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Old October 27, 2012, 01:52 AM   #26
nstoolman1
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I get mine out of jail in 7 days. Can't wait.
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Old November 8, 2012, 09:32 PM   #27
blaiwayw
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New Coonan Classic owner

I've enjoyed reading comments on the Classic, and will add my first impressions. I have several (my wife probably has a full count) 1911 based pistols and three Desert Eagles, one in .357M. Than, there's the L.A.R. Grizzly in 45WM and a Detonics Scoremaster in .451 Detonics M. I found my Classic on an auction site, and paid just under the list price $1225, for the standard issue, with wood grip panels, and three dot sights. The backlog is listed as 9-12 months. My Classic is sn CHA12xx. I picked it up on my way out to hunt, so my first rounds fired were directly out of box. Just couldn't wait to try it out, so neglected to clean and lube. New toy, couldn't wait..... I shot Federal 158gr JSP and Remington Golden Saber 125gr JHP. One magazine of each. I was shooting for function, not accuracy, and I had several FTE, where the case hung up in the ejection port. Some of the brass landed at my feet and most didn't clear 5 feet. That is one stiff recoil spring! I have no concerns about the FTE, since I figure that was my fault for failing to lubricate it, and not using the recommended ammo. That ammo being Magtech 158gr or American Eagle 158gr, both in JSP. I usually use the recommended ammo or at least factory, before I go to my reloads. The pistol comes with a bottle of FP10 and the manual (read this after I got home) says to lubricate the slide rails and barrel muzzle. Reading the manual was useful and I recommend it highly. Quality of the finish is overall excellent. Interior is well polished. In take-down, the slide lock lever is much easier to remove and install, than the standard 1911 with barrel link. The barrel bushing is fairly loose. Only needed finger pressure to remove and install. Unlike my warmed over Colts that really need the bushing wrench. The slide to frame fit is looser than I would expect. Not sloppy, just loose compared to most of my 1911's. Coonan mentions barrel flex in his pistols due to the higher pressure of the 357M. This may be for another reason for being generous with lubrication. The trigger has a slight amount of creep, but is better than any factory trigger in my other pistols. Not counting the Detonics Scoremaster, which I think is exceptional. I really like the 3 dot sights, which are fixed for elevation. Next trip to the range I'll check accuracy and find out how well the sights work. Both front and rear are in dovetails, so should be easy to swap if needed. I ordered a spare magazine from Coonan at $59, but it's backordered until next month. They must really be busy. I think it a great fit for me. I don't think the grip is too thick, the balance is fine, and the recoil is no issue. I'll post again after I give it a proper test.
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Old November 9, 2012, 01:47 AM   #28
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I have one of the original Model A guns, and the new ones sound even better.

Being recoil operated, Coonan's will handle lead bullets just fine (hard cast, just like any other autoloader, of course). Desert Eagles are gas operated and lead bullets are a BIG mistake for them.

Don't know about the new ones, but I have a set of rubber grips for mine, and they make a huge difference in the feel of the gun for me. The slick wood grips were not to my liking.

One word of warning, don't use Blazer (or any other aluminum cased ammo) in the Coonan. IT won't work well, and may tear cases.

One of the new ones is on my list, but it looks like it will be a while....
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Old November 9, 2012, 01:37 PM   #29
Sevens
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Quote:
Coonan mentions barrel flex in his pistols due to the higher pressure of the 357M. This may be for another reason for being generous with lubrication.
Actually, Dan Coonan and somewhat former/formerly regular poster Kurmudgeon on these forums (a former Coonan gun builder & tester) would clarify that it's the slide that does this flexing under full recoil and that is why it's been specifically designed somewhat loose -- as the whole thing tightens up under this full flex. If the slide felt any "tighter" then it would be locking up or galling or destroying itself with each cycle when that slide flexes.

Dan Coonan does indeed recommend that his gun is run wet-- he says that if you shoot it and you end up with flung lube on your shooting hand & arm, that's the right amount.

