpensive Hogue wood grips for it...looks nice

Where did you get those at? I don't really like the stock grips and those sound comfortable.

 

[DawgFvr]

$39.95...coco bolo on the Hogue site.

http://www.hogueinc.com/getgrip/merchant.ihtml?id=70&step=2

Look...I have the metal guide rod...I'll just hang onto it...just in case. Besides, It's not the rod you have to worry about, it's the spring. As the spring wears and slowly loses its tension it absorbs less and less of the recoil. Which means that over time the frame of the gun has to absorb more and more recoil. This can eventually cause the frame to crack. I'm not worried about the Stoeger/Beretta metal frame...it was, after all, designed for a .40 cal in the first place.

Unless the poly guide rod fails in some fashion...I wont replace it. Again...if you have found anywhere, on any site, or any information as to the Beretta/Stoeger Cougar poly rod failing...please educate me.

 

[ANVILFIRE]

Here's mine!




http://a39.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/18/l_4bf050d1a3abd8c83c74340f3fc44936.jpg

 

[22LongRifle]

I held/founded a 40S&W version this week. I liked it and was thinking of getting one for a beat around open carry weapon.

But the only thing that bothers me is getting more magazines. I didn't see anything listed for Stoger on MIDWAY.

22lr

 

[Flopsy]

"But the only thing that bothers me is getting more magazines. I didn't see anything listed for Stoger on MIDWAY."

The Beretta Cougar mags should do just fine.

 

[steelyblue]

I've got some Baretta Cougar mags that are a perfect fit.

 

[nc76]

If you read the 15 rnd mags that come with it, you will see that they are made in Italy, ala Beretta.

 

[22LongRifle]

Great! I bought a S&W Sigma VE40, due to the rebate and free mags.

I'm getting the Couger when the Economy Stimulis check gets here!

22lr