Coonan .357 Magnum
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bbqncigars
New member
44AMP,
I form mine from Starline .44AMP brass that I stocked up on the last time they offered it. The High Standard .357AMP extension seems longer than the VR .44AMP barrel, but I'll have to wait until my return from this west coast job to check the length.
I form mine from Starline .44AMP brass that I stocked up on the last time they offered it. The High Standard .357AMP extension seems longer than the VR .44AMP barrel, but I'll have to wait until my return from this west coast job to check the length.
If you don't think it would be good for you, personally, then you are absolutely right! Coonan also agrees with that!
The Coonan would be more useful in hunting small game than the Desert Eagle, which can only run on full power .357 loads. The Coonan can be set up to shoot .38 Special.
The sights? well, as a practical matter, the combat sights do work, and they are cheaper.
And the Coonan is not all that much bigger than a standard Colt Govt model (1911A1). about a half inch, I think, longer, and taller, and not noticeably wider. It is noticeably heavier than a 1911.
The new Compact model would be smaller, I haven't seen one yet. The standard Coonan is at the large end of what is considered duty pistol size, these days, too big for some, but not, I think for everyone.
All the other magnum auto pistols you will run into are even bigger and heavier, by a significant amount. And only the Desert Eagle has remained in production, continuously.
I think its wonderful that Coonan came back. I hope they can hang on, and prosper. They make a good gun. Not a good gun for all things, or all people, but a very good gun for some things, and some people.
The Coonan does have a monolith frame and angular trigger guard which does it no favors in holster selection.
As for "set up" for shooting .38 Special, Coonan themselves wrote the same thing in their web FAQ regarding .38 Special: "The pistol may require some setup." Well, let's just be clear about this for a second...
A new Coonan ships with two recoil springs. The 22-lb spring is installed and the pistol is designed for use with .357 Magnum and this spring. Coonan also suggests that you break the pistol in for at least 500 rounds before you even attempt .38 Special... but I bought my Coonan Classic used and that shooting had already been done by the time I got it, so I went to work right away with trying .38 Special.
There is no mysterious "set up" other than pulling the 22-lb spring out and inserting the 10-lb accessory spring. The newly manufactured magazines don't care which round you have loaded in to them and mine feeds all of them without complaining.
What does help tremendously when shooting .38 Special ammo through my Coonan is keeping in mind that the pistol was designed for the -TWICE- pressure .357 Magnum. My Coonan will not reliably run .38 Special ammo if the ammo isn't on the very warm, "to the limits" of .38 Special ammo that I produce.
So, "some set up of the pistol is required" says Coonan?
Not really, I say. Swap springs and bring stiff .38 Special if you want it to run.
Me? I have run -THOUSANDS- of rounds of .38 Special through this pistol. My loads are running a 125 or 130 grain bullet simply because I got a great deal on 12,000 of those bullets so that is what I have been using.
There is a difference in recoil certainly, but the biggest difference that you notice is how much slower the slide operates. It's almost as if you can see, feel or really notice that it's cycling slower and sometimes it seems REALLY slow. But it runs and it is a heap of fun.
As for "set up" for shooting .38 Special, Coonan themselves wrote the same thing in their web FAQ regarding .38 Special: "The pistol may require some setup." Well, let's just be clear about this for a second...
A new Coonan ships with two recoil springs. The 22-lb spring is installed and the pistol is designed for use with .357 Magnum and this spring. Coonan also suggests that you break the pistol in for at least 500 rounds before you even attempt .38 Special... but I bought my Coonan Classic used and that shooting had already been done by the time I got it, so I went to work right away with trying .38 Special.
There is no mysterious "set up" other than pulling the 22-lb spring out and inserting the 10-lb accessory spring. The newly manufactured magazines don't care which round you have loaded in to them and mine feeds all of them without complaining.
What does help tremendously when shooting .38 Special ammo through my Coonan is keeping in mind that the pistol was designed for the -TWICE- pressure .357 Magnum. My Coonan will not reliably run .38 Special ammo if the ammo isn't on the very warm, "to the limits" of .38 Special ammo that I produce.
So, "some set up of the pistol is required" says Coonan?
Not really, I say. Swap springs and bring stiff .38 Special if you want it to run.
Me? I have run -THOUSANDS- of rounds of .38 Special through this pistol. My loads are running a 125 or 130 grain bullet simply because I got a great deal on 12,000 of those bullets so that is what I have been using.
