.357 Sig

WJP9 · May 12th, 2006, 09:53 AM

Law in RI is that you cannot carry a caliber larger than what you qualified with (i.e. If you qualify with a 9mm you can carry a 9mm or anything lower, but no .40, .45, etc).

I qualified with a .357 magnum as I had sold my 1911 about a year ago and do not currently own a .45. Thus, the largest weapon that I could legally carry per RI State law is a .357.

I plan to use my Kahr P9 as my main carry (the wait has been brutal!) but would like to have a larger carry piece available as well. This brings me to my question on .357 Sig round. Who owns this caliber and what are your feelings on the ammo, accuracy, balistics, and compatable handguns. I've been looking at the SP2022 as an option.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976603339.htm

srfl · May 12th, 2006, 10:13 AM

I have a sigpro SP2340 in 357 SIG.....I love the gun. It's a bit lighter than my duty SIGARMS P229. It's accurate and handles the cartridge very well.

I've seen many an on-line argument regarding this round. The argument generally revolves around the wisdom behind the introduction and "purpose in life" over this cartridge. Many feel that a hot 9mm, most if not all .40 S&W's and/or a .45 ACP will do better or as well as a 357 SIG ballistically and perhaps those folks are right. But, being a fan of the uncommon (hence my love of the 10mm, .38 Super, and this caliber), that's why I carry it and own one other 357 SIG-chambered gun (a Steyr M357).

The premise behind this caliber was to put ".357 Magnum power" into an autopistol cartridge....some feel that SIG and Federal succeeded; one gun rag I read within the past two months had Massad Ayoob say that the idea fell slightly short because some 357 SIG ammo produced by some companies was no hotter than some manufacturer's 9mm +P+. Whatever the case is, there are LE agencies that adopted them, such as Texas DPS, Federal Air Marshal Service and U.S. Secret Service and they left behind .45 ACP, 9mm (in +P format) and other calibers in doing so and they seem to like the caliber.

....so the bottom line is, whatever floats your boat. I like the caliber; my sigpro and M357 are more accurate than their .40 S&W counterparts and I don't find the ammo prices objectionable.

Bud White · May 12th, 2006, 10:36 AM

I had one and regret selling it my was a lefty issue with the SIG i had one in 229 it was a fun caliber ammo selection isnt as big as 9mm or 357 magnum but it isnt that bad either

If ya want the Sig pocket rocket go with it you can always get a 40 barrel and swap to shoot 40's for cheeper ammo but same gun

Tom357 · May 12th, 2006, 05:10 PM

Pete's 357SIG page, if it still exists, is an excellent resource on the round, even though the information is dated. The 357SIG premium rounds are very consistent, usually within +/- 50fps mv. Accuracy is high. Trajectory is flat (and IIRC, rounds at 1450fps mv only fall off about 2" at 100 yds). One important difference between 357SIG and 9mm +P+ is that there is no standard for +P+. The 357SIG is a SAAMI spec standard load, which also means that your practice semi-wadcutters are going to give you very similar performance to your JHP's. Ayoob saying that the round falls short because some manufacturers load light ignores the capabilities of the round when loaded as intended: to push a 125gr bullet at 1450fps from the 4.4" barrel of a semi-automatic. If some manufacturers fail to do that, it's their problem, not the round. Also, there aren't a lot of 9mm pistols designed to eat +P+ ammo all day long. My 357SIG is designed to operate with its standard load all day long.

I shoot it from a P226ST. I think the size and weight of the pistol suit the round, very well. The VSP shoot it from a P229. I expect the P229ST would be a dream. Some of the Richmond PD shoot it from SigPro's, and love it. I do insist on premium ammo designed for optimal performance. I do not settle for underpowered ammo.

RSSZ · May 12th, 2006, 06:55 PM

I've always herd said that the "majical" 125gr.@1450 was outta a 6"bbl also.

I can't believe that ANY 9mm,be it +P+ or +P+++,could obtain the above velocities.

I feel that the .357Sig is a great man shooter. Just that it hasn't been tested as to the extent of other rds.

