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
Tips for Buying Your First Handgun
Buying a gun based on how it feels at the counter is like buying a car without test-driving it. It's the firearm equivalent of just sitting behind the wheel, going “vroom vroom!”
Silent Bull: The Taurus TTX Suppressor Series
With its TTX series, Taurus USA is launching a full set of suppressors designed to complement the company's line of firearms.
Gun of the Week: Savage Arms 110 Core Tactical
Recently, Savage Arms has embarked on an ambitious project to update and modernize its extensive line of bolt-action rifles, and one of the latest enhanced models available is the company's 110 Core Tactical bolt-action.
Political Report | NRA Responds to ATF’s Regulatory Overhaul
Administrative rules are not the most glamorous aspect of national governance. But they are fundamental to bureaucracy’s inner workings and how they affect, for better or for worse, the daily lives of ordinary Americans.
The Armed Citizen® Sept. 25, 2026
Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.
U.S. Troops Using Captured Small Arms in World War II
American troops took a healthy interest in Axis small arms during World War II. Sometimes they were simply looking to collect a war trophy. On other occasions, GIs and Marines looked to use those firearms against their former owners.
Interests
SECTIONS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS
