Ok I know it's a 1911, but it's not something you see everyday!  

I picked this up tonight after waiting impatiently for a while.  This is only the second one I've ever held, and the other one the guy didn't let me shoot , and we were AT THE RANGE (bastard!!!).  I haven't had a chance to shoot it, or even clean it yet!  Just wiped it down, and took a quick picture.  You'd better believe I'll be taking it to the range this weekend!   It came from a collector, and it appears barely shot, but it does need a little TLC (some finish spots), but I plan to shoot it a lot.  What do you think?

Sure it counts.  Pretty cool!

Is that really a .357 Magnum?

Heh, I've been working PT/FT at funstores for over 10 years and I don't recall ever having seen one of those.

Thanks for sharing.

Yes, they are .357 Mag's.   Look at how small the hole is in the end of the barrel.  It's kind of an in house coversion that they do.


It looks like a nice piece.  When you get done "whiping it off" give it a run for it's money and let us know how you like it.

I got to shoot one several years ago
Only it was a 41 Mag .  The grip was
too deep for my hand , and I don't have
small hands .

How does the 357 feel ?

Damn, That Coonan looks good

Wow, that's pretty!

Quoted: I got to shoot one several years ago Only it was a 41 Mag .  The grip was too deep for my hand , and I don't have small hands . How does the 357 feel ?

I would have to agree that this would no doubt be the case for me as well.  I'm not saying it's wrong for people who get off on things like this by any means, what ever floats your boat.  If I were to happen upon someone who had one of these at the range I would pay money for the chance to shoot it just to say I had shot one.

I'd imagine that extra mags for this beast would be relatively hard to find and expensive.

Nice find!

.357 mag and 1911 is a pretty combo.

Very nice!  A range repot is a must.  Good find.

Sweeeeet.

Vey Nice !

Here's the story of the .357 1911 in Mr. Coonans own words.

www.dancoonan.com/357_magnum_birth_page1.html

Thanks for the link!  I had actually found his site:
www.dancoonan.com/
But I hadn't gotten that deep into it yet.  

I forgot to mention that mine is a Model B.  I also have two 8 round magazines and the original grips (which are pretty plain).  Magazines are pretty expensive ($100 or more a piece, assuming you can find one for sale) so I'll just stick with the two I have.  But two is pretty good, most people I've heard of having a Coonan say they only recieved one mag with it.

SYSOP - If your ever in MN, look me up, you can shoot mine for free!

edited to add:  I feel kind of like I brought this 1911 "home."  It was made here in St. Paul (about 25 minutes from where I live), and then ordered by/sold to a guy in Georgia, whom I bought it from, and got it back to MN.  The other Coonan that I was able to hold, belonged to a gentleman in his 40's or 50's here in MN.  He told me a story about him shooting steel plates with Dan Coonan!  He said that Mr. Coonan on frequent occassions shot the stand, which would in turn knock down plates, and they still counted that.  He said they nicknamed that technique a "Coonan."  That gentlemans shooting club meets every Thursday at the range I frequent, and he had invited me to come out.  Who knows, maybe I'll get the chance to meet Mr. Coonan someday?

Fayette Firearms in Lexington, KY has one of those on the consignment shelf.....I just never understood the allure of a .357 autoloader[shrug]

it counts alright, beautiful gun, have fun shooting that baby!

What's the capacity on that bad boy?

Quoted: What's the capacity on that bad boy?

Both my magazines are 8 + 1

I've also been thinking about doing something with the front strap, and mainspring housing, as they are both smooth.  I kind of like the smooth, but at the same time it's like an open canvas begging to have something done to it!  I should probably shoot it first before I get to carried away.

Well I finally got a chance to take the Coonan to the range last night!  (It's been a hectic few days, don't ask!).

It shot great.  For the most part, I put everything in a 4" circle at 10 yards off-hand.  All in a 10" circle a 30 yards off hand.  My groups were tightening up after a while, but for the most part my 3-5 round groups were not that tight.  There were a few (2 or 3) straglers but deffinately operator error.  

I shot 120 rounds, and had two failure to return to battery, and one failure to properly feed.  The two failure to go to battery I attribute to me forgetting to bring any lube, and the weapon was running dry the whole time (I've heard they like to run wet, like most 1911's).  The failure to feed happened on the last round of a magazine, and the bullet head jammed against the top of the chamber hood.  I was shooting "somewhat rapidly" that magazine, but I don't know if that would make a difference or not.  In all three failures I pulled the slide back a bit, and let it go, and all three rounds re-chambered and fired without problem.

My only complaints with the weapon is that it didn't "knock my socks off."  It was deffinately cool, and I am very happy, but it wasn't like the first time I shot a full auto or anything.  

Another complaint as mentioned before, is that it is not nice for reloaders.  It ejected rounds without much consistancy.  Most casings went slightly right and forward? But some went back, and some straight to the right?  One hit me dead in the right eye (I was wearing safety glassed of course, and a baseball cap)!  When I was picking up brass I found some 20+ feet away off to my right!

One funny note, I shot 120 rounds of 357mag through the Coonan (most of them my reloads, and most of those loaded pretty hot).  When I was done, I shot my Kimber for about 100 rounds.  The first couple magazines on the Kimber felt like I was shooting a .22lr or something.  It was kind of weird, most people (non-gunners) are afraid of the 45acp, and I was shooting the Kimber thinking this is nice and soft!

Overall I'm very happy with the Coonan.  I honestly feel, if properly lubed it would run without incident at all.  It is deffinately a shooter, and once I get used to it, I think my groups will tighten a lot.