A bit of Turd polishing!

[ggggr]

Many years ago I started to tinker with a Milbro Cougar. I actually have a couple, just to make sure how crap they are. I did tinker with the trigger and Edbear welded bits up to give a greater bearing surfaces. However the big sear didn't work and I reverted to the normal one. I recently found the trigger was heavy partly due to me having made up a sear spring and the long leg being a bit too long and trapping between the 2 sears. I've re bent it to stop this. A nice chap on here made up some wooden grips for me which makes the gun fell like it weighs a ton, but at least they should not break when you look at them.
Another chap made up a couple of alloy sight bases for me to replace the L shaped plastic things. On is for the rearsight and the other for a scope. I came across them the other day. The dovetail seems a tiny bit too narrow for a BSA reflex sight I have here that needs drilling out and taping, but the one for the rearsight seems a very good job.
SO tonight---I am going to put that on the wooden gripped gun and put the plastic base on another gun
I may tinker again at some point but with these things having a monkey metal trigger housing, repeated stripping is not good.

IF anyone has a spare wire stock for one of these Scottish beasties, please give me a shout.

I am now going to do a bit of turd polishing and for light relief will be banging my head against a brick wall --OR Relum

[ggggr]

Well I revisited the trigger on this. It still had a very heavy pull. I swapped a long sear, short sear and then put the original trigger piece in (that sits in the trigger blade) and it was still bad. I decided to take out both sears and then try it. It was ok in half the housing but stiff when the top half was put on. I tried a small spacer and that still didn't help.
What seemed to be the problem was that the legs of the trigger spring were catching on the grip screw bosses. There is not a great deal of meat there anyhow, but I filed them a couple of times to make things better.
One leg of the spring always seems to slip off the plastic bit of the trigger, but as the trigger was lighter (In one half of the housing) I left it like that so only one leg is acting on the plastic bit.
I had to fit a longer screw to adjust the sear engagement and the thing plinks ok now but the trigger pull is very long. I may refit my modified plastic trigger, which enables me to get a shorter first stage.
So I have learnt something today. Sometimes when you revisit old problems, you often find something simple that you missed or decide to do something that you had put off doing.

It is STILL a polished Turd.

Had another go today refitting my trigger with the adjusting screw in it to reduce the first stage of the trigger travel. I had drilled and tapped the front of the plastic trigger bit rather than the back----------therefore, while I could reduce the first stage of the pull, the trigger was heavy due to leverage------------the screw is acting on the front part of the metal trigger bit that sits in it rather than the back. It would be difficult (for me) to drill and tap through the deep part of the plastic trigger so the only real way to do it would be to glue something in the plastic trigger bit where the metal bit sits (technical terms) ----or to remake the metal bit with a different profile. As ths chances of finding someone like Edbear to weld this piece to have a wider surface area like the one that he has done that is in the gun, would be slim, I may at some point have a go at shimming the back of the trigger up.
It is quite accurate now but the long triger pull is a bit annoying.

Update
I shimmed the trigger back up and got a short and lightish pull. It is none adjustable for pull but it is a fairly decent trigger for what it is.

[Schindlery]

Hi Guy.

I’ve a Cougar you’re welcome to have if it’d be any use. The grips have disintegrated but otherwise it works fine and seems fairly powerful.

I’ve only recently returned to the forum after some years but recall you sorting out a junior for me. Let me know if you want it mate.

Paul.

[webb22]

hows the cougar fettling going? i keep seeing these for sale and then look back at your thread for a reality check on them! I do like the look of 'em though...

[ggggr]

hows the cougar fettling going? i keep seeing these for sale and then look back at your thread for a reality check on them! I do like the look of 'em though...

Well if you accept that they have plenty of faults-----and the plastic will crack if you undo the screws, breath near the gun or maybe even look at it -----then they can be ok--ish if you are lucky or don't mind having a tinker. Unless you are a serious collector, i would not pay much for one at all because of the plastic issues. However if you have some skills and patience, then a cheapy is ok to look at. You could fill the grips with something or have a go at making a wooden set (my skills and knackered arms are not up to it) .
That apart, the trigger housing is monkey metal and can break round the screws holding it onto the cylinder. Also --threads can go with repeated opening up. Virtually no spares area available for the gun. The power isn't fantastic for the size of the pistol and I would not try to get more out of one with the gun being a bit fragile. The trigger is not great and if you adjust it up you do not have a lot of contact area between the 2 sears. I have had a go at the trigger as mentioned and could point you in the right direction reguarding that.
I think knowing what to look for and at and how to sort out problems-----or knowing someone has had problems with guns makes it easier than trying to work out things yourself.

Hi Guy.

I’ve a Cougar you’re welcome to have if it’d be any use. The grips have disintegrated but otherwise it works fine and seems fairly powerful.

I’ve only recently returned to the forum after some years but recall you sorting out a junior for me. Let me know if you want it mate.

Paul.

Pm sent Paul---I've only just seen your post.



Details of the trigger mods are up on Dannys site now.

[johnbaz]

I found one at a bootsale a few years ago for £25, It was so bad that even for just twenty five quid, I didn't wanna bring it home with me!!


John

[the logun-ator]

i bent up a wire stock,just copied the pics,came out perfect.
did a bit of a tune up as well,went from 1,3ftlbs to 3.6,not in the same class as the hw45 but i like it.

[pjbingham]

I know a few of you go on the other forum anyway--but if you have a look in the collectable section over there ------on a thread "collectables fit for Guys table", and go onto page 18! you will see that P.J.Bingham has finished "polishing a turd", in the shape of Milbro Cougar. It is the one I sent that I had sorted the trigger on and fitted an alloy rearsight base. Phil has made a set of wooden grips for it and sprayed the action and has had a plink with it
He just needs some glitter to roll it in now

How dare you refer to my beloved Cougar as a Turd..... Tis a thing of Beauty!

[WebleyWombler]

How dare you refer to my beloved Cougar as a Turd..... Tis a thing of Beauty!

Is beauty not in the eye of the beerholder?

[pjbingham]

Is beauty not in the eye of the beerholder?

Ok so it’s maybe not the prettiest thing in the world sober or otherwise and you may need the assistance of an Acro under it after the first 50 shots or so as it gets a little weighty but I’ve found I genuinely like plinking with it. I’ve never had one before and it’s nice to do something a little different