Coonan
Coonan grips
Coonan (originally Coonan Arms) was founded in the late 1970s in St. Paul, Minnesota, by firearms designer Dan Coonan. While pursuing graduate studies in industrial and technical fields, Dan designed a groundbreaking 1911-style semi-automatic pistol chambered in .357 Magnum as a drafting project in 1977—a challenging feat due to the rimmed revolver cartridge's feeding issues in a double-stack magazine
He established the company to produce this innovative handgun, with the first production models available in 1983. The stainless-steel Coonan .357 Magnum Automatic combined M1911 ergonomics with revolver-level power, appealing to enthusiasts seeking high-velocity semi-auto performance
Dan sold the business to Bill Davis in 1985 and departed in 1990. Rising costs led to Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1994; it was absorbed by JS Worldwide but dissolved in 1998
In 2009, Dan Coonan, Dave Neville, and Gordy Davis revived it as Coonan Inc., reintroducing the upgraded Classic model. Based in Blaine, Minnesota, it also offered custom 1911s and FAL receivers. The company ceased operations in 2019, leaving a legacy of bold engineering in the firearms world
