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
30 Years Of Bond Arms Pistols
Bond Arms, the Texas-based maker of a series of double-barrel derringers inspired by a design from the Old West, celebrates 30 years in business in 2025.
Holiday Firearm Sales Off To Slow Start, Down From 2024 Numbers
NICS background checks conducted during the week of Black Friday, traditionally one of the busiest holiday shopping days of the year, show a slow start in terms of holiday gun sales.
Preview: BenShot Musket Ball Rocks Glass
America celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2026, and you can toast the country’s birthday with one of BenShot’s rocks glasses specially tailored to the occasion.
Rifleman Review: Walther Arms PDP Match Steel Frame
Walther Arms took its polymer-frame Performance Duty Pistol design and crafted it entirely from steel to create its PDP Match Steel Frame, which is a true heavyweight designed just for the pure joy of shooting.
150 Years Of The Boxlock Shotgun
Many hunters think of the iconic boxlock shotgun as an American field gun, but although the design was popularized on American hunting fields, it was initially developed 150 years ago for a renowned gunmaker in Great Britain.
Preview: Alpine Products Gun Slicker V2
Mother Nature can unexpectedly unleash her wrath on any outdoor range session or hunt, and this lightweight product from Alpine Innovations will protect your most valuable long guns without completely limiting their use.
Interests
SECTIONS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS
