Discuss your Coonans

2

2wheelwander

New member
OK, so the high end handgun thread got me going on this. Been lusting for a Coonan for a while. If you have one, shot them, have experience with them, please post up. Feed my curiosity and post up some pics. About the only thing I think I know is that the mags like to be loaded a certain way??

Hand loads, accuracy, models to stay away from, models that are great. Anything Coonan, make me buy one . . . . . .

P.S. post pics!!
 
My wife has the standard Coonan. It’s an attention getter. The only negative I have is that if you don’t like attention at the range than a Coonan isn’t for you.

Accuracy is on par with most 1911s for us, more shooter influenced than the gun. We load the mags just like every other mag and it hasn’t given us any issues.
 
Factory tour story

I don't have a Coonan but I have been curious about them for some time.

When my daughter got married I was surprised to find out my now son in-law was college friends with Dan Coonan's daughter. I got to meet her from a visit to my daughters house one time and she said a tour could be set up some time. She said her dad gave her a pink one ".357 MAG".

Later on I had the opportunity to tour the factory with Dan Coonan because my daughter know lives near Blaine MN. We had a great time, he showed me the whole place and every process of the pistols, also other things they make, FAL receivers, and muzzle brakes. The best thing was when he took me in his office and showed me Coonan serial #001, it was a blend of a High Power and 1911, really smooth.

It was funny when I told Dan that his daughter said she has a pink Coonan .357 MAG, he got very loud and said "It's not PINK!!!!!! It's FUSCHIA!!!!!!". We laughed about that, Dan is a great guy.

At that time there was a 9 month waiting list, but when I just checked his site they are going through some changes and I don't think you can get one at all at the moment but promises that soon they will be up and running better than ever.
 
Excellent firearms but there is a high probability you may be SOL
It seems they may have gone under, at least last I checked around the new year
Guys had orders with deposits and were not getting replies, had to get CC refunds
Website and SM has been dormant, phone calls & Emails unanswered
Not sure if someone else bought them out, they are gone for good, a restructuring or ????

You may have to get one second hand, but they are awesome
 
Areoflyer09 said:
My wife has the standard Coonan. It’s an attention getter. The only negative I have is that if you don’t like attention at the range than a Coonan isn’t for you.

Accuracy is on par with most 1911s for us, more shooter influenced than the gun. We load the mags just like every other mag and it hasn’t given us any issues.
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They are great if one is an attention whore :D
 
My understanding is they had a business license issue last fall. They are signed up for the NRA show in Indy this year.

FWIW, ours is a used rental gun from a local store. Runs like a top with no signs of wear.
 
My understanding is they had a business license issue last fall. They are signed up for the NRA show in Indy this year.
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Ive seen folks post other stories on various forums
But that would not justify breaking contact with multiple customers who had paid orders
These folks had to file fraud complaints with their CC & Banks in order to get their money back
While on one hand I hope they are not gone
On the other they seemed to have screwed quite a few people over
 
TBM900 said:
Thats been up since last year
It doesn't explain jack
And doesn't justify what paying customers had to go through to get refunds

If I was forced to guess, I would say they went under and were bought out
But only a WAG
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I don't know what to tell you about that, next time I'm out there (a couple months from now) I'll go by the factory and see if it's still there.
 
ds-10-speed, tell Dan you know a guy on a forum who is ready to plunk down a card and sleep on the couch for a month if he can get a Classic Stainless (or 2 tone if they offer one) immediately! ;)

Also, you guys who say you have one, this is like telling someone how fast your car is without posting time slips.

PICS! :)
 
2wheelwander said:
ds-10-speed, tell Dan you know a guy on a forum who is ready to plunk down a card and sleep on the couch for a month if he can get a Classic Stainless (or 2 tone if they offer one) immediately! ;)

Also, you guys who say you have one, this is like telling someone how fast your car is without posting time slips.

PICS! :)
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You are quite right :D

My stock Classic and Compact
Also have a 'shooter' pair as well as a serial number matched set of three that my Deputies all pitched in and had engraved when I retired

357c.jpg


357fs.jpg
 
Here is a pic of my wife’s. Grips came from a guy on eBay that turned out to be just 20 minutes from my house.
 

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I respect the capability and engineering behind the Coonan, but I find them about as visually appealing as a Glock (maybe less).

