When Revolver Meets 1911: The Coonan .357 Magnum Automatic

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Dan Coonan first designed his pistol in graduate school as a drafting project: a 1911 pistol chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge. No easy feat, designing a self-loading pistol magazine to cycle a big rimmed revolver cartridge! This was in 1977, and he went about creating a business to manufacture them a few years later with the first guns available in 1983. The company lasted until 1998, and then a new firm (Coonan Inc) was reformed in 2009 and lasted again until 2019.
The Coonan .357 Magnum Automatic is essentially just a 1911 pistol stretched for the new cartridge, but there are a number of more subtle design changes made to improve its reliability, accuracy, and manufacturability. An external extractor was used, and shortly after production began the barrel link was replaced by a fixed cam (like the High Power). Today the guns are out of production (total production was something like 10,000 examples), but have a reputation for excellent accuracy and reliability, belying the difficulty of their core design.
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Forgotten Weapons
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[@treyotwell5445]

I met Dan Coonan at the NRA show in Houston around 2012~2013, can’t remember exactly, and he mentioned that this gun came about as a result of a fight he had with his roomate over .45acp, vs 357 mag. Roomate acknowledged the practicality of Semi-Auto handguns, but refused to shoot anything without “Magnum” in the name. Coonan took him up on that and the rest is history

[@treyotwell5445]

He was also ripping hard on a vape on the show floor. Legend

[@bobhill3941]

Thanks for the conformation, I remember reading that somewhere. It was around the same time when I just heard of the pistol.

[@meatpuppet5036]

This is what every college should strive to be: just taking brave risks and pushing the boundaries of knowledge.

[@inactiveaccount8851]

Spite is a powerful motivator 😉

[@tamlandipper29]

I get strong Frank Reynolds vibes from a guy who has to have magnum bullets.

[@williamhoppe4500]

Dan Coonan would come into the Gunshop I managed in Lilydale, MN. and shoot the breeze with us in the 80's and 90's. Very eccentric and wildly intelligent. He was bitter about the way he was treated by people he was in business with. Very cool guy.

[@Ass_of_Amalek]

it's rare for people to be talented both as inventors/engineers and as business people. the inventors tend to take any arrangement that lets them focus their efforts entirely on the parts of the business that they enjoy, and they end up getting taken advantage of by whoever they found to take the finances off their hands/invest capital. particularly in the eyes of the inventors, who only care about the technical stuff, they are the ones who did essentially all of the work because they made the product, but they get very little of the profit because they only cared about the work and the product when they made the original agreements, whereas the businesspeople and investors they partnered with had their eyes on the money from the start, and they basically profit off the fact that they barely even care about the product. I think what inventors might need when setting up businesses like this is their own personal starting capital to hire a lawyer to negotiate a good position for them in the company from the start. which is already a horrible amount of bureaucracy for your average inventor to deal with.

[@davidwoodbury8972]

I agree. Erik Buell in the motorcycling world comes to mind. Not much love between him and Harley-Davidson. He designed bikes that were decades ahead of the competition.

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

@@Ass_of_Amalek Yep. Happens time and time again. Venture Capitalists are notorious for that. They are actively looking for opportunities to do that. They have a money source and allocate funds from that that won't damage it as an income generator. Then they take those funds and invest them with - say- 10 companies. 9 of the 10 go bust and they lose their investment - but - the 10th is profitable and based on the deal they made with the creator - they take it away from him - and the money they make off the 10th one - more than makes up for all the money they lost on the other 9. Companies where the creators made it - were like Apple and Microsoft. With Apple you had Wozniak with the talent and Jobs was the wheeler dealer. With Microsoft you had Paul Allen, Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates. Between those three they had a good bit of technical know how but also a good bit of business sense. People who don't have friends like that to begin with - come up with an idea - but then they need money to turn it into a business and the money people are planning on taking it all away from them from the start. Time and time and time again ... Much of the Internet is made up of Cisco Routers - that is EXACTLY what happened there. In the documentary on it one of the money men says something like _"it's sad when the creators hang on to long"_ .... .

[@randymagnum143]

@@davidwoodbury8972 Harley was only interested in outsourcing manufacturing to lowest bidder. Result? Italian level chicom porous castings of the lowest quality.

[@damanyocum149]

@Wanda Fishlips interesting handle

[@HarryPrimate]

Ian isn’t wearing some obscure European military uniform, today he is channeling his inner Magnum PI

[@johnpayne6009]

Florida militia

[@PsychoticBovine]

Thomas Magnum should have carried a Coonan.

[@accidentalheadclunkers8517]

Needs a Tigers hat

[@solwindp78-1]

Closer to a military uniform than you might think - the shirt Ian is wearing is an Otte Gear Hawaiian shirt that is a nod to the experimental blue tigerstripe camouflage that the US Air Force briefly considered adopting in 2003, before they settled on the grey UCP/ACU colors. So it is an alternate reality Air Force uniform.

