I have two of the first run Model "B" guns
Gutterman, thanks for asking.
They are strong. Also heavy and large. Not as large as the Desert Eagle, but large enough to count as such. They feel (I have not measured) narrower than my .45 ACP 1911s, but a bit taller and longer. Takedown is the same as any 1911 gun, but they have no barrel link Instead, a linkless system. It makes no difference to the operation.
They have single-stack magazines, so do not come near the round count of 9mm or .40 S&W. Also, since the grips have to contain the longish .357 mag cartridge, the grips are WAY too long for shooters with smaller hands.
The magazine springs are the strongest I have ever felt. Fortunately, the guns are supplied with a loading assist tool and if you lose that, a finishing nail will do very nicely. Just stick it through the magazine follower (the magazine is slotted to allow that) and pull down. Most magazine assist tools (Super-Thumb and Uplula, for example) cannot fit over the Coonan magazine. Magazine is just too long.
One of my guns is definitely not a tack driver. The other as good as my Colt Gold Cup or any revolver I own except maybe my Dan Wesson .22 or my Colt Trooper 8".
Rimmed cartridges are well-known to be difficult to design a magazine for, but my guns (4 magazine) have never had a feeding problem. Getting the cartridges out and cycling through the action has never been a problem. Getting them into the magazine is tough (as I mentioned before), but worth it.
With a recoil spring and the gun's weight) absorbing some of the recoil, the guns are sweet shooters.
Lost Sheep