Dan Coonan knows infinitely more about his guns (and most guns) than I'll ever know, but I can tell you that I do not run mine that wet. I run it nicely lubed with nothing flinging anywhere, but the key for me is that I run it with strongly built handloads. From 125 to 158 grains jacketed and 158 grain to 180 cast lead, with a few different powders. Mine runs all of the time in my hands. It will fail to function in certain hands -- same guys each time, who don't manage to grip it the way the pistol wants. In my hands and most of the folks who shoot it (and love it), it runs like an animal and just begs for more.

as for the lube, I started with Shooter's Choice gun grease which I like on most of my semi-autos because it stays where I put it. When I found out the Coonan is recommended to use FP-10, I snagged a bottle of it and I've been using it on the Coonan. FP-10 is definitely a lube and not a grease, and it's not cheap stuff.
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Old November 9, 2012, 09:23 PM   #30
blaiwayw
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Yes, It's the slide...

SEVENS. Thanks for correcting me about the slide flexing in recoil, not the barrel. That's what I meant to comment on. The videos on the Coonan web site are pretty good. Fun to listen to comments right from the "man".
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Old November 11, 2012, 06:51 PM   #31
nstoolman1
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I can tell you the Classic is a flame thrower and shoots flawlessly. I love it.
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Old November 14, 2012, 04:07 PM   #32
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I have shoot a Coonan a few times. They are very fun guns and I would like to get one. Too bad the money is short at the moment and I still got to pay for Christmas.
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Old November 14, 2012, 04:25 PM   #33
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They do look like a fun gun. I like the entire idea of the gun. Being a 10mm guy, I probably will have to get a Coonan. My large complete handgun collection suddenly seems like there is a hole in it for this gun and being a reloader, I can cook up some nasty loads for the woods. My wife is gonna be ******.
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Old November 14, 2012, 04:52 PM   #34
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Looked one over very carefully this weekend at a show. Wish I could have afforded it. Seems like a really nice gun.
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Old November 3, 2013, 10:42 PM   #35
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Resurrecting an old thread but wanted to drop by and say that I finally got a Coonan this weekend.

Gave up trying to order from Coonan about a year ago when they would not return my calls or web inquiries and spent the money on other guns.

Found a new one at a gun show for the same price as the website and had the money in my pocket so home it went. Probably would have got the options a little different if I ordered it but the wait time to take it home turned out to be about the same.

Have not shot it yet but it is going to keep me up at night tell I do. Hope I like it as much as I think I will, have been looking at this one a long time.
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Old November 3, 2013, 11:15 PM   #36
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Pics?
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Old November 4, 2013, 12:40 AM   #37
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Haha, I remember this thread. Great to hear that you got one. I'm bummed that you had no luck in trying to communicate with them -- I haven't had a reason to try, but I don't like to hear that someone else had poor luck with 'em.

Magazines are pretty tough to get right one, so I hope ya got a couple with your purchase. Mine is still running like a top, but I'll note that I tend to run a lot more hot .38 through it (with the accessory 10-lb spring) than I do .357. And that's not because I don't enjoy the .357 as much (I like it MORE!), it's just simply that my club range offers a whole slew of steel targets and we don't do magnum ammo on the steel. So if I want a lot of trigger time, I'm doing it with .38 Special.
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Old November 4, 2013, 12:34 PM   #38
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Quote:
but wanted to drop by and say that I finally got a Coonan this weekend.
If you are a handloader, please do visit this thread:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=466534
And please add to that thread with anything you come up with!
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Attention Brass rats and other reloaders: I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.
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Old November 4, 2013, 04:45 PM   #39
Chaz88
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Quote:
If you are a handloader, please do visit this thread:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=466534
And please add to that thread with anything you come up with!
I was on that thread in the past. I would still like to use my own cast bullets and will be looking into the best way to go about that. I need to do some more alloy research first though. I generally cast with a mix of wheal weights and plumbers. I am thinking upping the WW and lowering the plumbers in a round nose mold might be the way to go. But I am going to have to find the time to do some testing. I do not want to get too hard and cause more problems.
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Seams like once we the people give what, at the time, seams like a reasonable inch and "they" take the unreasonable mile we can only get that mile back one inch at a time.

No spelun and grammar is not my specialty. So please don't hurt my sensitive little feelings by teasing me about it.
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