[@Spiz103]

He should do a backup gun match dressed as Maigret

[@j.c.denton2060]

Saw one of these at my local gun store for over $3,000. I had no idea why a seemingly uninteresting-looking 1911 was worth that much but now I see why.

[@shinobi-no-bueno]

That grip didn't spark any curiosity?

[@davidm.7099]

@@shinobi-no-bueno I'd have just thought it was a grip for unusually large hands if there wasn't ".357" written in the title of the video tbh.

[@joeyallen1609]

I remember seeing one of these for $1400 at a gun store once (probably around 2013). But I was a broke college kid at the time and could only drool over it. Would still love to own one some day.

[@tylerwilliams6022]

@@joeyallen1609 Interestingly this gun was originally designed by a college kid. Oops, he just said this as I was writing. Lol!

[@charlesfollette9692]

I should’ve bought 3 or 4 of em when they were 1300 dollars

[@parrotheadlasvegas]

I met Dan about 12 years ago at SHOT Show and got to shoot this model of his 357. The man is as awesome as the gun and vice versa. Thanks for another great video 😎

[@shakejuntbitches]

I fuckin love that emoji

[@SeanCMonahan]

How did it handle compared to a 45 ACP 1911 or a 357 revolver?

[@parrotheadlasvegas]

@@SeanCMonahan I shot it with .38 Special rounds. It was smooth and didn't really kick. Kinda felt like shooting a little .32 for the recoil 👍

[@WeerdBeard]

Yeah I was reporting on an Anti-Gun Rally at the NRA Annual Meeting and I got talking with an older gentleman.....then I looked at his exhibitor badge and I said "Holy Shit, you're Dan Coonan!!" Super nice and Down-to-Earth guy. Also HUGE Fan of the FAL. Glad to hear he's still doing well, I haven't seen him in a number of years.

[@TrainmasterRR]

@@SeanCMonahan to add to Jeff’s reply, even in 357 magnum, these are super smooth and very accurate. The recoil is handled perfectly. There is a compact version which I don’t have any experience with, but I’m sure it just has a little bit more kick. Everyone I let shoot my coonan falls in love with it. If you ever have the chance… buy one.

[@mattdirks7896]

I know we live in the era of the big 10mm, but I really think there's something cool about an autoloading .357

[@EnthalpyAndEntropy]

There is. We just need a 357 mag AR-15 and I'd be ecstatic. Imagine using the same round in a revolver, lever gun, automatic pistol, AND carbine.

[@bobjohnson1633]

The coonan is still more powerful than the same size 10mm. I say stick to fewer cartridges. There are 10mm revolvers, so...

[@vanessakitty8867]

I agree.

[@stairman3151]

@@EnthalpyAndEntropy wouldn't that be awesome!!!!!!!!!!!

[@MrJest2]

.357 is somewhat easier to obtain ammo for, plus with the spring swap you can always plink away with .38spl. 😁

[@turbogerbil2935]

Did Coonan ever look at a Lee Metford magazine to get his design inspiration? A similar 8 round, single stack, straight magazine with a tilting follower that drops the rear of the cartridges in order to sort the rims one behind the other. Those Victorian engineers figured out the rimmed ammunition solution nearly 140 years ago.

[@lightweight1974]

It's possible. But he also may have arrived at the solution independently. There's really never very much that's truly new under the sun. Some ideas are just ahead of their time, others fill a specific niche. How often in the development of, name anything, have people arrived at the same solution? More than we think. I give him all the credit due for this gun. It's a shame more aren't available to be had and enjoyed

[@44R0Ndin]

Might be a connection there after all, tho indirect. The direct connection, like Ian said, is to single-stack 22LR magazines. However, the connection is that those single-stack .22LR magazines that Mr Coonan looked at could indeed have taken inspiration from the Lee Metford. At the moment this is just a hypothesis of mine, and I'd need to do some actual research to prove it out. On the other hand, my common sense says "there's nothing new under the sun" like another commenter here said. Because if I know one thing about how a gunsmith's mind works from watching many videos both here on Forgotten Weapons and over on C&Arsenal, I know that they're prone to take good design elements from any gun (good or bad) and apply them to a new gun. So, the Lee Metford, being quite an old design, seems like a prime candidate to lend its magazine design to a more ubiquitous firearm such as a .22LR of nearly any brand that uses a single-stack magazine. Speaking of interesting magazine designs that have been seen in .22LR rifles, I do have to wonder if we're ever going to see a proper 7.62mm/.30 caliber rifle that is basically a "rotary" or "drum" magazine like the Ruger 10/22's stock 10-round magazine does. Then again, AR10 magazines for that caliber seem to be a very common and very reliable design, the only advantage that the "rotary/drum" type mag of the 10/22 would give would be a lower vertical profile, so you could make it fit in a form factor more similar to an M1 Garand, but with 2 more rounds and the magazines are better able to keep dirt and grime off of the ammunition. Now maybe this avoids most of the fallbacks of a more normal drum magazine in "battle rifle" type service (heavy, bulky, hard to manufacture, often unreliable), maybe not. But I'd like to see the idea given a chance to shine.

