The Coonan .357 Magnum Automatic combines 1911 styling and semi-automatic operation with the hard-hitting performance of the .357 Magnum cartridge.
I never saw it while watching the old TV show, but if the Incredible Hulk ever carried a 1911 pistol, I imagine that it would have been the Coonan Classic .357 Magnum Automatic Pistol. This is a big gun—and it needs to be, in order to accommodate those long .357 Magnum cartridges. While I am no Hulk, it still fit my hand comfortably. However, those with smaller hands may find it hard to handle when firing.
Gun Details
The Coonan is modeled after the classic John M. Browning-designed 1911 pistol. It is a stainless steel-framed, recoil-operated, semi-automatic that is chambered in .357 Magnum with a 7+1 capacity. However, this is not simply a 1911 pistol chambered for a different cartridge, and it features many unique elements that make it its own species.
Unlike on a standard 1911, the Coonan’s trigger rotates along an axis pin, resulting in a two-stage 5-pound trigger squeeze for the shooter.
The entire gun has an even and attractive brushed stainless finish, and the frame-to-slide fit is very tight with no visible gaps showing. The flat surfaces of the long slide seem perfect for engraving as well, offering massive amounts of wide open space should anyone wish to do so.
The barrel flares out slightly for a tighter fit with the barrel bushing. Also note the full-length dustcover and below the slide.
Reliably firing a rimmed cartridge designed for revolvers out of an autopistol has its own challenges starting with accommodating the rounds in the magazine. The stout, stainless steel magazine included with the Coonan Classic arranges each round so that the rim of the round on top sits in front of the rim of the cartridge underneath it. In this way the rounds don’t catch on the rims and they can easily fit in a straight magazine.
The unique nature of the Coonan is visibly obvious in the length of its grip frame, housing the long .357 Magnum cartridges in the magazine.
