Beretta Cougar 8000

I have liked this pistol since it was first introduced by Beretta around 1985. It was always designed for a high capacity magazine holding 15 rounds plus 1 more in the chamber, giving you a total of 16 rounds. When "CLINTON" imposed the high Capacity magazine ban, these pistols were dilivered with 10 round magazines. Pro Mag was the only magazine company that I knew of that had already manufactured 15 shot magazines for the Cougar in 9mm and put them on the market just before the ban went into effect many years ago.

I have owned one of these Cougars for many years and it has never failed to feed or extract using any kind of 9mm ammunition. This pistol has a very unique rotating barrel system design and it comes with a firing pin block safety system similar to the 92F.
It works and it works very well, although I have found it to thick and bulky for me personally to carry as my daily carry handgun, but mine is used primarily as a house gun.

This past week I worked on a brand new Beretta Cougar 8000F in 9mm and I reworked the action. I used the original hammer spring and no, I did "NOT" cut any coils off the hammer spring. The Double Action trigger pull was 16 lbs. and the Single Action was 7 lbs. out of the box. I worked on the Feed Ramp and Recut the Crown of the barrel. I polished the bore like a mirror.

The trigger pull is now 8 1/2 lbs on the Double Action and I set the Single Action at 4 lbs. I airbrushed about 30 micro scopic coats of MOLY on the barrel and baked it on. I also installed Trijicon night sights on the Stainless Steel slide. It originally comes with 3 white dot sights.

This is a very well made handgun and Beretta offers it in 40 caliber as well as 45 caliber. This pistol was their full size Cougar but Beretta offers a mini Cougar.
I do not personally care for the 45 acp model as it always concerned me that the chamber wall is thinner than I would like, but I have NEVER seen a problem with the 45 acp chambered Cougar. I have always believed that this pistol in 9mm is one of Betettas better designs.

I know of many Police in Texas that use this 8000 model in 9mm. It was just bad timing that it originally came out as good ole CLINTON signed the high capacity magazine ban when the Cougar was introduced to the American market. This caused the new owner that bought this hi cap pistol to settle for 10 shot magazines. Now thanks to the phased out ban your Cougar 8000 in 9mm can hold 16 rounds of fire power.

I plan on buying some Beretta factory High Capacity magazines for my 8000. It has a slide mounted ambi thumb safety system. Looking at all the internal parts, they are made very well as in the 92F pistol. There are no manufacturing short cuts taken that were obvious to me. Except the plastic guide rod. It has an anodized aluminum frame, but it gets heavy when fully loaded. I have found accuracy in my own 8000 very acceptable for a social engagement.
I do recommend this handgun, put one in your hand and you will see why I like it.

NOTE: I do not like all products that are made by Beretta such as their mini semi autos but I will write about them in a future commentary. I can assure you that I am not on Berettas payroll, "IT IS WHAT IT IS" ...........
At one time Mr. Beretta in Italy wanted me to rework one of his personal 92F pistols but that never materialized. He was fully aware of my work on his handguns.

Teddy Jacobson
www.actionsbyt.com
281 277 4008
tjacobson@houston.rr.com
www.actionsbyt.blogspot.com/