A few years ago I let go of a full-size PX4 because it was just a bit too big to be useful. At the time I was planning to replace it with a compact, but it just never happened, until today. I had a couple of milsurps for sale on a local board ,wasn't really looking to trade, but one thing led to another and I ended up working out a trade for this PX4 Compact and some cash.

We had a bit of a heat wave this afternoon...it hit a whole 14 degrees...so of course I had to go shoot it. I took along the P229 and new G43X too. I put them on paper to compare accuracy, and then shot a few drills before it go so cold that I couldn't feel my hands anymore.



The PX4 is a good gun. The compact is as smooth as I remember my full-size being, and it points naturally for me with the large backstrap installed. I do think the rotating barrel hype is a bit overblown, at least as it relates to recoil impulse. If anything I felt like the Sig was softer and had less muzzle flip. I was also a tad more accurate with it, but It's also wearing an optic so that test wasn't totally fair. The striker-fired G43x actually outran both of them in the Bill Drill, but was well behind both in the slow-fire accuracy department. Ultimately I don't think my P229 is in any danger of getting replaced, but it's nice to have a PX4 around again.

Anybody else got a PX4? Any modifications or upgrades that you couldn't live without? I've already removed the safety detent to turn it into a "G" model.

Had a coworker woth one in 40SW. Shot great.
The safety was my only memorable complaint, too sharp edged. Especially when compared to something like a 92FS

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Originally posted by P250UA5:
Had a coworker woth one in 40SW. Shot great.
The safety was my only memorable complaint, too sharp edged. Especially when compared to something like a 92FS

They don't really bother me, especially now that it's converted to decocker only, but it looks like you can actually get a 92FS style safety lever for the PX4 (at least if it's ever in stock):

https://langdontactical.com/px...ety-levers-92-style/

I’ve got a Compact Carry, it’s one of my most enjoyable guns to shoot I own. It serves night stand duty. It’s a little chunkier than I’d care anymore for a carry gun for me personally but I wouldn’t hesitate to if needed. Being as mine is the CC, I really haven’t felt the need to do any mods, it has the stealth levers and decocker.

I love mine it was well used range rental. I have no use for it besides plinking and lending out on the range.

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Originally posted by 92fstech:

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Had a coworker woth one in 40SW. Shot great.
The safety was my only memorable complaint, too sharp edged. Especially when compared to something like a 92FS

They don't really bother me, especially now that it's converted to decocker only, but it looks like you can actually get a 92FS style safety lever for the PX4 (at least if it's ever in stock):

https://langdontactical.com/px...ety-levers-92-style/

It's been at least a decade, but I remember it being fairly soft shooting, even in 40SW.
Other than a few hard edges, it's a pretty slick package. Decock only would be the way I'd go, too.

I used to be a big Cougar guy. Precursor to the PX4. The nice thing about the Cougar and the PX4 I believe is the design of the safety /decocker. All you have to do is remove a small ball bearing and spring and it goes from both functions to just decocker. It is a much better design than the 92’s which require a completely new decocker assembly/kit to turn into a “D” model.

Never shot a PX4 always wanted to. Interesting side bar, if you get the sub compact model it is a standard locked breech type, it ditches the rotating barrel system. I too think the recoil reduction stuff is hype. My Cougars shot well but they recoiled “normally”.

My coworker has a Stoeger model of the Cougar in 40SW.
Shoots like a 22lr compared to how my P320 was in 357Sig.

My PX4 9mm full size has been flawless. My daughter uses it in matches and is a dead-eye with it. Better than me. The sights don’t agree with my eyes for some reason but it’s great to shoot. The slippery grip is essentially my only complaint but a bit of inner tube has sorted that. I did the easy G conversion as you’ve done and put the D spring in it and it cut maybe a half pound off the trigger weight but I wouldn’t call that a must do. Great guns. I think if I were carrying one I’d probably get the covert decocking levers and maybe remove the right one entirely. But that’s theoretical. I had a full size .40 also but had to sell it during tax season last year along with some other guns. I hate tax season

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
I too think the recoil reduction stuff is hype.

Possibly but the PX4 is consistently rated as one of if not the softest shooting duty-sized 9mms when I shoot a bunch back to back or have range visitors do so. The 92FS Brig is another soft shooter but it weighs a bit more. Regardless, whether it’s the PX4’s rotating barrel or the flexy polymer frame or optimal spring rates and slide weight or some other secret sauce, I like it.

Oh I didn’t say I didn’t like it. At one point I owned 7 or 8 different varieties of Cougars. An aluminum framed Cougar with rotating barrel in 9mm does not shoot softer than any other equivalent sized metal framed gun. That is what I am saying. Rotating barrel softens recoil has not been my experience. Now the PX4 is not metal. That probably helps.

