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Anyone shoot one of these or even seen one?

Rockrivr1

Rockrivr1

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Coonan Inc. They offer a 1911 style handgun in a 357 Mag / 38 Special caliber. Interesting looking platform to compete with the Desert Eagle. Must be popular as there is a 6 month waiting list to get one. We'll never see one here in MA, but I think this might make it onto my "buy it if you can get it" list!

Anyone seen, handled or shot one of these?

http://coonaninc.com/
 
Rockrivr1 said:
Coonan Inc. They offer a 1911 style handgun in a 357 Mag / 38 Special caliber. Interesting looking platform to compete with the Desert Eagle. Must be popular as there is a 6 month waiting list to get one. We'll never see one here in MA, but I think this might make it onto my "buy it if you can get it" list!

Anyone seen, handled or shot one of these?

http://coonaninc.com/
Click to expand...

Seems like you're right, buy it if you can find it. Might be awhile in MA. [frown]
 
I shot one about twenty years ago when I was stationed in Florida. One of the guys at the range let me try it. It had a little heft to it and the grip was big compared to a standard 1911 in .45. I'd say around the same thickness but long from back strap to front. I only shot five rounds through it. I'm pretty sure they were 125 grainers, because it was blasty. But hey, I was young and thought that was cool as hell!
 
The Coonan 357 was out of production for a couple of decades (+/-), and has recently been reborn. They are a slightly modified 1911 design (linkless barrel, external extractor, pivoting trigger), but due to dimensional changes, I'd consider this a proprietary design.

You will not get the benefit of being able to use parts from a variety of manufacturers [except maybe the hammer/sear/disconnector], so you are at risk if a relatively new vendor goes belly up or stops production. One of the beautiful thing about relatively "pure" 1911 and AR15 designs is that you can buy a unit from an upstart vendor and know you will still be able to get replacement parts even if that manufacturer disappears. So, there is some risk this will become a "curiosity" in future years (sort of like the Bren 10).

The grip is obviously rather long front to back, which may or may not be to your liking. I've seen them in the old days, and the new ones at the Shot Show looked pretty much the same.
 
Rob Boudrie said:
The Coonan 357 was out of production for a couple of decades (+/-), and has recently been reborn. They are a slightly modified 1911 design (linkless barrel, external extractor, pivoting trigger), but due to dimensional changes, I'd consider this a proprietary design.

You will not get the benefit of being able to use parts from a variety of manufacturers [except maybe the hammer/sear/disconnector], so you are at risk if a relatively new vendor goes belly up or stops production. One of the beautiful thing about relatively "pure" 1911 and AR15 designs is that you can buy a unit from an upstart vendor and know you will still be able to get replacement parts even if that manufacturer disappears. So, there is some risk this will become a "curiosity" in future years (sort of like the Bren 10).

The grip is obviously rather long front to back, which may or may not be to your liking. I've seen them in the old days, and the new ones at the Shot Show looked pretty much the same.
Click to expand...

'Rob according to their data the overall length of the Coonan is 8.3" with a 5" bbl while nominal for a 1911 seems to be 8.25" long with a 5" bbl. Doesn't seem like it would make the grip much larger. I'm guessing to compensate for the cartridge length difference, the 357 rounds are more angled compare to the 45 acp?
 
Doesn't seem like it would make the grip much larger. I'm guessing to compensate for the cartridge length difference, the 357 rounds are more angled compare to the 45 acp?
Click to expand...
The front to back length of the grip on the Coonan feels considerably longer than on a 1911 (though I did not measure it). I believe the angling in the magazines is only slight.

And yes, it it due to the cartridge length.

Also, consider that on a semi-auto, the barrel length includes the chamber - so a longer (front to back grip) will not necessarily mean a corresponding increase in gun length for a given barren length, as much of the grip length actually overlaps the barrel length.
 
"Harnessing magnum power and performance, this 1911-inspired auto stands out from the pack!"

Jorge Amselle, Combat Handguns, March 2012
Click to expand...

Do they make, and if so, does anybody here have a 1911 in .357 Sig? I can't imagine there isn't one, as there are 9mm 1911's, and also .40 cal ones.


I wonder how different that would be from this Coonan one, since the .357 Sig is supposed to be the autoloading equivalent to the .357 Magnum; and would a .357 Sig 1911 be "more standard" as Rob Boudrie speaks about?
 
I had the chance to fire a Coonan back in the 80s and as I recall the grip wide was bigger than a 1911.
The other observations was that it was not that reliable,but it was a brand new pistol and the owner thourghly cleaned the pistol before fireing it and never lubed the slide and rails. Second you couldn't load the mags by hand you needed a tool to loads them. All it was was a small rod that fit into a hole in the follower and use it to pull the follower to load. And IIRC a kit to fire 38 spl was an option at additional cost.
 