[@randymagnum143]

There are a lot of solutions to this problem. To say that any have "solved" the problem of feeding rimmed cartridges is a little optimistic and naive. The kraut rifle commission of 1888 (or Swiss engineers just previous) certainly *solved* the problem though. With the introduction of the 7.92x57 case.

[@44R0Ndin]

@@randymagnum143 Ah so you're saying the ultimate solution would be a new, rimless case. While it solves it in a way, in that firearms that use rimless cases don't have nearly as many feeding problems, it also does not solve it in that there are still rimmed cases that have feeding problems in semi-automatic and bolt-action firearms. But a rimless version of .357 magnum would be a nice thing to have, that's for sure.

[@randymagnum143]

@@44R0Ndin it's just shortened straight wall .223 brass.(.357 rimless mag) .350 legend is just rimless .357 maximum on steroids.

[@TheHylianBatman]

This, to me, is the very thesis of Forgotten Weapons: a spotlight on designers, what they did different, and how it works. I appreciate that Ian spoke to Mr. Coonan and would love to see more like this. And also, that's a neat 1911 variation.

[@boatrat]

Yup. This is CLASSIC Forgotten Weapons. (F.W. being only notionally about stuff that's really "forgotten". Heh.)

[@P_RO_]

Remembering the times, unless you were rich enough for an AutoMag or Wildey, serious handgun power was revolver territory. Coonan wanted to break that mold and he did. It was never cheap but far more affordable than the alternative autos. Having always been a great fan of the 357, I only regret not buying a Coonan when I could. Lots of serious power in auto's today using newer cartridges designed for them meaning there's better choices today, but for a classic (and classy) handgun a Coonan will always rank among the best.

[@TallBob2k]

I'm grateful and fortunate that I was able to purchase one back in 2015. I've only shot ,357 with it and have never had a problem Thought the original grips were not worthy so found some snake skin grips and installed. Looks awesome and shoots awesome. Thank you Dan Coonan and thank you Ian for featuring this on Forgotten Weapons.

[@PltOffPPrune]

As a teen in the '90s I loved firing my dad's S&W 19 and 686. When I first discovered the Coonan existed it became my dream pistol. I hope Ian takes it to the range tomorrow.

[@CeltKnight]

I've followed this gun's development through the years. I remember that "7 round speedloader" ad and the first time I read about the Coonan as a young teen. Along about '88 I met an older man (we were in a martial arts organization together) who carried a Coonan. He'd done Heaven only knows what mods to his pistol including an early laser sight which required him to build a battery box along one grip panel. He passed away very recently and it was good to see this gun covered. I think he'd have enjoyed this presentation. I also knew a trooper from my early LEO days who retired and went to work for a while at a tiny local dept. He carried a Coonan .357 (probably first gen, maybe 2nd) as his duty pistol. He was always tinkering with it. Great video, as always! :)

[@johnmoorefilm]

Great video Ian: I grew up on the border with Northern Ireland during the troubles and there were ZERO guns - no real guns, kids were discouraged from having toy guns because you could get shot on the street. But…one news stand carried the Guns and Ammo magazine end of year annual and I remember all those cool custom guns like the Coonan. Boy: the 1980”s! Please would you consider doing a series of the greatest autos of the 1980’s? Thanks

[@eriksrigley9026]

I talked with Dan Coonan and visited his mfg plant in Blain MN. Have shot a bunch of them. Very accurate and reliable. Great guns.

[@0zmose]

My friend has one of these, so I have a lot of hands on time with it. I think a big reason that toe is there on the barrel is to help with feeding. It stops the longer .357 from nosing up and causing a stovepipe. The ejection on these things is absolutely hilarious. It launches the brass a solid 30-40 feet. We've been at one end of the range and pelted people with brass all the way at the other end.

[@mshort7087]

No kidding about brass into the next zip code. At the range I use magnets to hang a mesh screen from the tin canopy so it’s easier to collect my brass

[@pxrays547]

You can defend yourself downrange and ejection side? ;) That is interesting, I have never seen one of these in action.

[@LukeLegere]

Is it consistently reliable? This would be an awesome carry gun

[@0zmose]

@@LukeLegere With .357 it runs flawlessly. It comes with a spring you can swap out to shoot .38 Special, but it does have some issues when you do that.

[@wbriggs111]

My S&W 1911 10mm did the same bad trick. I ground down on the rear ejection pin till the casings did not go as far. I a still finding some of those brass casings 40+ft. away in the field next to that range.

[@tumultuoustenets1228]

I was fortunate enough to live near a range that offered this as a rental gun My goodness, I was not expecting the report and recoil. I had shot revolvers in 357 Magnum but it was a surprise and a half to feel it in a semi auto pistol My hat is off to you Mr. Coonan for your impressive feat

[@recoilrob324]

I've had a B model since 1987 and when I got it also ordered 5 extra mags. Nice gun with LOTS of warnings about properly seating in the slide/frame rails as the early guns wanted to gall until well worn in. Lots of grease...both on the rails and elbow to manually work the slide through a few thousand cycles and it's good to go. Mine will work down to 38+P'ish loads so it's completely reliable with just about anything marked 357. Oh....after Coonan went out of business until the third go-round the magazines I have were worth a lot more than the pistol as they became unobtainum. Glad to see they're available again and yes...totally reliable.

