I run Speer Gold Dot in my M&P. I shoot Lawman or WWB at the range. It is expensive, although my dealer gives me a pretty good deal on it. Quite a little cheaper to shoot a 9 or a 40, but I just had to have one. It's fun to shoot and I trust it for carry. Other than the cost of the ammo, what more can you ask? Some folks don't like it, but I surely do. Others have said that Hornady is good stuff and that they offer a 147 grain load. I think somebody else offers another heavy load, not sure.

 

The gold dot is available here but the other two i haven't seen. I've been running the Military balistics industry ammo for about .35 a round. Never had a squib or missfire with one yet. I also like it because about half or more of the last 1,000 rounds I bought were nickle plated. I believe that in the not too distant future the .357 sig will become more popular and more affordable as people realize that it is a very formidable style of round for performance and dependability. I can shoot targets farther out than my brothers .45 and his wifes .40. my father is a .38 man but with the short length of his barrel it doesn't go as far and feels like a cannon in comparison. the .357 sig is snappy but controlable.

 

Bear here is a site I use for my Sig carry rounds: 357 SIG | SGAmmo.com

I'm carring the Ranger t-series normally, but gold dot is another.

However if money is an not object - Double Tap 147 gr.

DoubleTap Ammunition

The ranger and gold dot are LE proven, so I'd run with what the GGs use!

 

I use American Eagle or Speer lawman for practice and Federal HST or Speer Gold Dot for carry.

 

The big thing with most .357 SIG loads on the market is that they are loaded over 1,250-1,450 fps and good performers, no matter
what brand or weight people buy it in.

Most LE agencies have stayed with the tried and true 125 gr. loading, particular to the Gold Dot bonded JHP.

Both SPEER and Double Tap (.357 SIG Bonded Defense) offer the 125 GD, with SPEER in two flavors.
Cor-Bon and DT offer the 125 Sierra that has seen some action from the CCW crowd for good stopping power
as well.

Both Hornady and Double Tap offer a 147 gr.

I've never shot any Hornady, but can say the 147 9mm from DT is very stout in my RAMI.

The 147 FMJ-MATCH 147 .357 SIG from DT is very sweet shooting.

Lower recoil than the other loads and superply accurate to boot!

Then there are the BARNES X bullets as loaded by Cor-Bon and DT among others.

The 115 gr TAC-XP from DT is very accurate. The same bullet is loaded by CB in their
DPX line and there have been a few shootings that have showed the .357 SIG's prowess.

Double Tap's 80 grain TAC-X load is another one on the table.

All I can say.. is that interest in the cartridge builds each day and it is very deserving of a look by
any serious handgunner.

 

I use DoubleTap for 357 mag & 357 sig.

Georgia Arms - .357 SIG is about the most affordable for target rounds... $20 more per 500 rds than 40.

 

This is where I get mine. The cost is only SLIGHTLY more than .40 cal. Good stuff.

 

Do you think 147 gr. has some merit for defensive use?

I seems to kick less than the 125s.

 

wow clarkston_cz I love your post. Great Info. keep up the good work. I have to tell my dealer to buy the variances in the ammo and test some for myself. Its hard to find people who actually know the .357 sig. thanks again

 

I carry Winchester ranger T or Gold dot. Cheap ammo I just reload for range ammo. Brass can be bought for dirt cheap.

 

I've been intrigued with the .357 SIG since the very first day I seen a box of ammo, and like reading/learning about it.

Having tried a bunch of .40s out there, including the much vaunted Glock 23.

I was hooked the day I shot my first round of .357 SIG out of the same sized Glock!

Here is some info:

If we are talking the 180 gr. Hardcast from DT.

It will be the next load from Mike on my list.

I've read where a Trooper killed a Black Bear with his issued .357 Glock 31.
SPEER 125 gr. Gold Dot no doubt.

So this new DT load would be the one to take into the pine needles for the .357 SIG
owner, over the 125 Match or 147 Flat Point that is.

More info.



DoubleTap Ammunition

Other pics of some .357 SIG.

A closer look for you DT customers thinking about buying
more ammo, and for you .357 SIGGERS just wanting to look.



