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125-grain revolver load ... and came close. The necked-down and assembled without tools. Its barrel bushing can be ro.40 S&W case has a good anti-personnel reputation and is em- tated with fingers even when the barrel is fully seated in the
ployed by the U.S. Secret Service and Federal Air Marshals, slide. Disassembly and reassembly are typical 1911.
but it does not rival the performance of the wheelgun's .357
when launched from a four-inch barrel.
HOLSTERS
Revolver loadings also span a host of bullet weights, from
Coonan carry systems are available but quite limited. When it
32 to 200 grains. Bullet designs are widely diverse as well,
comes to acquiring a scabbard for exotic or less well-known
and rounds can be selected for hard target penetration or
handguns, I turn to Lucas DeBrul, owner of Black Flamingo
soft tissue expansion.
Tactical, for one of his custom Kydex holsters.
DeBrul uses the finest materials and he produced bodyPERSISTENCE PAYS OFF
hugging pancake-style "Trifecta and Lil Friend" sheaths with
In the past, a few attempts have been made to adapt the re- FBI rake, and a single "Versamag" magazine pouch for the
volver round to a semiautomatic pistol, but most were un- Coonan. These are Level I carriers, but their fit is so glove-like
successful or just not popular with the shooting communi- that retention is excellent.
ty. Coonan Arms was one that failed to catch on, and went
Due to word of mouth only, a number of detectives and Sethrough a sale, bankruptcy and lengthy hiatus. But its design- cret Service agents in our neck of the woods are now packing
er Dan Coonan never gave up on his dream to mate the "best" their pieces by one of three different carry methods. Flamingo
handheld man-stopping round with the "best" pistol, and in
2009 formed Coonan, Inc., which is currently producing the
very successful "Classic."
Caveat: Coonan states at the outset that this is not a gun
for beginners, although various videos show slim and comely
females happily pounding away at paper and steel with this
launcher of substantial fire and lead. For four years, the Classic has been produced in one format.
As shipped, the Coonan is protected by a semi-rigid nylon
carrying case that contains (depending on the model) from
one to multiple magazines, a "loading pin," red hollow keyfob tube containing soft ear plugs, vial of FP-10 lubrication,
illustrated manual, and cable safety lock.
holsters and magazine pouches can be worn outside or inside
the waistband and are tuckable. They are also adjustable for
drop. Lucas can customize to meet your individual requirements to include lights, lasers and other accessories. His
products carry a limited lifetime warranty. In future, Coonan
will list Flamingo Tactical as an approved source for holsters.
TOP SHOT ALL-STAR IMPRESSIONS
William Bethards had recently completed his return to the
History Channel's Top Shot competition as an All Star and
generously acquiesced to test the Coonan Classic.
Besides being a real gentleman, the former U.S. Marine
master sergeant was double distinguished in rifle and pistol
and as the Corps' 1994 Top Pistol and Rifle Shot and received
TECHNICAL STUFF
the coveted Lauchheimer Trophy. In 1996, Bethards was the
SAAMI specifications are 35,000 PSI for the Magnum, which NRA's National Service Pistol Champion. He is a former Viris the same for 9xl9mm and .40 S&W calibers. As mentioned, ginia state trooper and is currently employed by the FBI.
the Coonan is quite a flame-thrower, which indicates that an
appreciable amount of propellant is wasted in these barrel
SSG RANGES
lengths. From a carbine, the.357 almost doubles its muzzle We took the Coonan and a passel of Buffalo Bore 180-grain
energy because of increased propellant burn time efficiency. hard-cast lead magnums to SSG (Special Services Group)
The Coonan has a tight lockup but can be disassembled Tactical part-owner Curt Sebastian's private ranges. At 1,400
www.SWATMAB.com I AUGUST 2014
MASTER BLASTER
Above: Coonan Classic and magazines inserted
in Black Flamingo Trifecta Kydex holster and
magazine pouch. Rake is FBI. Holster can be
worn OWB or IWB, and is adjustable for height
and also tuckable.