[@arnox4554]

Wait, they're selling the gun again?

[@onpsxmember]

@@arnox4554 He has the B model, mags got rare until the C model came out and those closed up in 2019.

[@arnox4554]

@@onpsxmember Well, in any case, I do wonder why these pistols never took off. I mean, they don't look as good as an M1911 since the underbarrel doesn't have that same cut that the M1911 does, but even so.

[@MrJest2]

@@arnox4554 I expect price was the biggest factor. Maybe someone will pick it up again someday, a la the Automag.

[@poet99999]

Yeah I remember paying $200 per mag before they started production up again. Too bad the gen 3 mags are slightly longer and require modification to the pistol to fit. At least the gen 3 mags I have are

[@archstanton7035]

Thank you Ian for this informative video. A number of years ago, a friend of mine, who was an engineering student as well as a local short track racer, designed, built, and successfully raced a Nascar modified as his senior engineering project. Can you imagine what would happen today if a student submitted a proposal to design and build a firearm as a senior project?

[@iowa_lot_to_travel9471]

The libs would scream beyond their vocal cords being sore. 😅😊

[@chlebowg]

I had two Model Bs 1987 to 2002. Hunted whitetail and pigs, shot ISPC and bowling pin matches and opened carried them in KY before they adopted their concealed carry. Never a malfunction. Would even feed full .38 wadcutter ammo. had to change to lighter spring and different mag. Different mag had a different follower so shorter specials won’t go as far back. Coonan also sold an 8 rd mag. My 10 mags were all 8 rd mags. 100% reliable

[@oscardavis3906]

In your experience, did you ever try .38 +P ammo with the .357 spring?

[@chlebowg]

@@oscardavis3906 Don’t remember as that was 20-30 yrs ago. I always had .357 ammo reload

[@five5105]

As someone in college for engineering, designing a handgun for a class is so cool that I don't even have words for it

[@doughesson]

Do you think that you would get an A for designing the next big thing in firearms technology?

[@user-mn8lz7gf6d]

​@@doughesson only if it doesn't get too much attention

[@ianhelyar9553]

Yeah, I can imagine some SJW notifying ATF and the FBI now...

[@84kjk]

Wrong year. Probably get kicked out of school bc you made them feel unsafe. Lol.

[@davidgoodnow269]

I love how he says, "Let's compare with a standard 1911," and pans to include an *original* M1911.

[@mydogsnameisbeans]

Bought for my dad a few years back for his birthday! He’s carried it ever since!!

[@VanDaRifleman]

I met Dan Coonan at the Shooter's Round-Up at Ahlman's Gun Shop in Morristown, MN about a decade ago. He was cool. At his range booth, I paid $5 to fire five rounds from a Coonan .357 Mag Auto. I hit steel plates with all five shots and I immediately fell in love. I would enjoy buying one some time in the future.

[@ddegn]

Very cool. I love stories like these. Thanks for sharing it.

[@wastedangelematis]

Cool !

[@rob6850]

The good ol' days when $5 more than covered 5 rounds of .357...

[@douglasstewart4066]

I did the same. Very impressed with the firearm.

[@edbecka233]

I was a competitive shooter in the TXARNG. One of the disciplines I shot was bullseye pistol, and I was issued the classic Box O Pistols, an S&W 41 for Rimfire and two M1911s, for Wadcutter and Service Pistol. Some of the other shooters, who had enough seniority to pick & choose, had .38 Spl Wadcutter autos; there were S&W M52s and worked-over 1911s in .38 AMU and .38 Spl. So there were .38 SPL semiautos that far back; ostensibly they could have also been stretched/beefed up for the longer/more powerful .357 as well.

[@bobhill3941]

I also never knew the frame and slide needed some play for the tilting barrel!

[@davidfigueira8648]

I would love to have one...I've been a 1911 fan ever since my military service, and we still were using them before they went to the Beretta M-9. The .45 ACP has always been my go to caliber for my EDC. However, it is a heavier option in weight, and my age is catching up to me. I recently stopped carrying my RIA BBR-310, as the weight of firearm and ammo loadout was making my hip hurt after a full day of my usual activities. I bought a Taurus GX4 and carry that as my main EDC. Much lighter, and while not an overall fan of 9mm, it is super accurate and does have its advantages. I did own a .357 and enjoyed it until I traded it in for the Taurus. But having only 5 rounds to work with, didn't feel like a good self defense option even with speedloaders. If this Coonan would have been available to me, I would have considered this as a viable option. Hip be damned...

[@anon_y_mousse]

Maybe you could sew a pad onto your holster, or into your pants. Might help.

[@PsychoticBovine]

Try a Crossbreed brand holster. Most comfortable holster I have ever used.

