# 9mm Cougar



## bcd02 (Jun 6, 2012)

I'm looking into getting a 9mm cougar, either a used beretta or a used or new stoeger.
It doesnt really matter which to me as long as if used the condition is good.

My question is if the new stoeger 9mm cougars have picatinny rails?
I know that the new .45s do, and I read on one forum that the new 9mms that are just coming out have them, but the link that was posted for that was broken so I wasnt able to verify that claim.
But if the new 9mms do have rails then that is what I'll try to get.

I have fired a .45 beretta cougar extensively and love it. Unfortunatly it is not mine and I have finally decided that I want my own cougar.
I would get a .45, except that I already have a .45 M&P and I do not own any 9mm or equivalent caliber pistol and feel that is a caliber gap I need to fill.

Now I've been looking around and it seams like cougars are hard to come by, does anyone have any recommendation on where in the CA bay area they can be found?


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## fast20 (Sep 12, 2011)

no rail on the 9mm stoeger... but the stoeger cougar 45 does have the rail...


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## GlockGuy (Aug 14, 2012)

Picked up my 9mm Cougar...It's got Rails....No mention of such on Stoeger website and/or owners manual...Times are moving forward, and Stoeger is listening...Practice what you shoot, so you'll shoot what you practice. Live Well Live Free.


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## fast20 (Sep 12, 2011)

GlockGuy said:


> Picked up my 9mm Cougar...It's got Rails....No mention of such on Stoeger website and/or owners manual..


cool...never seen one, could you please post a pick... thanks


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## Striker (Nov 13, 2012)

I got my Cougar 9mm two days ago it does have rails now. got mine at Academy sports


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## DanOh (Nov 19, 2012)

Hello, new to site and first post,....

I have a '96 Beretta Cougar without rails and it is the only thing I do not like about Cougar. However, I found a company in Phoenix, Az. that makes rails for such guns and they are in the process of making me a picatinny rail to attach to my gun. They use an adhesive on the back of metal strips that attach to gun, supposedly oil and cleaner resistant, then the rails are held in place with strong earth magnets. This is the first one they have made, so it's a prototype. They will total refund if it doesn't work properly. Should have it in a few days. Cost is $85...cheap by me to get to add laser or light or ??? I will have more in about a week on this. Great forum here,...learning a lot already.


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## draak (May 28, 2011)

My Stoeger 9mm, no rails.


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## Bionicman (Dec 11, 2012)

Striker said:


> I got my Cougar 9mm two days ago it does have rails now. got mine at Academy sports


I just got off the phone with one of Stoeger's U.S. sales reps, and she confirmed my suspicion that only .45ACP Cougars are currently being sold in the U.S. with rails. You better have some photos of said railed 9mm to back up your claim . . .


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## amross03 (Dec 12, 2012)

I picked mine up at Cabella's this afternoon. 9mm with rails. Would post a pic if I could figure out how...


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## Bionicman (Dec 11, 2012)

Lots of claims here, but still no photographic proof . . .

Upload the photo to a photobucket or similar account, and then use the direct link in the post.


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## Bionicman (Dec 11, 2012)

I'm beginning to think the Stoeger rep was a clueless idiot . . . I just found this pic on the Beretta forum that looks an awful lot like a railed 9mm model:


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## recoilguy (Apr 30, 2009)

It would be cool to see the 9mm with rails. I have never seen one myself. I have never used the rails on my guns that have them either. Not a real big deal on my important to buy list. For those who want it if the Cougar has it it would be a pretty cool new choice to consider.

RCG


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## recoilguy (Apr 30, 2009)

Oh there it is........I have worked for more then one company were the customers knew what we were doing before I did. Kind of embarrassing but didn't make me an idiot!

RCG


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## SP3 (Nov 25, 2009)

Stoeger Cougar Double-Action, Auto-Loading Pistol

or just call them


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## Bionicman (Dec 11, 2012)

SP3 said:


> Stoeger Cougar Double-Action, Auto-Loading Pistol or just call them


Yes, because the website and their sales reps have confirmed the existence of the railed 9mm Cougar. *facepalm*


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## Bionicman (Dec 11, 2012)

amross03 said:


> I picked mine up at Cabella's this afternoon. 9mm with rails. Would post a pic if I could figure out how...