If I wern't such a die hard ACP man,the SIG is a cal. that I would take a close look at.

I have shot probably 300rds. from my friends Sig Pro 2340 and it shoots great with mild(?) recoil. -------

AKsrule · May 12th, 2006, 09:57 PM

Just for reference , WIN , REM, and FED all advertise 125gr at 1350fps
for the 357SIG - tested in a 4" barrel

ThatGunGuy · May 12th, 2006, 10:57 PM

I'm happier with the .357SIG round than any other round out there. I shoot a P229 with few modifications and it's my most accurate pistol. I have Hogue wraparound grips, Trijicon night sites and a tungsten guide rod. When I put the tungsten guide rod in, I switched the barrel out to a .40S&W and it felt like a low-loaded 9mm, if that. However, I love the .357SIG round. I shoot Speer JHP's and they perform fantastically. IF you have any questions, please PM or e-mail me

ThatGunGuy@gmail.com

Keep yer powder dry!

frankmako · May 12th, 2006, 11:53 PM

Never own one, but a team member had a Glock in 357sig at the range the other day. It was a fun gun to shoot. I far as I can see, nothing wrong with the 357sig, it will get the job done.
frankmako

NaturalSelection · May 14th, 2006, 01:15 AM

it is no surprise to me that the .357 auto has found such sweeping acceptance amongst law enforcement. the penetration of the .357 auto is amazing. the only automatic ive fired with comparable penetration (both using jhp bullets) is the 10mm.

fwiw, here are a few quotes from wiki:

"The .357 SIG offers a very flat trajectory like the 10 mm Auto. Combined with expanding bullets, it has very good stopping power. Its drawbacks are its harsh treatment of pistols that are chambered for the cartridge, which have the potential for accelerated wear if not of strong build, and its potential to overpenetrate. The .357 SIG, like the .357 Magnum, is well suited for the use of bullets that can defeat body armor.

This round is excellent when shooting through barricades may prove necessary. There has been a documented case where a police officer's .45 round did not penetrate a tractor's shell but a .357 SIG round from a backup officer's gun did (killing the suspect inside). The forementioned ability of this round to penetrate through barriers is the main reason behind its rapid and growing adoption by federal, state and local law enforcement.

Since the .357 SIG utilizes a standard 9 mm Luger bullet bottlenecked into a .40 S&W (10 mm) case, feeding problems are almost non-existent. This is because the bullet is channeled through the larger chamber before being seated entirely as the slide goes into full battery. Flat point bullets are seldom used with other autoloader platforms because of feeding problems; however, such bullets are commonly seen in the .357 SIG chambering and are quite reliable, as is the case with hollowpoint ammunition."

ive been a 1911 man for my entire life......right up until i bought my g31. both the weapon and the caliber are amazing, and it has become my daily carry. you can simply "feel the authority" of the caliber every time you shoot it and im not referencing a brutal recoil. the caliber simply has a feel all its own.

fed_wif_a_sig · May 14th, 2006, 11:42 AM

I've been issued and carry a 357Sig P229 for the past 4 years. I can tell you this that from all the shoorting reports I have heard about and studied the Speer Gold Dot 125gr does and awsome job.

In truth, what we have is a 125gr 9mm bullet (.366) loaded into a bottlenecked 40cal case traveling at between 1200 and 1300 fps. Makes a nice package. I still prefer the 45cal as if a HP fails to expand you still have .45" hitting the subject instead of .366". Just a personal opinion.

Steve

May 12th, 2006, 09:53 AM	#1
WJP9 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 764	.357 Sig Law in RI is that you cannot carry a caliber larger than what you qualified with (i.e. If you qualify with a 9mm you can carry a 9mm or anything lower, but no .40, .45, etc). I qualified with a .357 magnum as I had sold my 1911 about a year ago and do not currently own a .45. Thus, the largest weapon that I could legally carry per RI State law is a .357. I plan to use my Kahr P9 as my main carry (the wait has been brutal!) but would like to have a larger carry piece available as well. This brings me to my question on .357 Sig round. Who owns this caliber and what are your feelings on the ammo, accuracy, balistics, and compatable handguns. I've been looking at the SP2022 as an option. http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976603339.htm __________________ -Bill "I don't step aside. I step up." -Vic Mackey, THE SHIELD.