[@onpsxmember]

Give the hips a rest and go for a classic shoulder holster.

[@tylerwilliams6022]

@@PsychoticBovine I like the N82 holsters. Separates the whole gun from your body, even the grip. And the backing is super soft suede. These are my go to holsters after trying many others.

[@GranMaese]

That magazine is simply ingenious.

[@tis7963]

I got to shoot an A model that belongs to my uncle. He mostly used it for bowling pin matches. Strongest magazine springs in the history of the world ever. A real struggle to load. It came with a little pin tool to go through the hole in the follower to help push it down.

[@bindingcurve]

How about the grip length. Did you find it an issue?

[@0zmose]

@@bindingcurve I've shot one quite a bit. I have larger hands, so I can't speak for everyone, but I don't have a problem with it. It's very noticeably longer, but it's pretty slim, so you can still get a good purchase. Way better than a Desert Eagle.

[@mshort7087]

I have averaged size mitts. The mag release and slide release are a bit of a stretch for my thumbs but I love the thing

[@jarrodwidiger5472]

​@@bindingcurve I have fairly small meaty hands and don't really have to much trouble with mine. Recoil is very manageable even if I don't have what I would call a perfectly ideal grip. The grip safety tends to be a little to the thumb side of things instead of the web pocket but I could still shoot it all day.

[@markwoodger2]

My interest in firearms is mostly in the engineering behind them this sort of video is why I watch forgotten weapons.

[@jimscharba4818]

Great video, I have two Coonans, A model B that is unfired, and a 6 inch compensated which is the one I shoot.My favorite guns in my collection.And man what a fireball they produce.

[@spikespack1]

I have had a Classic since 2015, it was a $2000 "dream" gun and making it a reality was awesome!! I also got a custom serial number. It shoots really well and produces giant fireballs! I couldn't resist buying the .45 MOT which is just as well made as the .357. I was so sad when they went out of business! My favorite guns by far!!! I also had the opportunity to speak to Dan and he was super nice!

[@mshort7087]

That’s about what mine cost. I’ve never had a moment of buyers remorse. With hot handloads it has some fantastic muzzle pizzazz 🔥

[@parrotraiser6541]

Thoughtful ingenuity, beautifully implemented. It's a piece of jewellery. .38 Special in an automatic gives a nice, smooth, shooting experience.

[@Fastwinstondoom]

Coolest 1911 there is imo. There's just something about the finish and the dimensions of the gun that is just right... not to mention the magnum factor, obviously.

[@someoneelse4492]

Fantastically cool that you got in contact with him :) Thanks.

[@chinabluewho]

I am still waiting for someone to make a stainless steel M1 carbine using .357 mag ammo, why has no one ever done this? Seems like a M1 mixed with a 20/30 round mag is the perfect home defense/survivalist gun.

[@daerichorrenst6743]

As always, Ian, your willingness to do the deep dive research on the(dare i say) older, obscure guns is top notch. I had little interest in a 357 Magnum handgun. Now I want a Coonan.

[@cammyboy011]

I got the chance to shoot the Coonan several times whilst working in Alaska. At a super cool (though now closed) Juneau gun shop. Probably one of the most memorable shooting experiences I have had 👍

[@dekstehnrasta741]

Love my Coonan. It's a bonus that it was made in my own town. Unfortunately, the local gun shop no longer carriers the magazines, so I don't treat them very harsh.

[@l67swap1]

They are no longer made that's why

[@ninjaturkey100]

I feel like that shirt and a 1911 in a funky mid-20th Century calibre go too well together.

[@frenchfrey65]

Ian should turn into a private eye and start a TV show, I'll call it, Magnum P.I.!

[@shawnc5188]

@@frenchfrey65 Yep, Magnum gun with Magnum shirt and Magnum moustache!

[@ninjaturkey100]

@@frenchfrey65 I feel like he'd best suit a cold case police procedural about extremely obscure and forgotten cases that somehow end up revealing a portion of a larger conspiracy, which inevitably ends up with a gun fight with some villains in a warehouse stuffed with boxes of 7.65mm French Long. The antagonist will be equipped with a rare French rifle that has been atrociously bubba'd (sawn-off RSC18, somehow?).

[@jarrodwidiger5472]

I saw one a gun shop my dad worked at briefly and purchased it and 3 mags about 8-9 years ago and absolutely love it. Its still one of my favorite guns to shoot along with just about everyone else that shoots it. Im also glad i bought one when they were still kind of affordable paid about 1250 for mine. Also the fireball that comes out of this thing in low light is hilarious!

[@calamityhex3729]

The real question is will Dan ever make a comeback for the Coonan 357? He obviously has a love for it to make it 3 time's now over the course of roughly 30 plus years.