I called my local Cabela's and they said they had never seen a railed 9mm model, but they also mentioned that if I figured out the Cabela's SKU for it, they could order one. Would you kindly look at the receipt for your gun and post the Cabela's SKU listed on it?


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## SP3 (Nov 25, 2009)

Bionicman said:


> Yes, because the website and their sales reps have confirmed the existence of the railed 9mm Cougar. *facepalm*


FWIW, three minutes on the phone with BenelliUSA and I found out that only the 45 is available with the rail until next spring. Then the entire line will have been switched over.


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## Bionicman (Dec 11, 2012)

SP3 said:


> FWIW, three minutes on the phone with BenelliUSA and I found out that only the 45 is available with the rail until next spring. Then the entire line will have been switched over.


I made the same call, however, the information is obviously false considering people are already buying railed 9mm models . . .


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## amross03 (Dec 12, 2012)

looks like the number is 002514310. Hope that helps.


Bionicman said:


> I called my local Cabela's and they said they had never seen a railed 9mm model, but they also mentioned that if I figured out the Cabela's SKU for it, they could order one. Would you kindly look at the receipt for your gun and post the Cabela's SKU listed on it?


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## Bionicman (Dec 11, 2012)

amross03 said:


> looks like the number is 002514310. Hope that helps.


Excellent, thank you!


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## DanOh (Nov 19, 2012)

I had contacted a buisness in Phoenix to see if they could make me an adapter or attachment that would allow me to put a laser on my Cougar (Beretta). I received an email yesterday from them and they have made an adapter with laser for $99. Go to YouTube and search for "Beretta Cougar Ramlight Magnetic Laser Sight by Ariete Arms and see them testing the prototype. These guys even went out and bought a Cougar to help them make the adapter! THAT is customer service....great guys,...and I am in no way connected with this company other than to ask them if they could make something for me.


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## Oberschutze (Jan 3, 2013)

I bought a brand new 9mm Stoeger Cougar and the thing misfired on me a handful of times, some times the cartridge jammed, other times it just misfired completely...Should I sell it or hold onto it and hopefully it breaks in????


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## Bionicman (Dec 11, 2012)

Oberschutze said:


> I bought a brand new 9mm Stoeger Cougar and the thing misfired on me a handful of times, some times the cartridge jammed, other times it just misfired completely...Should I sell it or hold onto it and hopefully it breaks in????


Can you be more specific about the malfunction? Type of ammo? Failure to eject? Failure to feed? Failure to fire?

Simply unloading your problem on someone else at a loss makes no sense when you can just utilize the warranty. I suggest calling Stoeger at (301) 283-6981 or (800) 264-4962 and describing the problem in more detail to them. If the gun is brand new, then it's still well within the one year limited warranty. Hopefully they'll straighten it out for you, because this is the first I've read of a Cougar being unreliable. Keep us posted . . .


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## ssilence (Jan 10, 2013)

Here is my 9mm Stoeger Cougar that I picked up yesterday from Academy, and it has the picatinny rails. I was in there over the weekend and they had one left, I almost bought it...that one didn't have the rails. I went in yesterday after calling to see if they had any, and low and behold the one they got in had the rails. You can see that they have updated the manual yet...


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## Bionicman (Dec 11, 2012)

Glorious, thanks for the pic! Price?


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## Oberschutze (Jan 3, 2013)

Bionicman said:


> Can you be more specific about the malfunction? Type of ammo? Failure to eject? Failure to feed? Failure to fire?
> 
> Simply unloading your problem on someone else at a loss makes no sense when you can just utilize the warranty. I suggest calling Stoeger at (301) 283-6981 or (800) 264-4962 and describing the problem in more detail to them. If the gun is brand new, then it's still well within the one year limited warranty. Hopefully they'll straighten it out for you, because this is the first I've read of a Cougar being unreliable. Keep us posted . . .