Right: SSG Tactical owner Curt Sebastian takes
Coonan on a run. Brass has barely cleared port
and another is running up the feed ramp.
feet per second, the round would challenge any
shooter's grip, stance, recoil control and gun
handling. The flat-point bullets and propellant
emitted a good deal of smoke in the air, which
was heavy with heat and humidity.
Its "snappy recoil," which Bethards judged
to be a few notches above that of the 1911, surprised him and initially he had to regrip the
pistol. Inadvertent contact with its extended
slide release, which he thought was "overkill,"
caused its slide to lock back when he broke the
first shot. He eliminated the problem by riding
its safety with his thumb. He liked its ergonomics, and the grip's girth caused his hand to be
slightly more open or farther out, and therefore
weaker. Conversely, it also permitted the support hand to be more fully integrated and involved (stronger) with the grip.
66
MANUFACTURER
ACTION
CAPACITY
CONSTRUCTION
FINISH
OVERALL WEIGHT
(unloaded)
_
OVERALL LENGTH
OVERALL HEIGHT
WIDTH
BARREL
TRIGGER
SIGHTS
STOCKS
RECOIL SPRING
SUGGESTED BASE RETAIL
Coonan Inc.
Linkless, delayed recoil
7+1
Case 416 stainless steel
Duracoat (on some models)
42 ounces
8.3 inches
5.6 inches
1.3 inches
5.0 inches
Pivoting, 3-4 pounds
Fixed Kensight, dovetailed
Alumagrips
22 pounds, .38 Special 10 pounds
$1,375
AUGUST 2014 i www.SWATMAG.com
Bethards explained it this way: "With
the 1911, you essentially have only one
hand on the gun, but with the Coonan's
more elongated grip, you now have two
hands fully in contact with the steel."
He advised that, although 1911 shooters will "readily adapt to this handgun,
everything—like cycling and target reindexing—happens more quickly with
the Coonan."
The smooth backstrap was comfortable, but the pistol torqued a bit.
Aggressive fore and aft checkering or
skateboard tape would alleviate this.
Nevertheless, the Coonan behaved well,
and Bethards reported his one-handed
shooting grip felt almost as good as his
two-handed grip. He agreed with the
manufacturer that this is not a gun for
the beginning marksman.
AUTHOR'S RESULTS
Trio of Coonans in various finishes.
Depending on the load, right rear ejection ranges from a hit-you-in-the-face
dribble to a brisk 24 feet. From the
bench, the Coonan with hotter loads
will escape your two-handed grip.
But standing offhand, it was a different matter. The pistol is quite lively, but
comfortable to shootwithout any flinchinducing pain, and I had no problem
with gun torque. Controlled pairs and
six-shot saturation shooting are slightly
more challenging than the 1911. Muzzle
flash is propellant dependant, but a few
loads really light up the shooting line.
igital camouflaged Coonan Classic with
Duane Dieter designed Blackhawk CQD Mk
1 Type E folder. Note pivoting trigger and
extended slide release.
www.SWATMAG.com i AUGUST 2014
67
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» AMMUNITION PERFORMANCE
| LOAD
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VELOCITY (fps)
GROUP SIZE (inches)
Buffalo Bore 125-gr.JHC
1,737
Double Tap 1 25-gr. hard cast
1,313
3.39
3.05
; Federal 130-gr. Hydra-Shok
Hornady158-gr.XTP
1,503
MagSafe 70-gr. Defender
, Remington 1 25-gr. BJHP
2,012
1,372
1.98
2.10
Winchester 11 0-gr.JHP
1,434
2.80
1,332
!
4.49
3.07
Five-round groups fired from a handheld rest at 25 yards through a CED MK 2 chronograph, 15 feet from the
muzzle. Velocities were averaged and measured in FPS. Temperature: 90 degrees.
Top Shot William Bethards breaks 180-grain, 1,400 fps Buffalo Bore .357 as
Coonan Classic recovers from shot break, then in full recoil with brass exiting
and fresh round being chambered. Pistol requires re-gripping if shooter is not
prepared for recoil. Heavy smoke is from hard-cast flat-point lead slug and
high humidity. Presentations were from Black Flamingo Trifecta holster.