May 12th, 2006, 10:13 AM	#2
srfl Senior Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: FL Posts: 6,270	I have a sigpro SP2340 in 357 SIG.....I love the gun. It's a bit lighter than my duty SIGARMS P229. It's accurate and handles the cartridge very well. I've seen many an on-line argument regarding this round. The argument generally revolves around the wisdom behind the introduction and "purpose in life" over this cartridge. Many feel that a hot 9mm, most if not all .40 S&W's and/or a .45 ACP will do better or as well as a 357 SIG ballistically and perhaps those folks are right. But, being a fan of the uncommon (hence my love of the 10mm, .38 Super, and this caliber), that's why I carry it and own one other 357 SIG-chambered gun (a Steyr M357). The premise behind this caliber was to put ".357 Magnum power" into an autopistol cartridge....some feel that SIG and Federal succeeded; one gun rag I read within the past two months had Massad Ayoob say that the idea fell slightly short because some 357 SIG ammo produced by some companies was no hotter than some manufacturer's 9mm +P+. Whatever the case is, there are LE agencies that adopted them, such as Texas DPS, Federal Air Marshal Service and U.S. Secret Service and they left behind .45 ACP, 9mm (in +P format) and other calibers in doing so and they seem to like the caliber. ....so the bottom line is, whatever floats your boat. I like the caliber; my sigpro and M357 are more accurate than their .40 S&W counterparts and I don't find the ammo prices objectionable. __________________ USAF: Loving Our Obscene Amenities Since 1947

May 12th, 2006, 05:10 PM	#4
Tom357 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Richmond VA Posts: 686	Pete's 357SIG page, if it still exists, is an excellent resource on the round, even though the information is dated. The 357SIG premium rounds are very consistent, usually within +/- 50fps mv. Accuracy is high. Trajectory is flat (and IIRC, rounds at 1450fps mv only fall off about 2" at 100 yds). One important difference between 357SIG and 9mm +P+ is that there is no standard for +P+. The 357SIG is a SAAMI spec standard load, which also means that your practice semi-wadcutters are going to give you very similar performance to your JHP's. Ayoob saying that the round falls short because some manufacturers load light ignores the capabilities of the round when loaded as intended: to push a 125gr bullet at 1450fps from the 4.4" barrel of a semi-automatic. If some manufacturers fail to do that, it's their problem, not the round. Also, there aren't a lot of 9mm pistols designed to eat +P+ ammo all day long. My 357SIG is designed to operate with its standard load all day long. I shoot it from a P226ST. I think the size and weight of the pistol suit the round, very well. The VSP shoot it from a P229. I expect the P229ST would be a dream. Some of the Richmond PD shoot it from SigPro's, and love it. I do insist on premium ammo designed for optimal performance. I do not settle for underpowered ammo. __________________ - Tom You have the power to donate life.

May 12th, 2006, 09:57 PM	#6
AKsrule Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 653	Just for reference , WIN , REM, and FED all advertise 125gr at 1350fps for the 357SIG - tested in a 4" barrel __________________ ------- -SIG , it's What's for Dinner- know your rights! http://www.handgunlaw.us "If I walk in the woods, I feel much more comfortable carrying a gun. What if you meet a bear in the woods that's going to attack you? You shoot it." {Bernhard Goetz}