DT 125 gr. Bonded Defense-Gold Dot JHP.
3.5" barrel - 1415fps
4.5" barrel - 1525fps

Caliber : .357 Sig

Bullet : 125gr. Bonded Defense™ JHP

Ballistics : 1450fps / 584 ft. lbs. 4"bbl

NOSLER 115 gr. JHP
3.5" barrel - 1494fps
4.5" barrel - 1612fps

Caliber : .357 Sig

Bullet : 115gr. Nosler JHP

Ballistics : 1550fps / 614 ft. lbs. 4"bbl
(Can someone say SCREAMER??)
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb26/czrami/DOUBLE TAP 357 SIG/dt-nos.jpg

DT 147 gr. JHP

3.5" barrel - 1213fps
4.5" barrel - 1296fps

Caliber : .357 Sig

Bullet : 147gr. Winchester® JHP

Ballistics : 1250fps / 510 ft. lbs. 4"bbl

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb26/czrami/DOUBLE TAP 357 SIG/dt-147-1.jpg
(the DT 147 gr. 9mm JHP is HOT in my RAMI)
DT 125 gr. Full Metal Jacket-Match FP
3.5" barrel - 1415fps
4.5" barrel - 1525fps


Caliber : .357 Sig

Bullet : 125gr. FMJ=FP Match

Ballistics : 1450fps / 584 ft. lbs. 4"bbl

Box of 50rds.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb26/czrami/DOUBLE TAP 357 SIG/dtfull-2.jpg

Look here at all of my .357 SIG pics, and also at the new
DT 10mm ammo as well:

DOUBLE TAP 357 SIG pictures by czrami - Photobucket


More info at Double Tap:
DoubleTap Ammunition
I hope you enjoyed this,

KEV

 

I use target .357 sig loads from either midway usa or cheaper than dirt, 18$-$20 for 50. I carry Speer Gold Dots but would like to try Double Tap.

Sent from my PB99400 using Tapatalk

 

Even though they are Advertised Velocities and your results may vary.

The 125 gr. loads from DT run over 100 fps faster than the two comparable SPEER .357 SIG loads.

Same for the street proven Cor-Bon 125 gr. Sierra JHP that's used by DT as well.

Whether a person needs a bullet at around 1,400 fps in unknown, but both the Gold Dot
from Speer (as issued to most LE) and the Sierra.. seem to work well in shootings.

I like .357 Magnum, and love the 9mm.

Hate .40s. but like .45s.

Truly admire the 10mm ( shot one for 15 years), but seem to be infatuated by and with the .357 SIG!

I look at it as a Magnumized 9mm, but you can't get a 180 grain 9mm ( or .38 SUPER) load that I know of

 

I have some DT 125 gr JHP with the Sierra bullet, but are you certain the 125 gr "Bonded Defense" is using the Speer Gold Dot bullet?.... I thought I had heard they no longer did...?

 

Thanks for the education on the .357 SIG, clarkston_cz. :smile:

I'm new to this caliber, and although I really bought it for range use, it does sit in the safe, too, for HD duty. It's good to have this info. from you. Thanks for sharing it!

 

I actually know more about .380..

9mm and 10mm than I do .357 SIG, but learning about this dynamic stopper is
quite fun.

I only wish more companies like CZ would offer guns for it.

The P-06 from CZ CUSTOM is dreamy, but also spendy for most.

KEV

 

When I'm not carrying my G30SF, I am carrying my G23 with a .357sig barrel in it, loaded with these:
Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Ammunition :: Handgun :: Choose by Caliber :: 357 Sig :: 357 Sig 147 gr XTP®
Here ther are cheaper:
6-0306158 - Ammo .357 SIG Hornady Custom XTP 147 Grain JHP 1225 fps 20 Round Box

My wife also shoots .357sig from the .357 sig barrel in my G27. But she likes these:
6-0305932 - Ammo .357 SIG Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point 125 Grain 1375 fps 20 Round Box

She seems to shoot them better so I don't complain about it.

As for range ammo we shoot whatever we can get the cheapest and easiest at the time. I have found that if you shop around on the net you can find deals on range ammo. But the carry ammo is in the same price range as .40.

 

The new DT 180gr Hardcast looks good so far. You can tell they are heavy for a 9mm/357 bullet in your hand.