[@kevinpickering3866]

doubt it as apparently alot of customers didnt get there guns or deposits back as well as some who claim the sent the guns in for work and never got them back. also heard another gun company bought all the designs so hopefully it was a reputable company and they re-release the gun and all the extras for them would love to finally get the compensated barrel kit for mine. will say well over 2k rounds 0 issues and can shoot all day long but gonna have to slow down until someone start making the replacement firing pins and springs lol

[@calamityhex3729]

@@kevinpickering3866 they didn't give them back? Jesus sounds like an actual legitimate job for the ATF. Probably whouldent give them back either though.

[@jaynederp5236]

Doubtful. I'm a Coonan owner and I was keeping up with things after to most recent bankruptcy. His entire machine shop got sold off by the bank, even the shipping container he used as an indoor range to test fire the guns. I saw the auction listing that listed off everything but the kitchen sink online.

[@calamityhex3729]

@@jaynederp5236 damn. Sad to here aside from the desart eagle there's nothing else in semi auto that takes 357.

[@thatguybrody4819]

now this definitely needs a range video.

[@liquorgunsandrhetoric]

I knew a guy who shot one of these at an indoor USPSA match, with a .357 magnum loaded with a slow powder. He called it his "flashbang load."

[@mshort7087]

My hog loads with H110 or Win296 will make impressive flame rings or halos from my C Model. It’s an attention grabber at an indoor range

[@robertkelley4991]

When I Bought mine in 1988 it cost about $850.00. Told to use 180 gr. rounds for the first 2000 rounds through the gun. Coonan Arms Inc., St. Paul, Minn. I agree with kicked by a horse, do not know about step on by an Elephant. I do know about being step on by a Horse and bitten by one also. For that to happen you piss the horse off when you shoot the Coonan you will piss off someone else. When I first shot the Coonan I did it one handed, only time I did that. The ball of flame width extended several inches into the lanes next to me. The noise was like a fighter jet flying over you at Mach 1 at an altitude of 500 5eet. The other people at the range had stuck their head out and asked what the hell was I shooting. When I took it apart to clean after the first shooting the recoil spring went about 35 feet in the house and took me an hour to find it.

[@manythingslefttobuild]

Great video Ian. Thanks to Dan Coonan for the origin and other stories, and likely fireplace guy for the pistol.

[@o.w.i.m]

Great as always Ian! I was checking/YT searching on things .357 mag and similar to see if anything nifty and new would turn up but a recap on something older fit right in also.

[@chloehennessey6813]

Dad has one of these! It goes with his lever action .357 Magnum Henry Big Boy.

[@rhinox0110]

When I was younger I actually was able to fire a clip from a Coonan and my Lord it was impressive and I've wanted one ever since. Ian if you contact Mr. Coonan again please tell him that I appreciate his design and as a machinist myself I was fascinated by it and I sincerely hope we get to see more of these absolutely beautiful firearms manufactured in the very near future.

[@unclebear4806]

One of the most satisfy 1911 I ever shot. I was so mesmerized that I need to have one. And after 10 years of searching, my dream finally came true. Sure enough, it doesn’t disappoint. Even I been scold by my wife for a full month…IT’s STILL WORTH IT!😝

[@PsychoticBovine]

It is so very worth it!

[@DizzyRonson]

it was so worth it that i payed extra to have mine with a supressor barrel and a regular barrel.. my better half has come to terms with it going in the grave with me now, but i no longer control the finances.. oh well.. worth it 10/10 :)

[@DoctyrEvil]

The internal vs. external extractor decision is interesting. In your video on the evolution of the 1911 design you noted that the older versions - e.g. the 1907 - had external extractors, which were removed in later designs. It's a great example of compromise and balance in design.

[@Ehtereon11B]

It is unfortunate the Coonan is a "Forgotten Weapon." I always liked the tech behind a revolver round in a semi auto. Particularly a 1911.

[@MtnBadger]

"I want one..." That's the shortest reply/post I've ever made to one of your videos. This and a Delta Elite would make me a very happy camper... 😀

[@jonHErickson]

I’m loving this run of magnum caliber handguns. Good video!

[@johnbriney5987]

A friend ordered on of these around 2012, had to wait about 2 years for it (Australia) an amazing firearm, was very expensive but well worth it. At the time I thought it was interesting, now I realise it is actually perfect amazing. Thanks Gun Jesus for bringing these informative videos

[@craigsavarese4554]

This gun has been on my “to get bucket list” ever since it came out.

[@jwseibert1059]

Saw one of these on Demo Ranch and thought it looked awesome and worked well. Had no clue it would be on FW within a few years.

[@Airforce1Gunny]

I remember going to gun shows and shooting events here in Minnesota where they are made. They did do the rounds no matter how big or how small they show.

[@AllisChalmersMN]

I was at Bills Gun Shop in Circle Pines Minnesota a handful of years ago. I had a free gun rental token and didn’t know what to use it on. The employee behind the counter suggested a Coonan 357. He said it would be a ton of fun to shoot and it was manufactured just a few short miles away. I went with that suggestion and took it with me to the range. It was a blast (pun intended) to shoot. I shot a couple boxes of Magtech ammo out of it. Magtech is also manufactured a few miles away from that range. It shot a fireball out the muzzle on a few of the rounds and was just a ton of fun to shoot. I’d absolutely love to add one to my collection. Too bad they are no longer in production.

[@Toledotourbillion]

Ian wears a Hawaiian shirt for a 1970s gun. Easter eggs.😅

[@adamfrisk956]

Huh?

[@Toledotourbillion]

@@adamfrisk956 Theme appropriate outfit.👍

[@MrPh30]

" Oh , Magnum ".

[@ditzydoo4378]

Such a super cool hand-cannon. The Coonan is simply that handheld vaporizer...

[@knurlgnar24]

I always wondered why 22lr magazines held such a jumbled mess of cartridges compared to other calibers that line up neatly. Now I know!

[@hammerslammer3006]

Also got to meet Dan coonan on a few occasions..same impression as others said. Super nice guy. Once was at a gun store.. (didn't know who he was) month later saw him at a shot show and a year later at another. He remembered me! Added a 10mm to the line that year i believe.. think he ran into money trouble after he bought the company back and seems to have some angry customers...

[@bobjordan8283]

You always get to play with the cool toys brother! Love all your videos I love the bigger caliber hand guns so this one's right up my alley! Go big or go home! I am so glad you were able to actually talk to the designer that just adds to the coolness factor!

[@briancoleman2712]

I love my Coonan Comact!! It's my baby! Saved for 2 years to be able to get it. I only wish it was the full size so it would run .38 rounds. Gets a lot of attention at the range. Big fireball out of the end when you pull the bang switch.

Oh hey I have one of those, I really like mine and the trigger is amazing, my only really problem with mine is the slide not locking back on the last round, not sure exactly why it does this

[@text-2693]

Congratulations you have been selected among our shortlisted winner, contact the number above ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^🎁✅

[@silvadossantos6803]

You're interfering with the gun's wave function.

[@PacmansEmpire]

There are also many elements off a Star B and BM with this. Very interesting piece of art none the less.

[@mtacoustic1]

Thanks for a very educational review! Bought a brand new Coonan several years ago. The store actually had two in stock. As you report, it has been very accurate and reliable. Don't remember which pattern I have - will have to dig it out of storage and check. One note on the magazine: the hole through the follower pin is very handy for reloading; sticking a small screwdriver or wire through it and pulling the follower down makes it much easier to load. Always disliked 15+ round mags where the spring pressure makes them a real b--h to load!

[@DeereX748]

Very nice; I'd heard of the Coonan, but never thought much about them until now. The video makes me want one. Couple of comments; you mentioned the cast frame and slide and the strength of properly casted parts. The Browning HiPower is another case in point. in the early 1980's, after the MkIII was released, Browning /FN Herstal came out with a .40 S&W version of the historically 9mm pistol. Early models with forged frames experienced frame cracking; the manufacturing process was shifted to cast slides and frames, and the cracking issues disappeared. I am somewhat surprised though, to see only one locking lug on the barrel and slide; the .40 BHP added a third lug to the two that the 9mm version used due to the extra power of the cartridge. I figured the .357 Magnum might need a stronger lockup as well. The camming barrel probably helps with feeding the longer .357 cartridge, more than the link-type barrel does. As always, you do a really nice program on the firearms you show us. Can't wait to see what's next.

[@golf-n-guns]

Pretty cool. I have a 1911 in 10mm. Love it.

[@mrdmartin]

I own one of these guns - got it at a discount because the previous owner put only a few mags through it and assumingly didn't think it was worth it in the end. I'm glad I own it. I take it out and shoot it maybe once a year or so with friends that have never heard of it or shot it before. I always assumed I'd pass it to my kid one day but that didn't work out as many things in life.

[@adqak503]

Oh man, I always wanted one of those. A few listed on GB. Owners are quite proud of them. Thanks for the video.

[@VipersVideos]

FWIW concerning the frame's full length dust cover, all production models A, B, and C units had the full length dust cover extended out to the muzzle.

[@joetaylor486]

Fascinating details as always, Ian. Interesting note about the slide to frame tolerences. Thats some really great engineering, as is the "toe" that engages the slide. Wonderful.

[@jimh4375]

Great video as usual, all of the little background info that makes the story so interesting.

[@sipofsunscorchedsarsaparil6052]

When the 1911 meets revolvers... God is real after all. Always wanted one of these but never quite got around to it.

[@drerod8543]

And His Son Gun Jesus presenting it to us ungrateful sinners 😂

[@313power]

What I love about your channel, is that you always try to get the best sources. In this instance, first-hand from the inventor and you don't boast about it, just mentioned it as a matter of fact at the end of the video. Almost scholar way of doing things, like a bibliography. I dig that.

[@marcusayala6933]

Not sure why you'd make this, but it does look cool as heck

[@GarfieldEnjoyer1878]

Answered your own question

[@HighFalutinTootin]

The Coonan using 357 magnum rimmed cartridges is a very cool feature it means that you can use revolver ammo in an autoloader very innovative if you ask me

[@AsbestosMuffins]

14:50 oh that's actually pretty cool to be able to cycle this reliably with .38 special

[@Alan.livingston]

Great video. Never really been interested in the 1911 but the Coonan has always been a bucket list firearm to own since I first saw them when they came out. It’s awesome that old mate Coonan himself took the time to speak with you.

