Coonan Classic .357 Magnum Automatic

by
posted on October 16, 2012
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
2012101684317-coonan357_f.jpg

10/16/2012

Dan Coonan designed the M1911-based, .357 Mag.-chambered Coonan pistol while still in college and started manufacturing it in the late 1970s. Coonan sold Coonan Arms to Bill Davis in 1985, and five years later he left the company. In 1994, Coonan Arms filed Chapter 11 and eventually was incorporated by JS Worldwide Distribution. Both Coonan Arms and JS Worldwide were dissolved in 1998.

Dan Coonan met Dave Neville when their daughters were going to school together, and in 2009 they joined forces with Gordy Davis to form Coonan, Inc. It reintroduced the Coonan .357 Magnum Automatic Pistol, calling it the Classic.

The stainless-steel Coonan Classic .357 Magnum Automatic has 18 parts that are interchangeable, six parts that require some modification from the original M1911 design and the remainder unique to Coonan’s design. For example, the barrel does not have a link, but does use a muzzle bushing. The barrel flares larger at the end for a smoother and tighter lockup. The sample pistol’s fit and finish were excellent with all parts well machined and devoid of tooling marks.

The gun features a large, full-length dust cover and while not actually much larger than a standard M1911, the gun gives the overall perception of being a large handgun. For example the grip, just below the grip safety, measures 2.2 inches wide compared to an S&W M1911 .45 ACP, which measures 1.95 inches. The distance from the grip safety in the collapsed position to the trigger is 2.83 inches, compared to the S&W’s 2.73 inches. The front of the trigger guard is about 1/4 inch farther from the back of the grip on the Coonan. Of course, the magazines are larger to accommodate the longer cartridge so the grip size reflects that. The magazine holds seven cartridges, giving the pistol an eight-round capacity overall.

The .357 Mag. cartridge was developed for a revolver where it could headspace off the rim. Traditionally, feeding of rimmed center-fire cartridges is problematic in box-magazine-fed firearms. That problem, however, has been addressed well with the Coonan. The cartridges are staggered, with the rim of each cartridge in front of the one below it in the magazine.

Although the Coonan’s gripframe is larger than that of a standard M1911, after having several shooters try the gun, there was a consensus that it was not an issue and that even those with average-size hands had no trouble reaching the trigger. Some shooters, however, may find it difficult to reach the magazine release button with the right thumb.

Both of the sights are dovetailed into the slide. The front sight on the sample gun was a serrated black ramp with a steep contour, while the black rear sight was adjustable for elevation with a single screw. Windage is controlled by drifting the sight in the dovetail. Trijicon night sights are also available as an option.

The safety is right-hand-only, but Neville says that most any aftermarket ambidextrous M1911 safety will fit. The extractor is the external style. The slide release is oversize for easy use.

The two-stage trigger is a pivoting design inspired, as was the linkless barrel, by the Browning Hi Power pistol. The break was clean and crisp at 3 pounds, 3 ounces, on our sample. The stocks are smooth black walnut with the Coonan logo laser engraved in the center.

We function tested the pistol with several different .357 Mag. loads, with bullet weights from 125 grains to 180 grains. It ran well with most, but did not function properly with reduced-power “personal defense” ammunition. When the gun was fed full-power .357 Mag. ammunition designed for handguns, it ran fine.

The Coonan could serve well as a dual-purpose pistol pressed into hunting and defensive roles. Company advertisements read, “Looking for your first pistol? Well this isn’t it!” They are right—the Coonan is a powerful, high-performance handgun, and like anything that’s high-performance it runs best within a narrow band and requires careful attention to detail. But with that attention comes the reward of ultra-high ballistic performance from the M1911 platform.

Manufacturer: Coonan Inc.; (763) 786-1720; www.coonaninc.com
Caliber: .357 Mag.
Action Type: recoil-operated, center-fire semi-automatic pistol
Barrel Length: 5"
Rifling: six-groove, 1:16" RH twist
Magazine:
seven-round, detachable box
Sights: black elevation-adjustable rear; black, serrated-ramp front (Trijicon Night Sights optional)
Trigger: two-stage; 3-lb., 3-oz. pull
Stocks: smooth black walnut; Coonan logo laser engraved.
Overall Length: 8.3"
Height: 5.6"
Width: 1.3"
Weight: 42 ozs.
Accessories: owner’s manual, carrying case, safety lock, 10-lb. recoil spring for .38 Spl.
Suggested Retail Price: $1,249

Latest

Hearing Healthy
Hearing Healthy

Summer Suppressor Deals On Now

Whether it is a BOGO deal from SIG or free tax stamps from Guns.com and Silencer Central, there's plenty of hearing-safe savings to be had this summer.

Rifleman Report: Defending Freedom For 250 Years

"Anyone who claims not to understand the plain and simple intent of the Second Amendment—especially if that person happens to be a constitutional law professor, Supreme Court justice, congressman, senator or president—is likely hiding nefarious intent: to strip individual liberty from American citizens for the express purpose of making them susceptible to a tyrannical government."

Book Review: 2025 Traveler’s Guide To The Firearms Laws Of The Fifty States

Newly updated for 2025, the 29th edition of the Traveler’s Guide To The Firearm Laws Of The Fifty States is packed with all the need-to-know information for cross-country trekkers seeking to bring their arms along with them and remain legal in all localities.

Springfield Kuna: A PDW For The Masses

Small, yet fierce, the namesake of Springfield Armory’s latest large-format pistol is a revered forest dweller in the land of its Croatian manufacturing partner, HS Produkt. The new Kuna is poised to be just as welcome in America.

The Armed Citizen® June 30, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Book Review: Clockwork Basilisk: The Early Revolvers Of Elisha Collier & Artemas Wheeler

The result of a decade of research, Clockwork Basilisk is a comprehensive, two-volume history of the rare revolvers that preceded the development of the well-known Colt guns of the 1830s.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.