Coonan .357 Magnum Semi-Auto 1911

[Cooolone]

.357 Magnum Compact - Stainless - Coonan Inc

Anyone familiar with this firearm?
Opinions?

Might make my list of "wants" (not needs) lol

 

[FLA45fan]

I have only ever seen one, never fired one. My first impression was that it just didn't fit my hand at all. Too deep (has to be because of the cartridge). Massive feeling but just didn't float my boat. YMMV

 

[C3D]

Coliseum Guns in Hempstead carries them (or did in the past). They are very nice looking and feel good. I would love to fire one to see.

 

[Exonautic]

I have only ever seen one, never fired one. My first impression was that it just didn't fit my hand at all. Too deep (has to be because of the cartridge). Massive feeling but just didn't float my boat. YMMV

So are your hands average or larger than normal? This may be an interesting way to have a lever action companion gun.

 

[FLA45fan]

Average sized hands, maybe a little less. I tend to install the short triggers on Sigs so that my double action first shot pull is "flat faced" on my finger.

 

[Exonautic]

Average sized hands, maybe a little less. I tend to install the short triggers on Sigs so that my double action first shot pull is "flat faced" on my finger.

Hmm. Good to know. This May fit my hands very nicely than.

 

[Wolfspotter]

I had the early model b, very reliable and accurate. Found it at a gun shop in Warrensburg for under $400 and after a few years, traded it for a a Sterling AR-180.

 

[Saltwater60]

Nice looking gun. Simple, but nice looking. Also different caliber choice. Not too bad of a price either. Let us know if you get it.

 

[Cooolone]

I had the early model b, very reliable and accurate. Found it at a gun shop in Warrensburg for under $400 and after a few years, traded it for a a Sterling AR-180.

View attachment 23136

Awesome! $400 would be a steal today, thank you for your reply.

Nice looking gun. Simple, but nice looking. Also different caliber choice. Not too bad of a price either. Let us know if you get it.

Will do! Appreciate the input and if I do pick one up, it'll be towards Spring/summer, so beginning my search now, lol

 

[libertysnake]

.357 Magnum Compact - Stainless - Coonan Inc

Anyone familiar with this firearm?
Opinions?

Might make my list of "wants" (not needs) lol

Actually, I am. I got a chance to fire the .357 Coonan this past November on my trip to Texas. The thing shoots like a dream. At least for me. The gun is the perfect amount of front heavy and I was able to get follow up shots with it easy with a nice group. It was definitely easier for followups than both the EMP 1911 in .40, or the M&P 2.0 full size in 9mm.

However, don't get it with any of their applied duracoat finishes. The duracoat wares off. I shot one of the rented range Coonans, and the finish did not look good after the abuse of repeated firing.

I know someone who picked one up who lives in Texas. He got the brushed steel finish, similar to his Dan Wesson in .45. Looks way nicer, and it'll maintain.

I'll ask my friend if I can post his picture of his brushed steel .357 Coonan that he had next to his Dan Wesson in steel.

 

[Cooolone]

Actually, I am. I got a chance to fire the .357 Coonan this past November on my trip to Texas. The thing shoots like a dream. At least for me. The gun is the perfect amount of front heavy and I was able to get follow up shots with it easy with a nice group. It was definitely easier for followups than both the EMP 1911 in .40, or the M&P 2.0 full size in 9mm.

However, don't get it with any of their applied duracoat finishes. The duracoat wares off. I shot one of the rented range Coonans, and the finish did not look good after the abuse of repeated firing.

I know someone who picked one up who lives in Texas. He got the brushed steel finish, similar to his Dan Wesson in .45. Looks way nicer, and it'll maintain.

I'll ask my friend if I can post his picture of his brushed steel .357 Coonan that he had next to his Dan Wesson in steel.

Appreciate the response, and that would be cool (pics).

And I like the stainless/nickel look also. Was thinking of Dan Wesson as my next purchase but I like the .357Mag rather than .45 as far as calibers. Had been looking at wheel guns but this Conan is an interesting both world scenario in a 1911 frame. I shoot all my guns and have no safe queens so wear/finish is a consideration but not deal breaker because it will get used, albeit not beaten as much as a range rental I'm sure though

 

[libertysnake]

Appreciate the response, and that would be cool (pics).

And I like the stainless/nickel look also. Was thinking of Dan Wesson as my next purchase but I like the .357Mag rather than .45 as far as calibers. Had been looking at wheel guns but this Conan is an interesting both world scenario in a 1911 frame. I shoot all my guns and have no safe queens so wear/finish is a consideration but not deal breaker because it will get used, albeit not beaten as much as a range rental I'm sure though

He gave me the thumbs up last night (was already asleep since I have work today).

Here's what came in the box with it:

And here's the Coonan on top next to his Dan Wesson RZ45 Heritage below it. Both 1911s have brushed steel slides, and matte finishes on the frames.

 

[Onegunnotenough]

.357 Magnum Compact - Stainless - Coonan Inc

Anyone familiar with this firearm?
Opinions?

Might make my list of "wants" (not needs) lol

Have one..They are incredible. Love reloads,shoot 357 or 38s with a quick recoil spring change and are incredibly accurate. You won't be disappointed other than the price tag

 

[thegatman]

Very nice gun.

