Friend just bought his first handgun

[TN_Mike]

A friend from work just bought his first handgun yesterday. We had talked about it in the last week or two. He seemed like he wanted to get one but just wasn't sure.

He asked about different types and I had told him that a good gun for the money might be the Stoeger Cougar.
Well, he is on vacation this week and yesterday I got several text messages asking about the gun again and what caliber I would suggest for a beginner, either 9mm or .40. I suggested 9mm, and I had the feeling he was either looking at them online or was actually at a gun shop.

He called me later in the day and told me he had bought one, a 9mm for $375.00 and was at home with it now.

He's pretty proud and happy he has his first one but he hasn't worked up the nerve to tell his wife yet. I keep telling him, stop being whipped but he hasn't taken that advice yet.

We are planning on going to the range either this weekend or next. He wants to learn to shoot it well and then he wants his carry permit. I'm happy for him and I am looking forward to getting to shoot the Cougar too. I still think I want one too.

I'll let you guys know how it goes.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Gunner69]

I just read the write up in Combat Handguns about the Stoeger and I think that it is definitely on the list of future buys...possibly for SWMBO as a carry gun... The rotating barrel is an interesting feature...Availability right now locally is slim to none on the .40's my goto shop has had 50 on order for a few months... had the 9mm in stock but not the .40 so I'll just hang out and hope somebody I know gets one so I can put some rounds through it before I buy one...

[BigEFan]

Didn't Beretta make Cougar for a while. I wonder if Stoeger bought the Beretta design because I know Beretta no longer makes it. The Beretta Model had a rotating barrel as well.

[HK Dan]

Yep! It's the old Beretta 8000.

If ya want one, let me know (I have a locker queen I'm willing to part with)

HK Dan

[ghost tracker]

I "think" Stoeger is part of the Beretta Corporate Family. It may simply be the division that operates out of Istanbul, Turkey. I know Stoeger makes Beretta-designed shotguns there under their own name. The less-expensive "value" line of Beretta Firearms may now ALL be made & branded by Stoeger. The Cougar may be retired as a Beretta to make room for a newly-developed replacement & they didn't want to compete within their own product line.

[BigEFan]

According to the fallible Wikipedia:

Stoeger Cougar

Manufacturing of the Cougar has been transferred to Stoeger, a subsidiary of Beretta. The original was moved to Turkey where Stoeger now produces Cougars in 9 x 19mm and .40S&W. Plans are to produce ONLY the 9mm and .40cal full size models with no plans for a Mini Stoeger Cougar in the future. The Stoeger Cougar is imported by Beretta USA and the firearms are made with Beretta factory tooling in Turkey by Stoeger.

[TN_Mike]

In this case, Wikipedia is correct.

I saw it and held it today. It is a sweet little gun and I can say that I 100% want one....or two. It is a beautiful little gun and feels sooooo good in the hand. Very solid. Fit and finish is fantastic.

I really like this gun. I will surely be getting myself one or two. In fact, I will probably buy one for each of my kids to shoot with, then transfer ownership of it to them when they turn 21. They are that nice.

I will report more after we go to the range and I get to shoot it. By the way, he has said he plans to join this site.

[dr_cmg]

The original Beretta Cougar line is profiled on this site. Go to Beretta under the Handgun Database. There were several more than Stoeger selling right now, but they may add some later. In early 2006 I was interested in one of the Mini Cougars, but couldn't find one.

George Hill has a good review of the .45 Mini Cougar (the one I was looking for) over on his Mad Ogre site.

[Black Knight]

Beretta does own Stoeger and the Cougar is a design that was transfered to Stoeger. When I was at the Amrorers School for Beretta in 2004 the Beretta 8000 series (Cougar) was one of the guns we worked on. They were orignially designed for the American Police market. They are top notch but a little unusual with the rotary bolt (similar to the AR-15 and its clones). He should not have any problems with it at all. He did good for a first gun.