May 14th, 2006, 01:15 AM	#9
NaturalSelection Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Montana Posts: 401	it is no surprise to me that the .357 auto has found such sweeping acceptance amongst law enforcement. the penetration of the .357 auto is amazing. the only automatic ive fired with comparable penetration (both using jhp bullets) is the 10mm. fwiw, here are a few quotes from wiki: "The .357 SIG offers a very flat trajectory like the 10 mm Auto. Combined with expanding bullets, it has very good stopping power. Its drawbacks are its harsh treatment of pistols that are chambered for the cartridge, which have the potential for accelerated wear if not of strong build, and its potential to overpenetrate. The .357 SIG, like the .357 Magnum, is well suited for the use of bullets that can defeat body armor. This round is excellent when shooting through barricades may prove necessary. There has been a documented case where a police officer's .45 round did not penetrate a tractor's shell but a .357 SIG round from a backup officer's gun did (killing the suspect inside). The forementioned ability of this round to penetrate through barriers is the main reason behind its rapid and growing adoption by federal, state and local law enforcement. Since the .357 SIG utilizes a standard 9 mm Luger bullet bottlenecked into a .40 S&W (10 mm) case, feeding problems are almost non-existent. This is because the bullet is channeled through the larger chamber before being seated entirely as the slide goes into full battery. Flat point bullets are seldom used with other autoloader platforms because of feeding problems; however, such bullets are commonly seen in the .357 SIG chambering and are quite reliable, as is the case with hollowpoint ammunition." ive been a 1911 man for my entire life......right up until i bought my g31. both the weapon and the caliber are amazing, and it has become my daily carry. you can simply "feel the authority" of the caliber every time you shoot it and im not referencing a brutal recoil. the caliber simply has a feel all its own. __________________ Nathan in Montana 1911Talk.com ConcealedCarryForum.com GlockCarry.com HiPowerTalk.com p99sw99.com PPStalk.com P7talk.com

May 12th, 2006, 10:36 AM	#3
Bud White VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Elsewhere Posts: 17,476	I had one and regret selling it my was a lefty issue with the SIG i had one in 229 it was a fun caliber ammo selection isnt as big as 9mm or 357 magnum but it isnt that bad either If ya want the Sig pocket rocket go with it you can always get a 40 barrel and swap to shoot 40's for cheeper ammo but same gun

May 12th, 2006, 06:55 PM	#5
RSSZ Distinguished Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Posts: 1,847	I've always herd said that the "majical" 125gr.@1450 was outta a 6"bbl also. I can't believe that ANY 9mm,be it +P+ or +P+++,could obtain the above velocities. I feel that the .357Sig is a great man shooter. Just that it hasn't been tested as to the extent of other rds. If I wern't such a die hard ACP man,the SIG is a cal. that I would take a close look at. I have shot probably 300rds. from my friends Sig Pro 2340 and it shoots great with mild(?) recoil. -------

May 12th, 2006, 10:57 PM	#7
ThatGunGuy New Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: USA Posts: 8	I'm happier with the .357SIG round than any other round out there. I shoot a P229 with few modifications and it's my most accurate pistol. I have Hogue wraparound grips, Trijicon night sites and a tungsten guide rod. When I put the tungsten guide rod in, I switched the barrel out to a .40S&W and it felt like a low-loaded 9mm, if that. However, I love the .357SIG round. I shoot Speer JHP's and they perform fantastically. IF you have any questions, please PM or e-mail me ThatGunGuy@gmail.com Keep yer powder dry!

May 12th, 2006, 11:53 PM	#8
frankmako Distinguished Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Parts Unknown Posts: 1,889	Never own one, but a team member had a Glock in 357sig at the range the other day. It was a fun gun to shoot. I far as I can see, nothing wrong with the 357sig, it will get the job done. frankmako

May 14th, 2006, 11:42 AM	#10
fed_wif_a_sig Distinguished Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Denton, TX Posts: 1,365	I've been issued and carry a 357Sig P229 for the past 4 years. I can tell you this that from all the shoorting reports I have heard about and studied the Speer Gold Dot 125gr does and awsome job. In truth, what we have is a 125gr 9mm bullet (.366) loaded into a bottlenecked 40cal case traveling at between 1200 and 1300 fps. Makes a nice package. I still prefer the 45cal as if a HP fails to expand you still have .45" hitting the subject instead of .366". Just a personal opinion. Steve __________________ Steve "Respect all ... Fear none!!!

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