I stand by my statement that I think it’s mostly hype. On the other forum you hear a lot of conversations about this that say you won’t feel the difference in 9 but you will as you go up in caliber. No idea, all mine were 9’s.

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
Oh I didn’t say I didn’t like it. At one point I owned 7 or 8 different varieties of Cougars. An aluminum framed Cougar with rotating barrel in 9mm does not shoot softer than any other equivalent sized metal framed gun. That is what I am saying. Rotating barrel softens recoil has not been my experience. Now the PX4 is not metal. That probably helps.

I stand by my statement that I think it’s mostly hype. On the other forum you hear a lot of conversations about this that say you won’t feel the difference in 9 but you will as you go up in caliber. No idea, all mine were 9’s.

Both of my PX4s have been 9mm. I have shot a cougar in .40, and compared it side by side with a P229 in .40...same experience. Both handled the .40 pretty well, but the Cougar didn't seem notably softer-recoiling than the P229. Like you I think they're great guns, and it's a cool system and quite robust...I just don't think it does what a lot of people seem to think that it does.

I had the full size. Shot really well. But it seemed overly bulky for a 9mm. I sold it. If a Compact Carry should find itself nearby, I will probably jump.

Talon grips. Look great, function better.

I scored a Langdon compact copy a couple of years ago from a friend. It shoots well. I'm going to have to dig it out for a range trip soon.

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Originally posted by YooperSigs:
I had the full size. Shot really well. But it seemed overly bulky for a 9mm. I sold it. If a Compact Carry should find itself nearby, I will probably jump.

That was my take as well. The full-size was just too big. The compact isn't exactly small, either, but it could be carried if necessary. I feel like it shoots about the same as the big one.

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Talon grips. Look great, function better.

Funny you should mention that...I just ordered a set from the LTT store, along with a plug for the right-side slide catch lever hole. I removed that today...I've got no use for wrong-handed protrusions sticking off my guns. I thought about the Optimized trigger bar, but at $110 I just can't bring myself to do it right now. I wish I'd kept the one I put in that other gun. I don't remember that one being that expensive. Maybe they'll go on sale at some point.

Did a little more shooting with it today, along with a P320 Compact and a P229 SAS, both with iron sights. Slow fire accuracy I was still better with both Sigs, and the P320 smoked it on the speed stuff, but impressively it was the only one I was able to keep all alphas on the Bill drill. I tried it a second time just to confirm and did it again. That speaks well for its natural pointability, although I was a few tenths slower with it than the other guns. Hit factor still favored the P320.

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
Oh I didn’t say I didn’t like it. At one point I owned 7 or 8 different varieties of Cougars. An aluminum framed Cougar with rotating barrel in 9mm does not shoot softer than any other equivalent sized metal framed gun. That is what I am saying. Rotating barrel softens recoil has not been my experience. Now the PX4 is not metal. That probably helps.

Yeah, I imagine it's probably the polymer frame or other stuff. I never shot a Cougar so I don't know how those feel.

Recoil is very subjective and I've found people often echo what they've read and apply those preconceptions to their experience. For example, I often read that the Browning Hi Power and CZ75 are among the best 9mm pistols as far as low recoil (sometimes attributed to the 75's "low bore axis, which is total horseshit BTW), but both of those pistols are among the highest-recoiling 9mms in my collection, shooting them back to back with other service-sized 9mms. they both have a lot of muzzle flip, which to me translates into "more recoil."

Others feel differently

I bought mine in Feb. 2006 and purchased the slimline controls from David Olhasso shortly after that and converted it to de-cock only. It has always functioned flawlessly and is accurate. My only complaint is the stock grip is slicker than Owl S$it. Nothing a good set of talons couldn't fix, however.

I remember the PX4 getting trashed by a high profile member of one of the pistol-forums back in the day. I didn't agree with his assessment of the pistol. Attitudes changed a lot once Ernest Langdon got involved in these conversations. People started taking a honest look based on his positive comments. Glad to see it has remained in the Beretta Pistol line-up.

I am repeating myself but I am of an age that allows me to do so, the Cougar was a wonderful gun. It should still be in production. People should be shooting them left and right.

Beretta screwed the pooch in one way but it was a biggun'. If the Cougar used 92 mags we would still be buying Cougars. The stupid proprietary mag was RETARDED. Beretta just made an ugly Ruger MkIII clone though and they think it will sell well. It will not. It's an expensive clone. People will either buy the Ruger or shell out top dollar for the Volquartsen version. This middle ground ugly will go nowhere at their price point. How Beretta is the world's oldest arms manufacturer and still in business is one of life's great mysteries.

^^^ Precisely^^^
Beretta didn't think that one through. 92 mags would have kept the Cougar going strong. Now, if that stupid Crime Bill of 1994 had not been enacted, Cougars with their own proprietary 15 rd mags would probably have survived too.

Do full size PX4 mags fit and work in Model 8000 Cougar pistols?