There is a difference in recoil certainly, but the biggest difference that you notice is how much slower the slide operates. It's almost as if you can see, feel or really notice that it's cycling slower and sometimes it seems REALLY slow. But it runs and it is a heap of fun.
Model12Win
Moderator
Well if it can't run factory .38 special w/ the 10 lb spring, I"m out. I don't reload.
With a good .45 ACP 1911 and modern hollow points, you get the same or better stopping power with much less muzzle blast and flash. And, it's much more economical than shooting .357 magnums all day... because no major manufacturers make "hot" .38 special loads.
With a good .45 ACP 1911 and modern hollow points, you get the same or better stopping power with much less muzzle blast and flash. And, it's much more economical than shooting .357 magnums all day... because no major manufacturers make "hot" .38 special loads.
I think that there are a number of people who would disagree with this.
Probably most of the folks who consider the .357 Mag (and the 125grJHP) to be the premier stopping power load. They have lots of numbers to back up their opinion.
Of course, all those numbers come from .357s fired from revolvers!
Model12Win
Moderator
Well, in that case, make mine a Coonan. 
While a Glock 20 in 10mm would be just as powerful, the Coonan does have some good looks to it. I was under the impression that it wouldn't feed factory .38 special +P based on how Sevens said his would only run on his hot .38 hand loads.
While a Glock 20 in 10mm would be just as powerful, the Coonan does have some good looks to it. I was under the impression that it wouldn't feed factory .38 special +P based on how Sevens said his would only run on his hot .38 hand loads.
Its a matter of personal preference, but if Glock made a .357 Magnum, I would still go with the Coonan.
And, its not the looks, of either, for me. Neither looks great to me, although the Coonan is closer to my idea of "right".
Its the operating controls, that matter to me. I happen to like the style used by the Colt 1911 (and several others). Frame mounted safety lever, down for off. I can use a slide mounted lever, up for off, but I don't like them.
I require either a visible hammer, or a safety lever, and am happiest when I get both. Glock has neither. If you like the way Glock does things, by all means, enjoy. I've got decades of experience with 1911 style guns. Very comfortable and familiar with that system.
The Coonan isn't just a stretched 1911, its more like the Terminator. Outside, it looks like a regular guy (ok, a big regular guy), but underneath, the "hyper alloy combat chassis" of the pistol is purpose designed for one thing, shooting .357 Magnum. And a simple spring swap lets you run on .38 Special.
For me, the familiar operating system and the ability to shoot full power .357 loads puts the Coonan way up there on my "I like this" list.
And, its not the looks, of either, for me. Neither looks great to me, although the Coonan is closer to my idea of "right".
Its the operating controls, that matter to me. I happen to like the style used by the Colt 1911 (and several others). Frame mounted safety lever, down for off. I can use a slide mounted lever, up for off, but I don't like them.
I require either a visible hammer, or a safety lever, and am happiest when I get both. Glock has neither. If you like the way Glock does things, by all means, enjoy. I've got decades of experience with 1911 style guns. Very comfortable and familiar with that system.
The Coonan isn't just a stretched 1911, its more like the Terminator. Outside, it looks like a regular guy (ok, a big regular guy), but underneath, the "hyper alloy combat chassis" of the pistol is purpose designed for one thing, shooting .357 Magnum. And a simple spring swap lets you run on .38 Special.
For me, the familiar operating system and the ability to shoot full power .357 loads puts the Coonan way up there on my "I like this" list.
MSRP.
http://www.coonaninc.com/store/products.php/pistol/cPath,5/osCsid,446c4c90268a08b5d50b4132441ebdb5
I'd love to have one, but my .45 ACP Government Model (bought used and modified decades ago) for 1/5 the price will have to do.
http://www.coonaninc.com/store/products.php/pistol/cPath,5/osCsid,446c4c90268a08b5d50b4132441ebdb5
I'd love to have one, but my .45 ACP Government Model (bought used and modified decades ago) for 1/5 the price will have to do.
bamaranger
New member
pic
Sombody post a pic of a Coonan, side by side, with a full size 1911.
I'd like to get a sense of dimension.
Sombody post a pic of a Coonan, side by side, with a full size 1911.
I'd like to get a sense of dimension.
From another site: Coonan v. Les Baer
Also, a recoil comparison: Coonan v 1911 5" .45 ACP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No3RrlqsDaY
The vid is 1:22 long. A still shot of the two pistols occurs at 1:19. Another comparison.
In my pipe dreams I still want one.
Jim
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