I have owned one since the late eighties. Used to shoot it often but haven't fired it in probably 10 years.
It IS an accurate handgun but I cannot say to the tenth of an inch just HOW good it shoots. Probably as good as any good 1911 and easier to hit at really long range 100+ yds due to less drop. Not as accurate as the Kimber Classic Custom in the pic with it...but not many guns are. The Kimber is amazing.
Reliability is very good to excellent...with ammo it likes. About like any other semi-auto pistol. When I first got it, after about 150 rounds it would no longer fire when the hammer was dropped. The hammer spring was replaced with a stronger one and no problems since.
I did some experiments to see where the threshold of functionality was and it ended up around 1050 fps with 158's. Any slower and they would not cycle the action. Over 1100 fps and you are good to go so any factory .357 or handloaded equivalent ammo will work fine. Bullet shape isn't a problem. LSWC to JHP's all feed great.
The only full power ammo it ever choked on was some Blue Dot handloads I cooked up that were Max (or a wee bit over) and caused extraction problems. Looked like the case was still expanded and gripping the chamber when the extractor was trying to pull it out. Would maybe have worked in nickled cases but these WERE some pretty hot rounds and it wasn't the only pistol to malfunction with them so I don't blame the Coonan.
Weight is just a bit more than the Kimber (or any other steel 1911) so it would probably be 42 oz or so. Not really noticeable holding them both in your hands but I'm pretty sure the Coonan is heavier.
"Suitable for CC?" Well, compared to a 1911 it is 1/4" longer (both with 5" barrels), 3/4" taller and about the same thickness so if you can conceal one you could conceivably conceal the other. I have carried it but normally used it as a car gun as it is just a little too big to be comfortable concealed unless wearing a jacket and the spare mags are bigger than the .45's making an additional burden to conceal.
The Coonan is well made and a lot of fun to shoot. Especially to see the reaction of others at the range when you unleash the fireball from what they casually think is 'just another 1911'.