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
 
I fired two different models last summer at Ashman's shooters jamboree, a standard model and a compensated version. I liked that they had less recoil with full power 158 grain bullets and was more comfortable to shoot than 357 revolvers. In January we were in a gun shop and they had a standard one for sale, brand new. My wife let me get it for my birthday. I only have about 115 rounds through it so far, because of our harsh winter this year. At 25 yards it puts all shots within a four inch circle. Has a great trigger, under 3 pounds. It sometimes fails to feed the first round when you hand cycle the slide, but always works when actually firing, and always chambered the first round with aluminum case Blazer rounds. Other owners assure me it just needs break in. It prints about 6 - 8 inches low, which is fine, because I can file the front sight to dial it in, once I decide what load and bullet weight I want to use most often. I replaced the grips with blue/ black laminate G10, which are CNC machined and checkered, also thinner. From Stoner CNC. They look great. Can't post pics because I'm not tech literate and don't want to mess around joining a hosting site, uploading, etc. Love my Coonan though, and the snow is melting, should be able to access my outdoor range in a couple weeks.
 
TBM900, You are just the guy to ask this question. How do you like the compact compared to the full size? Is there really much difference in recoil/muzzle flip?

I recently bought a 229 in .357 Sig. After my first mag I wished I'd bought a 226 for the extra mass for that round. I've always been more than capable with handguns in any common caliber, but that Sig got my attention. Love the looks of the compact but figured it'd be a bit harder to shoot? Not that it matters much, until the Zombies arrive any Coonan I own won't see an IWB holster! ;)

Love the pics guys.

Hows accuracy if you do your part?
 
44caliberkid said:
I fired two different models last summer at Ashman's shooters jamboree, a standard model and a compensated version. I liked that they had less recoil with full power 158 grain bullets and was more comfortable to shoot than 357 revolvers. In January we were in a gun shop and they had a standard one for sale, brand new. My wife let me get it for my birthday. I only have about 115 rounds through it so far, because of our harsh winter this year. At 25 yards it puts all shots within a four inch circle. Has a great trigger, under 3 pounds. It sometimes fails to feed the first round when you hand cycle the slide, but always works when actually firing, and always chambered the first round with aluminum case Blazer rounds. Other owners assure me it just needs break in. It prints about 6 - 8 inches low, which is fine, because I can file the front sight to dial it in, once I decide what load and bullet weight I want to use most often. I replaced the grips with blue/ black laminate G10, which are CNC machined and checkered, also thinner. From Stoner CNC. They look great. Can't post pics because I'm not tech literate and don't want to mess around joining a hosting site, uploading, etc. Love my Coonan though, and the snow is melting, should be able to access my outdoor range in a couple weeks.
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Yes they do need a break-in period
Use full power 158gr during this period
I found that using 'plinking' type loads results in issues
While using full power 158gr I found no issue during break-in
There seems to be a point around 400 rounds where you can feel everything 'settle'
After that point mine have been slicker than snot :)
 
2wheelwander said:
TBM900, You are just the guy to ask this question. How do you like the compact compared to the full size? Is there really much difference in recoil/muzzle flip?

I recently bought a 229 in .357 Sig. After my first mag I wished I'd bought a 226 for the extra mass for that round. I've always been more than capable with handguns in any common caliber, but that Sig got my attention. Love the looks of the compact but figured it'd be a bit harder to shoot? Not that it matters much, until the Zombies arrive any Coonan I own won't see an IWB holster! ;)

Love the pics guys.

Hows accuracy if you do your part?
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The full size is definitely better at calming recoil versus the compact, but the compact simply looks and handles better (it's my favorite). If you are looking for something to take to the range shoot and enjoy (or hunt with), I would suggest the full size 'classic' model as its a joy at the range or in the field (you can also run 38 Special in it, you cannot in the compact). If you want to carry or use as any sort of self-defense weapon, I would go with the Compact.

Both are much softer recoiling than even a tank like the GP100, but the heavier weight, spring rate, and extra barel length to cool/slow gasses of the Classic makes it the nicer shooter over the Compact.

I originally couldn't decide so I bought both, then after about a year I bought a second pair.
Now if you want a real soft shooter, try to find the comp model, that really tames things to down near 9mm level. I've had a chance to shoot comps a few times and they fun, just unwieldy with lots of port blast. I have one in the set of three my Deputies bought for me when I retired but I'll never shoot those, so I hope Coonan resurrects so I can add one.
 
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