9mm Beretta 8000 actually a 40cal?

[SJ-Chris]

Several years ago I purchased a 9mm Beretta Cougar. I've shot it 6-7 times. It has been jamming a bit lately. The empty cartridge isn't always expelled after a shot.

I thought that the reason might be because I haven't been good about cleaning it after the last couple times shooting. So I gave it a good cleaning recently. It was then that I decided to go to the Beretta website and punch in my serial number just to see what sort of info came up. When I did I was surprised to see it said that my handgun was manufactured as a 40cal. The gun store I bought it from sold it to me as a 9mm, even says so on the box that I still have. (Note: I bought it used). Not knowing everything about guns I have been using 9mm ammo without a second thought. I wondered if the gun was actually a 40cal and perhaps that's why the empty cartridges weren't being completely expelled when shooting 9mm (less powerful).

I know it is a bad idea to use the wrong ammo, so I want to be sure.

Today I looked at the bolt to see if it listed the caliber. It has "9 para" stamped on it. I assume this is short for "9 parabelum". Should this be evidence enough that my Beretta is actually a 9mm and not a 40cal? Have you ever seem a bolt mislabeled, or is there some other way I can verify with certainty what the correct caliber is?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

[Mr310]

Get a .40 snap cap and try to cycle it?

[Firerescuebatt07]

damn, this is one crazy story. Keep us posted on what you discover. I am very curious now. Good luck brother and welcome to Calguns!

[9mmlove]

Wtf? Tagged

[Quiet]

Pics of the Beretta please.

[jimmythebrain]

Beretta sold the 8000 cougars and they were 9 MM
The 40 caliber guns were designated 8040 models.

Many gun amnufacturers put serial numbers on the slide, barrel and frame of some of there models. I do not know if they did this on the Cougars. Sometimes manufacturers only put serial numbers on the frame. You may want to look under the slide and see if there are any inscribed numbers. I used to have a Cougar 8357 (357 Sig) but I sold it so I cannot check for you.

The barrel should be clearly marked what the caliber is. You mention a "bolt" being labelled "9 para" which is indeed 9 MM luger/parrabellum. I assume that you meant barrel when you mentioned the bolt.

The case heads are similar in size between 9 MM and 40 caliber. LEE reloading equipment uses the same shell holder for both. That means that many breach faces of slides (part of the slide that firing protrudes from) will actually work if a 9 MM barrel is placed in a 40 Caliber slide. The barrel aligns the cartridge when fully in battery so the primer is centered with regards to the firing pin. Perhaps you have a 9 MM frame and barrel but a 40 Caliber slide. The slightly larger 40 caliber breach face would allow the case to slide to side (as soon as the case is extracted from the barrel) and the extractor claw could slip out of the rim groove, causing a failure to eject properly condition.

The actual chamber size of the 40 S&W chamber is is big enough that the brass from 9 MM rounds fired in it would be severely bulged and maybe the case mouths even split.

Another option is that your chamber is tight. I have a Beretta PX4 with a very tight chamber. This can be ruled out by racking the slide and dropping a 9 mm cartridge in the barrel. If it slides in easily and drops out with just gravity when you tip the barrel up, then the problem is not a tight chamber.

Or...it could be an extractor issue.

Hope that you figure this out.

[chasjr1]

9mm should fall through a 40s&w chamber , it should not fire

[INFAMOUS762X39]

"The Beretta 8000 (Cougar) series pistols are manufactured by Beretta of Italy.

They first appeared on the market in 1994 as a more compact alternative to the full-sized Beretta 92 service pistol in order to offer a compromise between concealability, ease of carry, accuracy and firepower.

It was originally developed for the .40 S&W cartridge, which was a new cartridge at the time. It was later also manufactured for other calibers, such as 9×19 mm, .357 SIG and .45 ACP. These pistols are suitable for use by police and for civilian self-defense." -Wiki

Caliber/Models:
9×19 mm (8000)
.357 SIG (8357)
.40 S&W (8040)
.45 ACP (8045)

[3006Garand]

wow

[SouperMan]

Originally Posted by jimmythebrain

The actual chamber size of the 40 S&W chamber is is big enough that the brass from 9 MM rounds fired in it would be severely bulged and maybe the case mouths even split.

There's probably other good photos, but I remember reading awhile back on someone shooting 9 out of a .40 on a Glock: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=528911

[Munk]

Originally Posted by chasjr1

9mm should fall through a 40s&w chamber , it should not fire

If you were only single-loading, this would be true.

However, in practice, many guns will grab the cartridge by the extractor's claw and actually keep the round in a position to actually be fired. As the round is stripped from the mag, it slides upwards against the breech face and the rim can often slide right up into the claw.

It's inaccurate, potentially dangerous, feels wrong (or so i've read), and should really be avoided.

[G-forceJunkie]

If the bolt says "9 para" its a 9mm. Simple test is to try and drop a .40 round in the barrel. 9mm sound really funny when fired in a .40, I hope you would have noticed something was wrong.

[GVDP]

It sounds like someone put a 9mm barrel in your gun. I now with the 92/96 series the barrels are the same size. If it has a 9mm barrel it will hold the round against the breach face and fire, but due to the smaller size of the case the extractor it will not grab it.`

[SJ-Chris]

Thanks for all the advice and pointers everyone!

I decided to take it in to a local gun shop and have the experts take a quick look. We tried putting a 9mm and then a 40cal round in the barrel. The 40cal round didn't fit and it was obvious (as I had expected, due to the "9 para" markings) that this is a 9mm barrel.

Looks like I have the definitive answer I was looking for (primarily for safety concerns). I've cleaned the gun really well and oiled it. I'll have to take it out to the range to fire a few rounds to see if it still has issues ejecting. If it does, you're likely to see another post.

Thanks again all!
Chris

[dwtt]

Where on the Beretta web site can you look up a gun's serial number? I couldn't see where this is done on their website.

[SJ-Chris]

I used this:
http://www.berettasupport.com/applic...search_new.htm