Sorry about the delayed response. For starters the type of ammo was Remington 9mm. Now, bare with me because I'm no expert. Basically, The first time I took it out, it fired a few shots fine, then it like jammed up and wouldn't eject it got kind of stuck and you could see the bullet all cocked and the ejection port was half open. I ejected the clip and racked the slide back a couple times and wiggled it around until the bullet fell out of the bottom. This happened I want to say three different times that day. When the gun did shoot, it shot beautifully. Very accurate and easy to aim.

So I cleaned the gun thoroughly and lubricated it as well, AND bought different ammunition, I think it was Federal ammo. Anyways, this is somewhat embarrassing. I took a conceal and carry class and I used the Cougar for the firing test portion of the class. I brought the Cougar instead of my H&K P2000 .40 because the Cougar was easier to shoot, meaning I could get bullseyes all day with it whereas my Hekler is a bit harder. Any way, my instructor told me to load the firearm, I did. He told me to disengage the safeties, I did. Then he told me to fire. I pulled the trigger and the gun completely misfired. Didn't do a damn thing. I said "what the hell". He laughed and said "It's because it's a Taurus". I told him no, It's a stoeger, like a Beretta. His exact words were "I wouldn't carry that if I were you".

I sent the gun to Stoeger. I received my gun back with a letter that looked like a 5 year old typed out because the grammar and sentence structure was let's say lacking. It more or less said that the gunsmith fired numerous brands of ammo through it and found no flaws or abnormalities with it whatsoever. One thing it did say was "removed some of the manufacturing burrs"-whatever that means. It said that sometimes with new guns they require a lot of cleaning or something like that. Anyways, on the bright side, when I did get it back I took it out I think once or twice and the gun performed just as it should with no jam ups, misfires or anything. I just couldn't get over what it did and I sold the thing recently. Took about a $200 hit. But since the gun worked just fine the last times I used it, it's not like I put one over on the buyer or anything, I'm not the type of person to dump anything off on anyone else.

In my opinion, a brand new close to $500 gun shouldn't jam up and misfire at all. What if I needed to use it on a threat and it did that, what would I throw it at them?!?! My H&K would never let me down.


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## losingle (Dec 3, 2012)

What is a misfire?


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

losingle said:


> What is a misfire?


Cartridge does not ignite and go bang aftger being hit by the firing mechanism.


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## Bionicman (Dec 11, 2012)

Oberschutze said:


> Sorry about the delayed response. For starters the type of ammo was Remington 9mm. Now, bare with me because I'm no expert. Basically, The first time I took it out, it fired a few shots fine, then it like jammed up and wouldn't eject it got kind of stuck and you could see the bullet all cocked and the ejection port was half open. I ejected the clip and racked the slide back a couple times and wiggled it around until the bullet fell out of the bottom. This happened I want to say three different times that day. When the gun did shoot, it shot beautifully. Very accurate and easy to aim.
> 
> So I cleaned the gun thoroughly and lubricated it as well, AND bought different ammunition, I think it was Federal ammo. Anyways, this is somewhat embarrassing. I took a conceal and carry class and I used the Cougar for the firing test portion of the class. I brought the Cougar instead of my H&K P2000 .40 because the Cougar was easier to shoot, meaning I could get bullseyes all day with it whereas my Hekler is a bit harder. Any way, my instructor told me to load the firearm, I did. He told me to disengage the safeties, I did. Then he told me to fire. I pulled the trigger and the gun completely misfired. Didn't do a damn thing. I said "what the hell". He laughed and said "It's because it's a Taurus". I told him no, It's a stoeger, like a Beretta. His exact words were "I wouldn't carry that if I were you".
> 
> ...