Coonan Classic pistol with additional
seven-round magazines, loading pin and
.38 Special recoil spring. Vial of FP-10
lubricant is included.
Plus P .38 Special would not cycle the
pistol without a recoil spring change.
For this particular sample and the way
its sights were set up, accuracy was adequate for hunting and personal defense,
although all rounds tested shot well below point of aim (POA) at 25 yards.
Although the manual advises that
the pistol is factory sprung to function
with 125- to 158-grain jacketed ammunition, the Coonan successfully digested everything I put through it with
consummate reliability.
Surprisingly, the lightest MagSafe
round impacted the closest to my POA
and registered 1.98 inches for the tightest group. At a highest individual round
velocity of 2,043 fps and 714 foot pounds
of muzzle energy (fpme), it had the most
negligible muzzle rise. It is a shallow
penetrating round, but multiple shots
can be delivered much more quickly
than other conventional .357 loads.
Coonan Classic field stripped, showing
linkless barrel with one lug and external
extractor. Red cylinder holds magazine
loading pin and earplugs.
The least hand-wrenching conventional cartridge was Remington
125-grain BJHP at a peak velocity of
1,352 fps. At a high individual velocity
of 1751 fps, the Buffalo Bore 125 grain
generated a whopping 851 fpme. Cumulative recoil over several days caused
stock panel screws to loosen up.
CONCLUSIONS
The .357 Coonan reminds me of the
10mm cartridge. Performance is simiAUGUST 2014 1 www.SWATMAG.com
lar, with the ten throwing heavier bullets
a bit faster than the magnum.
Being rimless, the ten can be loaded into siaggered box magazines for
double-digit stored kills, and it handles
higher chamber pressures. However,
fore and aft grip lengths and other elongated features prompt my comparison.
If you like the feel of the Clock 20 or
early high-capacity Para-Ordnance receivers, you will feel right at home with
the Coonan.
This is a specialized piece of ordnance in a hefty body of old fashioned
steel that combines 1911 features with
the Browning Hi Power. It's a heavy
gun that will serve as a hard-hitting
self-defense weapon and will take
medium-sized game with good bullet
placement.
The Coonan is very well made with
the finest materials, and 100% reliable
with a vast number of available bullet weights and designs. It's the kind of
handgun and caliber combination that
could easily develop a cult following. It's
eligible for action shooting competition
but might be more competitive when
firing .38 Special to reduce recoil dwell.
In my opinion, the Coonan is a firearm for someone who wants something
different and has enough disposable income to pay for that desire. (©)
• Increases Weapons Functional Reliability
And Maximizes Lubricity And Cooling
• Virtually Eliminates Wear And Increases
Weapon Service Life
• Shields And Protects Against Rust
And Corrosion
• Removes Fouling Debris And lead.
Prevents Build-up Of Brass And Copper
• Optimizes Velocity And Increases
Accuracy With Tighter Groups
-Repels Dirt And Dust!
• Dramatically Increases Lubrication •
• Safe On All Polymers And Components
including Wood stocks
tally Friendly- ',
tsorvolatiles
Nothing Beats
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CLEANS, LUBRICATES
AND PROTECTS
"Your product Weapon Shield was truly 3 life saver."
"Fran Alpha Company 2-104th. (Black
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"I use Milling tat Weapon Shield on a
STEEL SHIELD
TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
'• •••: • • . . • • " ' . • •
.:. .:: •":">; ". '•.
hield.com
COONAN INC.
(763)786-1720
www.coonaninc.com
BUFFALO BORE
(406) 745-2666
www.buffalobore.com
DOUBLE TAP AMMUNITION
(866) 357-10mm
www.doubletapammo.com
FEDERAL CARTRIDGE CO.
(880) 323-2506
www.federalcartridge.com
HORNADY MFG. CO.
(800) 338-3220
www.hornady.com
MAGSAFE AMMO, INC
(407) 834-9966
www.magsafeonline.com
REMINGTON ARMS CO. LLC
(501)676-3161
www.remington.com
WINCHESTER AMMUNITION
(618)258-3609
www.winchester.com
www.SWATMAG.com ' AUGUST 2014
G9