 

[hoodfu]

Damn, I wish saw this thread earlier, I'd have sold you mine for a deal. I like it and it's reliable with full powered ammo, but shooting the good high flash H110 powder loaded rounds hurts my wrists. Anything that will cycle the 357 powered springs reliably will cause pain for me. In hindsight, I should have bought the version with the muzzle compensator.

 

[libertysnake]

Damn, I wish saw this thread earlier, I'd have sold you mine for a deal. I like it and it's reliable with full powered ammo, but shooting the good high flash H110 powder loaded rounds hurts my wrists. Anything that will cycle the 357 powered springs reliably will cause pain for me. In hindsight, I should have bought the version with the muzzle compensator.

I think I was just shooting standard power .357, but it hurt my wrist less than a PC shield in 9mm does when I was switching off. You have to have a good grip on it though, but otherwise I didn't feel it fatigued me more.

 

[hoodfu]

I think I was just shooting standard power .357, but it hurt my wrist less than a PC shield in 9mm does when I was switching off. You have to have a good grip on it though, but otherwise I didn't feel it fatigued me more.

Yeah, the recommended loads are Magtech 125 grain FMJs which are awesome to shoot, big flash etc, but I can't go more than 5 or 6 shots before it hurting. I swapped out the spring for the 38 special +P spring and was able to shoot more mild (but still rather hot) rounds and the gun became fun again, although only having 7 rounds became an issue for competition. Eventually I switched to 10mm.

 

[Onegunnotenough]

I use h110 , 296 and 2400. I know it's not recommended but 110gr hp shoot great out of mine...when loading magnums of coarse. Coonan also backs thier stuff up and are very nice to deal with.. I didn't have problems but I know people who spoke to them..

 

[Onegunnotenough]

It's not something you want to carry, but it's a nicE conversation piece and an accurate pistol. It's cool shooting rimmed cartridges out of an auto

 

[hoodfu]

I use h110 , 296 and 2400. I know it's not recommended but 110gr hp up shoot great out of mine...when loading magnums of coarse. Colman also backs thier stuff up and are very nice to deal with.. I didn't have problems but I know people who spoke to them..

The upside of the Coonan is that you don't have to worry about light grain .357 projectiles in it unlike a revolver. 110gr pills like from Hornady are great through it. With a revolver you always have to worry about top strap fire cutting. All of this said, I ended up with a NY compliant Desert Eagle L5. It'll shoot all this stuff and with the built in comp, the recoil is rather tame and doesn't hurt my wrist. Also holds 9; 10 if you load it carefully.

 

[Wolfspotter]

When I bought mine for under $400, I don't think the shop knew what they had. Coonan was out of business. It came with one magazine and if you were lucky, there might be a mag on Gunbroker for $250 or more, very scarce.
At that time, I found a Coonan forum and one member was the former head gunsmith. He had a collection of leftover Coonan magazine parts and was designing a new, more dependable mag. He sold me two of the prototypes for $75 each and asked me and others to try them with a variety of loads & bullet styles to see how the functioned.
The modified mags worked so well, Dan Coonan started production again. I used to have photos of the new machinery being delivered and set up at their new factory.

Different subject but still magnum semi-auto.
My buddy, Bill and his girlfriend took a trip out of state to visit the girlfriends parents this past summer. Bill got to shoot a few of her dads guns and take pics of his collection of Wildey pistols, some were rare prototypes.
When I saw the photos of her father, I asked and she said yes, Wildey J Moore was her father. I'm hoping I get invited next time.

 

[Exonautic]

When I bought mine for under $400, I don't think the shop knew what they had. Coonan was out of business. It came with one magazine and if you were lucky, there might be a mag on Gunbroker for $250 or more, very scarce.
At that time, I found a Coonan forum and one member was the former head gunsmith. He had a collection of leftover Coonan magazine parts and was designing a new, more dependable mag. He sold me two of the prototypes for $75 each and asked me and others to try them with a variety of loads & bullet styles to see how the functioned.
The modified mags worked so well, Dan Coonan started production again. I used to have photos of the new machinery being delivered and set up at their new factory.

Different subject but still magnum semi-auto.
My buddy, Bill and his girlfriend took a trip out of state to visit the girlfriends parents this past summer. Bill got to shoot a few of her dads guns and take pics of his collection of Wildey pistols, some were rare prototypes.
When I saw the photos of her father, I asked and she said yes, Wildey J Moore was her father. I'm hoping I get invited next time.

The real question is, how good of a friend is bill??

 

[Cooolone]

I'm now psyched and the itch has grown. Appreciate all the input! I carry and shoot my Sig229 .357 with 1500fps so called hot loads and don't have issues with recoil. Can't see there being an overly large difference in the .357mag in the 1911 frame.

Pics are great and give an idea as to the depth of size of grip, so thank you! Will look locally to see if there's a LGS whereas I can actually inspect one in-hand.

 

[Onegunnotenough]

I'm now psyched and the itch has grown. Appreciate all the input! I carry and shoot my Sig229 .357 with 1500fps so called hot loads and don't have issues with recoil. Can't see there being an overly large difference in the .357mag in the 1911 frame.

Pics are great and give an idea as to the depth of size of grip, so thank you! Will look locally to see if there's a LGS whereas I can actually inspect one in-hand.

The difference is a 357 magnum case has allot more volume potential than a small 357sig case.I have both a 229 and a Coonan and a speed trap, let's just say the magnum wins the race..