Like I said, this is the first I've ever heard of a Cougar failing in 3+ years of following them. Truth be told, every manufacturer spits out a lemon occasionally, and the majority of manufacturers recommend a break-in period to test reliability for this reason. From the sounds of it, the manufacturer fixed whatever issues it had, and you were good to go. Personally, I would have run 500 rds of FMJ and 100 rds of SD ammo through it, and then trusted it again, but I can understand where you're coming from. As far as the failures themselves, Remington UMC is notoriously loaded light and won't cycle in all auto's. The combination of a light load, stiff new springs, and perhaps burrs on the rails would attribute to the ejection failures you described. (or a poorly machined extractor) As far as the hammer dropping and not causing ignition, that's a lot tougher to guess. Perhaps a batch of hard primers? Maybe a damaged hammer spring or poorly machined firing pin? Tough to say. Just out of curiosity, what was the turn around time from Stoeger on the repair work?


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## Oberschutze (Jan 3, 2013)

Bionicman said:


> Like I said, this is the first I've ever heard of a Cougar failing in 3+ years of following them. Truth be told, every manufacturer spits out a lemon occasionally, and the majority of manufacturers recommend a break-in period to test reliability for this reason. From the sounds of it, the manufacturer fixed whatever issues it had, and you were good to go. Personally, I would have run 500 rds of FMJ and 100 rds of SD ammo through it, and then trusted it again, but I can understand where you're coming from. As far as the failures themselves, Remington UMC is notoriously loaded light and won't cycle in all auto's. The combination of a light load, stiff new springs, and perhaps burrs on the rails would attribute to the ejection failures you described. (or a poorly machined extractor) As far as the hammer dropping and not causing ignition, that's a lot tougher to guess. Perhaps a batch of hard primers? Maybe a damaged hammer spring or poorly machined firing pin? Tough to say. Just out of curiosity, what was the turn around time from Stoeger on the repair work?


Stoeger got it back to me within about a 3 week period of time. Everything I read about Stoeger was solid, I mean everything. My understanding is that it's basically a Beretta, but instead of an Italian guy pushing the button on the CNC machine, a Turkish guy was doing it. It shot beautifully. But I can't stress enough, a $500 brand new gun shouldn't do that. And ultimately I came online not to veer people away from buying a Stoeger Cougar, but to simply share my story, because it is very much a true story and I was like WTF when it jammed/misfired and I thought back to every review I read which had nothing bad to say about the gun.


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## coachroy (Feb 28, 2013)

Oberschutze said:


> Stoeger got it back to me within about a 3 week period of time. Everything I read about Stoeger was solid, I mean everything. My understanding is that it's basically a Beretta, but instead of an Italian guy pushing the button on the CNC machine, a Turkish guy was doing it. It shot beautifully. But I can't stress enough, a $500 brand new gun shouldn't do that. And ultimately I came online not to veer people away from buying a Stoeger Cougar, but to simply share my story, because it is very much a true story and I was like WTF when it jammed/misfired and I thought back to every review I read which had nothing bad to say about the gun.


Hate you had that experience but I have to agree with some of the others on here. I love the cougars both the Beretta and the Stoeger. I have the Beretta in 357 sig and stoeger in 9mm alas I wish I had known they were going to add the rail because if I have one complaint it is no way to mount any accessories. would love to add a light to mine! I run all kinds of ammo through mine from the cheapest thing I can find to my handloads and can't say I have ever had a FTF, FTE My sig version has literally had thousands of rounds through it between me loving to shoot it and it being a former LEO weapon. I would say you probably needed just a couple hundred more through it and anything would have disappeared but I also understand your concerns if you didn't trust it you shouldn't carry it. My rule of thumb for ANY new weapon is it doesn't get to take its place as my defense weapon till it has atleast 500 rounds through it. I'm waiting to find one in 45 then my collection will be complete


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## Kruzen (Aug 7, 2013)

I just picked up a 9mm cougar used in a trade. I took it to the range and it shoots outstanding, love the feel and the light recoil. The only issue is it shoots left about 4". Probably need to adjust the sights. Mine has no rails. Anyone know how I can find it's born date?

Thanks


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## CW (Mar 20, 2015)

If it has Beretta proof marks, somewhere around the trigger guard/frame there should be a square with 2 letters in it. 

See the thread in this Beretta forum about dates of manufacture to find the chart.


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