Designed and developed by gun designer Dan Coonan, and eventually produced by the Minnesota firm bearing his name, the Coonan pistols were chambered for the .357 Mag. cartridge. First the Model A, followed by an upgraded Model B, quickly gained a following for this well-made pistol. The Coonan Compact pistol is a somewhat smaller and easier to carry version of the full-size Coonan Classic. At 39 ozs. and measuring 7.7"x5.4", it is still a pretty hefty pistol likely to find use more as a sportsman’s gun, or even as a home-defense pistol, than as a concealment piece. Learn more in this NRA Gun of the Week video hosted by Joseph Kurtenbach.
Specifications
Manufacturer: Coonan Inc.
Model: Coonan Compact
Action: recoil-operated, semi-automatic pistol
Caliber: .357 Mag.
Slide: stainless steel
Frame: stainless steel
Sights: three-dot; drift adjustable rear, dovetailed and pinned post front
Magazine: detachable box; six-round capacity
Barrel: 4”
Rifling: six-groove, 1:16” RH twist
Trigger: 4-lb., 7-oz. pull
Weight: 39 ozs.
Accessories: owner’s manual, loading tool, spare magazine, ear plugs, trigger lock, zippered case
MSRP: $1,535
For more on the Coonan Compact pistol, please enjoy the following articles:
Review: Coonan Compact
Review: Coonan Compact .357 Mag. Pistol
NRA Gun of the Week: Coonan Compact Pistol
More like this from around the NRA
Latest
Rifleman Review: EAA Corp. Girsan Witness2311 Match X
One of the latest 2011-style handguns out from European American Armory Corp. is its Girsan Witness2311 MatchX platform, which includes a built-in, single-port compensator and is designed for competition use.
Shell Shock & CBC Global Ammunition Sign Manufacturing Agreement
Shell Shock Technologies (SST) and CBC Global Ammunition have signed an agreement that adds manufacturing capacity, advanced tooling and new SST operations in Oklahoma and Michigan.
Short & Sweet: Springfield Armory's SA-35 4" Polished Blued
Springfield Armory continues to expand its SA-35 High Power handgun line, and one of the latest versions is this new SA-35 4" Polished Blued model that provides some added luster while remaining compact.
75 Years of CCI
What better time to look at what’s new at CCI than when the company's celebrating 75 years in business?
The Galactic Pistol Alliance: An Entry Point For New Competition Shooters
Galactic Pistol Alliance jettisons rule confusion and offers a much more relaxed model for newcomers to competition shooting, all while keeping cool shooting stages and an emphasis on safety.
NRA Supporter & Gold Expert Mike Fuljenz Wins Newsletter Award
Longtime NRA Supporter Mike Fuljenz, founder of Universal Coin & Bullion, was awarded the 2026 Best Investment Newsletter award by the Numismatic Literary Guild.
Interests
SECTIONS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS
