Wow I learned a TLA... I mean a SLA (Six).

Anyway, back to that neat little Stoeger Cougar -- I like that gun. Maybe I'll set aside my basic rule that only old guns are interesting, just this once, and get one. This little puppy looks like it might have soul.

Is the action as silky as the big Beretta 92?

AND -- do they make it in .380?

I've never tried a Beretta 92 [shame] so I can't answer that one. But I can easily rack the Cougar slide using just my thumb and forefinger. My fingers are not very strong, and on most of my semiautos I need to grab the slide with most of my left hand to pull it open.

As far as I know, Stoeger just makes a 9mm and .40. Beretta also had a compact model --- same barrel with a chopped grip. But Stoeger isn't making those yet, either.

Was that the Beretta M84? It looked like the old M34. but somewhat updated, as if the company had learned from making the 92 and applied those lessons to an updated M34.

Here's the Beretta Mini Cougar --- just like the Cougar but with a shortened grip and a 10-round magazine. It came in 9mm and .40 S&W.

Gander Mountain in EP had one of these (9mm) a couple of weeks ago.