I have a Redhawk .480 Ruger and have killed a couple of deer with it. It’s not bad at all, but it was promoted as punching way above its recoil.

I have never shot anything larger than that though in a handgun.

I say that if shooting the big hand cannons (and rifles!) makes you happy, do it! I have the 480 Ruger and the 460 Rowland and have always wanted to at least shoot a 50AE. My hardest kicking rifle is a very early Ruger #1 in 30/06. When I use my 220 grain round nose bullet hand loads, it delivers about all the punishment off the bench that I care to take.

Took the Coonan out this morning and did a side-by-side comparison of the "perceived recoil" between it and my Ruger GP 100 and S&S 686, both with 4 1/4 inch barrels. Used Winchester 110 grain and Fiocchi 147 grain ammo for the test. My conclusion is that, of the 3, the heavy Coonan (48 ounces, empty) was no more unpleasant to shoot than the revolvers. The Coonan was also more accurate, at the 15 yard range, than either revolver. It is also way more fun to shoot than the Rowland or the 480 Ruger!

Have you tried it with .38 special?

Not yet. It only became "mine" a few days ago. But I will be replacing the spring to allow me to use the .38 once I have more trigger time in the .357Mag configuration. These darned "honey-do" projects and work demands are interfering with my firearm playtime!

It's just a .357. Geez. My son and I have been known to take our .357's out and shoot 200 rounds apiece and have a big time doing it....I wish you hadn't posted this. I now want one too.

I've wanted one for a while to add to my .357 collection. I currently have multiple 357 revolvers and rifles, and this would compliment that collection oh so well! Just got to get past the $1600 price tag!

I'm a .357/.44 mag guy and I have always wanted the Coonan. I handled two at their booth at NRA on Saturday - both were compensated. It just cemented my desire to get one.......

Double post

I’ll buy it for what you paid +$100. It would go nicely with my .357 Magnum desert eagle.

Thanks for the offer, Precision_Shooter, but I want to play around with it for a while to see if I can find a place for it in my armory. The old gentleman that I bought it from told me that he always ran reloads in it at the "maximum safe" powder level. I mentioned to him that when I shot the Winchester 110's and Fiocchi 147's in it, the recoil and muzzle blast were not as severe as I recalled. He smiled and said, "those were whimp loads you were shooting in it; mine were Marine Corps loads."

I am forecasting that you will keep it! I know that I would