Coyote33 said:
Do they make, and if so, does anybody here have a 1911 in .357 Sig? I can't imagine there isn't one, as there are 9mm 1911's, and also .40 cal ones.


I wonder how different that would be from this Coonan one, since the .357 Sig is supposed to be the autoloading equivalent to the .357 Magnum; and would a .357 Sig 1911 be "more standard" as Rob Boudrie speaks about?
Click to expand...

Though it's not listed on their website, I believe Barsto makes a .357sig conversion. I fired one several years ago in Lee. It was pretty sweet...
 
Rockrivr1 said:
Do you remember if the 357 Sig fit in the standard 45 caliber mag or was it the 9mm mag?
Click to expand...

I don't know in this particular case, but in general, it is a .40 mag. Unless I am mistaken, the .357 Sig is a .40 necked down to 9mm. The big brother to this is the .400 Corbon, which is a .45 necked down to a .40.
 
A couple months ago I was in SL Guns shop in Mason and they had one of the older first production ones. The grip is a good bit longer from front to back but didn't seem much thicker (if at all).

I heard they throw an interesting fireball.
817dc23e.jpg


Do want. [smile]
 
Last edited:
I shot one years ago.. I have pretty large hands and compared to a 45 1911 the grips on the 357 auto felt like you were gripping a 4x4
 
I built a Fusion 1911 in 10mm and also got a 357sig conversion barrel. Never have shot it in 357sig. Love it in 10mm. 10mm, .40, 357 sig -- all based on the 40.
 
Coonan Arms used to be avaliable in Mass. when all guns were still legal here. When you could buy a Wildey, Coonan, Les Baer, or Kimber.

The original owner was named Coonan, he went bankrupt and the name has since been resurrected by someone else.
 
My brother owned a LAR Grizzly in 357 mag. I shot it many times . Constant FTF and we never seemed to get it to work well so he sold it. The gun was a blast to shoot but very expensive at the time to own and shoot and the mags where horrible to load.
 
Rob Boudrie said:
The Coonan 357 was out of production for a couple of decades (+/-), and has recently been reborn. They are a slightly modified 1911 design (linkless barrel, external extractor, pivoting trigger), but due to dimensional changes, I'd consider this a proprietary design.

You will not get the benefit of being able to use parts from a variety of manufacturers [except maybe the hammer/sear/disconnector], so you are at risk if a relatively new vendor goes belly up or stops production. One of the beautiful thing about relatively "pure" 1911 and AR15 designs is that you can buy a unit from an upstart vendor and know you will still be able to get replacement parts even if that manufacturer disappears. So, there is some risk this will become a "curiosity" in future years (sort of like the Bren 10).

The grip is obviously rather long front to back, which may or may not be to your liking. I've seen them in the old days, and the new ones at the Shot Show looked pretty much the same.
Click to expand...

A good buddy (and a Member of NES) has a NIB Coonan Arms .357 Magnum (THE original .357). A nice looking auto. He shopped it around the Manchester Gun Show 3 years ago as we walked around ...no real bites (read: decent offers), but a lot of Oooos and Aaaahs. I'm quite sure that he'd move it if anyone were interested sufficiently.
 
Remsport has become a Coonan Dealer and is waiting for it's first gun. It should be in within the next two months.
Unfortunitly it will not be a firearm that can be sold by a dealer in MA. at least at this time. I will be making these avaliable to out of state customers through dealers in those states.
On another note not trying to be self promoting, however I just wanted everyone to know we have 1911 barrels in stock in 357 Sig., 9x25 Dillon, 38 Super or any of the other 9mm calibers we also have 10mm and 7.62x25, 40 Super, and 400 Corbon.
 
according to Coonan here is the list of parts that can be used:
--------------------------------------------------
Hammer & Pin
Hammer Strut & Pin
Sear, & Pin
Sear Spring
Disconnector & Pin
Thumb Safety
Plunger Tube, Pins (Front & Rear), and Spring
Barrel Bushing
Recoil Plug
Grip Screws
Grip Bushings

Rob Boudrie said:
The Coonan 357 was out of production for a couple of decades (+/-), and has recently been reborn. They are a slightly modified 1911 design (linkless barrel, external extractor, pivoting trigger), but due to dimensional changes, I'd consider this a proprietary design.

You will not get the benefit of being able to use parts from a variety of manufacturers [except maybe the hammer/sear/disconnector], so you are at risk if a relatively new vendor goes belly up or stops production. One of the beautiful thing about relatively "pure" 1911 and AR15 designs is that you can buy a unit from an upstart vendor and know you will still be able to get replacement parts even if that manufacturer disappears. So, there is some risk this will become a "curiosity" in future years (sort of like the Bren 10).

The grip is obviously rather long front to back, which may or may not be to your liking. I've seen them in the old days, and the new ones at the Shot Show looked pretty much the same.
Click to expand...
 

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