They seem to hand feed and eject from the Glock 32.

 

The new Double Tap production of the 125 grain Gold Dot uses Gold Dots for sure.

I have two boxes of them.

More info if interested, they now come in 20 round boxes as well.:

DoubleTap Ammunition

DoubleTap Ammunition

 

Love Doubletap ammo- especially their 357 125gr jhp Sierra-fragments just like the 357 magnum!

 

Kind of like buying a vehicle that performs best with high octane fuel. How much does it really matter if you put mid grade in it? A vehicle should always be well maintained in order to be most efficient. Keeping it well maintained pretty much dictates you put the required fuel in it right? The vehicle itself may have been a good price......often times you'll need to look beyond that in order to make the best decision.

 

i usually use Winchester White Box, Remington Yellow box, or Speer Lawman practice ammo. Self defense rounds have included Federal 125 grain JHP's, Triton Quik Shok and JHP's, with a brief flirtation with RBCD sintered rounds. probably going to the tried and true Speer 125 grain Gold Dots. or i may try some of the VERY interesting offerings from Double Tap. (thanks, guys!) since .357SIG was designed to resemble the ballistics of the very street-proven .357Magnum 125 grain SJHP's from Federal and Remington, i see no reason to try the heavier SIG rounds for personal SD against humans.

as an early adopter of this caliber (Sig P-229/.357SIG in 1995), i am pleased that there are a significant number of people on this site who use this caliber in their carry guns. in 1995, i figured that if the caliber died, i'd just buy a .40S&W barrel and shoot .40. well, i've bought the .40 barrel, but i rarely use it. i did read a magazine article a few months ago that listed .357SIG as among the declining calibers in terms of popularity. (comments, anyone?)

also interesting to me that site consensus seems to be that .357SIG recoils LESS than .40S&W. while this is my opinion as well (based on casual memory and virtually NO comparison shooting), Ammo and Ballistics 3 rates the .40 as a .74 on its recoil scale and .357SIG slightly higher at .76. A&B3 also rates 9x19 at .65, .45ACP at .93, and .357Magnum at .89. i'm guessing that this rating does NOT take into account the guns that typically shoot these calibers. i know that i find .45ACP MUCH easier to shoot in my guns - even my S&W 625 revolvers, than full power .357Magnum in a 4" K-frame or Ruger GP-100.




"War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend..." Faramir to Frodo and Sam in JRR Tokien's The Two Towers. with appreciation to the fellow DC member who used this in a post. i couldn't locate the post to credit him/her, but thank you.

 

I know that the Speer 125 Gold dot is the golden rule for stopping power in the .357 SIG, but in my humble opinion.

The Barnes X as in TAC XP and others is a more advanced bullet that you never have to worry about being bonded or not.

It seems to be at the top of most any tests these days, and based on my limited research, it works well in 9mm.

Punch it up a couple 100 fps or so into .357 SIG and you can see why I have no qualms carrying it.

The Sierra 125 gr. load has worked well in at least one shooting that I know of as well.

I'd like to see Double Tap and others offer a 125 gr. Barnes TAC-XP for those guys who would jump the
fence(so to speak) if they could get a 125 with even more velocity than the Gold Dot 125s.

like I've said before, this .357 SIG is very interesting.

 

Corbons 125gr. JHP has a proven street record!
Out of a 4 inch barrell thie ammo reaches 1425fps.

 

I just ordered 150rds of 125grain Federal HST JHP that I will be testing for one of my carry loads in 357Sig. When I carry my M&P357Sig it is loaded with Speer Gold Dot 125Grain Jhp. From all of the testing that I have seen, Federal HST is a consistent performer. Hope to put Federal HST into the 357Sig carry rotation.

 

Eager to see any test results you get for .357sig round!

 

Cat-O-Matic,"TnOutdoors9" has a very good YouTube video of a Federal HST 357Sig ammo test he just did the other week.

 

Thank-You! I love watching good ammo test videos! Time to get my afternoon coffee!

 

I wonder how fast some of those rounds would be out of a 5.5" barrel like I put in my nightstand Beretta?

Or maybe out of a rifle length barrel?