[@user-mn8lz7gf6d]

Thank you Mr. Coonan and thank you whoever loaned this awesome pistol!

[@michaelblacktree]

That's a handsome looking gun! It has some ingenious design features, as well.

[@danleybrian]

My dad had one when I was a kid. I really enjoyed shooting it. I wish I could find one today.

[@kahukukimo5581]

Man this guy really knows his stuff.

[@PhoenixFyre]

Been wanting one of these for so long.

[@shakejuntbitches]

Love the shirt! Side note: this channel is a diamond in the roughest rough in a tsunami of mud and shit and mud and shit. Thank you for existing.

[@spiderjerusalem1019]

Dan Coonan sounds like he is a really smart man, and very in touch with the community from what I´ve seen in the comments. I really hope someone invests in reviving the company.

[@earlmcmanus194]

Very cool engineering, it would have been very interesting to see these changes implemented in a CZ clone but I suppose it's a bit moot point now with the advent of 10mm.

[@brucewilliams6292]

Very cool video. I love the fact that you could chat with the designer and pick up all the details (like the slide flex).

[@Getpojke]

Nice gun, only really seen still pictures before so great to get an in depth video on it. Mr Coonan seems an interesting designer. You say you were talking to him, is he still working in the gun industry? Be interesting to hear what he's up to now. Oh & I really hope you get a chance to show us that beauty on the range.

[@bobhill3941]

I just wanted to say that's it's interesting to see how a little change (the relief cut for reduction of reciprocating mass) at the muzzle end of the slide is so powerful stylistically, you notice it when it's gone and it makes a noticable difference in appearance.

[@bigsmoke1658]

One of my local gun stores has one in the case, but since you can't get new parts, it just sits there.

[@granitestateman942]

I remember Coonan more for his FN FAL upper receiver manufacturing.

[@05Tcat]

Loved this video, and love my Coonan. Mine is extra special to me because I bought it from Colt's research and development department while I was working as a Colt Custom Shop gunsmith.

[@bruceinoz8002]

I wonder if Dan Coonan was familiar with the Smith and Wesson Model 52. These were a dedicated target pistol firing .38 Special WADCUTTERS. Colt also fooled around with a .38 Special 1911 in the early 1960s. The US AMTU had been searching for a semi-auto "match" pistol that could be used for "beyond service" type shooting. I had a Mod 52-2 for a few years. VERY ammo and "hold" sensitive. A GOOD shooter (not me) could lay down some impressive scores with one of these.The five round factory mags could be "blacksmithed" to hold six. This was handy for shooting "service" matches where everything was "revolver-centric"; i.e, six-round strings. They had a frame that was essentially a "stretched" Model 39 frame but made of steel. Mags were insanely expensive and hard to find, so I eventually traded up to a 1911 Gold Cup; yet another revelation. These days, the Model 52 (and its Colt rival) are very much in the "forgotten" category.

[@P_RO_]

The Colt's were awful for reliability and the 52 not much better. Just goes to show how tough it was for Coonan to get the reliability he did, which AFAIK has never been equaled or bettered in any 38/357M autoloader.

[@gw5436]

Remember too on the casting debate... on a pistol where the whole frame or slide is machined from a solid steel block - that block was CAST initially from a molten ladle (or "heat") into an ingot that was then rolled/swaged/extruded into its bar stock size initially. A cast frame or part, if done with the same quality control , cast initially slightly oversized then machined to required specifications, gives nothing away to this. Except for time, ability to make complex shapes impossible to machine, and less waste. Hence cost savings for everyone and hence viability in this cost-sensitive world.

[@SynchronizorVideos]

Excellent work on this video, Ian. I’m a fan and proponent of the .357 SIG cartridge, and so of course I was aware of the Coonan as an alternative solution to getting .357 performance in a semi-auto. But as you said, pretty much all of the articles about it were extremely basic and surface-level. It’s a 1911 in .357 Mag, yes it works, and here are the boilerplate numbers for mag capacity, barrel length, etc. You really did your homework here, and added a lot to the story of this gun. By the way, I’m an engineer who attended university in northern Idaho. I and many of my engineering classmates spent plenty of time drawing and modeling ideas for new guns and cartridges. Cool to see someone actually follow through on one of those.

[@thisguy41487]

I had no idea this design was so old and the gun is no longer in production. I first saw the Coonan in 2014 (I think) and I got to shoot one at a range in Texas in 2016. I thought it was a phenomenal gun, but never actually looked at the price tag. I'm thankful to have handled and shot one of the 10,000 made, and am sad I'm probably too poor to own one.

[@KnollaforRP2012]

I worked there for about a year doing machining, the finish polishing and test firing

[@boondogglet132]

just started the video and if there is not Coonan the Barbarian pun I will unsubscribe.🤣 Great video as always!