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
Behind Winchester's New Supreme Long Range Ammunition
For 2026, Winchester Ammunition took a big step forward in its ammo offerings with Supreme Long Range. Unlike previous offerings from the company, this purpose-built long-range hunting and shooting line required the company to invest in an entirely new projectile design: the BC Max bullet.
New For 2026: Magnum Research Suppressor-Ready Desert Eagle .50
With the growing popularity of suppressors, Magnum Research is bringing its iconic .50-caliber Desert Eagle pistol up to date with a suppressor-ready, threaded-barrel version.
Three Reasons the U.S. Supreme Court Should Reaffirm that AR-15 Bans are Unconstitutional
The Supreme Court has finally agreed to review the constitutionality of AR-15 bans. As the mainstream media is unlikely to give a fact-based analysis of these bans, here are three points that should be in every article about this challenge.
America 250th Anniversary Ammo Offerings
We’re celebrating the 250th anniversary of the greatest country on Earth, and we have some new limited-edition munitions to commemorate that achievement.
Tennessee Police Department Adopts the Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol
Beretta USA recently announced that a major metropolitan police department in Tennessee has approved, and begun to field, the A300 Ultima Patrol shotgun, a more-affordable model recently introduced by the company.
America’s Lever Revolution
America is known across the world as a nation of gun owners, but only one firearm action has the distinction of being uniquely American: the lever-action.
Interests
SECTIONS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS
