I was grocery shopping and walked by the magazine aisle in my local store. I thumbed through the June/July edition of Handguns magazine(June/July issue already?). I came across an article on five handgun calibers on the verge of non-existence. Two honorable mentions were the .357 SIG and the .45 GAP. I could possibly understand the .45 GAP, but the .357 SIG does have some loyal fans(I have seen a few of them here). What are some handgun/rifle calibers that you think will go the way of the dinosaur?
Interesting article in a magazine.
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It's a bummer that .357 SIG hasn't caught on across more manufacturers of guns. It's one heck of a decent round, IMO. Great reliability, great ballistics. Can't imagine why it has traditionally been so much more expensive for ammo, given only slight differences in the casing. ~70% more punch than a comparable 9mm. The .400 Corbon is much the same sort of round, bottlenecked with a .40.
I would hazard additionally the venerable 45.70, 45.90, .577 just to name three. I have a small collection of various calibers. Single rounds mostly, some fired others it's the complete round. My personal favorite is a complete 37mm AP round I paid $20 for june of 2002. It's from a 1918 Era Hotchkiss gun. Like I've got about 1 1/2 boxes of Remingtonn 22 from when I was just a kid at 18. My stepdad may he RIP gave me a full 20R box of 30.06 AP from the Lake City Ordnance Plant maybe 17 years ago.
Looking back on my life my penchant for WWII collecting is all the fault of my Mom and Dad when I was starting third grade. We moved into a new house. When my Sis and I were turned loose to explore our new digs my first discovery was a WWII Navy web belt w/Signal Flare Pistol w/canvas holster, canteen cover,canteen cup and canteen. Twin 45 pouch, Carlisle Dressing Pouch and Steel Pot with Liner. I still have most of it. All that's missing is the full flap holster.
Looking back on my life my penchant for WWII collecting is all the fault of my Mom and Dad when I was starting third grade. We moved into a new house. When my Sis and I were turned loose to explore our new digs my first discovery was a WWII Navy web belt w/Signal Flare Pistol w/canvas holster, canteen cover,canteen cup and canteen. Twin 45 pouch, Carlisle Dressing Pouch and Steel Pot with Liner. I still have most of it. All that's missing is the full flap holster.
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Prior to the panic, .357 Sig passed the "Walmart" test. It still has a lot of law enforcement use. I don't have data to back it up, but my perception, is that it is actually growing. Absolutely awesome cartridge!
I suppose there are tons of rifle calibers nearing extinction.
Handgun, Idk, .41 Colt? 455 Webley? .30 Luger? What is the criteria?
I don't think the 327 Mag. has caught on as well as they hoped. Just doesn't seem like near the interest in revolvers as there used to be, and I think that is sad.
I suppose there are tons of rifle calibers nearing extinction.
Handgun, Idk, .41 Colt? 455 Webley? .30 Luger? What is the criteria?
I don't think the 327 Mag. has caught on as well as they hoped. Just doesn't seem like near the interest in revolvers as there used to be, and I think that is sad.
I am really leaning to picking a pistol in .357 SIG. Only three manufacturers seem to have pistols chambered in 357 SIG. Glock, Springfield Armory, and SIG. Might as well stick with Glock since I am used to that platform. Can get a 40 S&W barrel to go with it. How hard are these particular Glocks to find I wonder?
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I'm a new convert to the .357 Sig and I really don't see it dying off. There are a lot of LE agencies (USSS, many state police including TX, VA, NM, NC, DE etc., many local agencies such as Dallas PD and so on) that issue or authorize it. 45 GAP is a different can of worms, yes, it does have LE users and a group of civilian users. The problem with it is a)It is intended to fix a problem that really isn't a problem b) If you want a gun that fires it, you basically have to buy a Glock (unless you're one of the 8 people in the world who own an XD chambered for it) and it is almost impossible to find the ammo in stores, regardless of the ammo market supply/demand.
45 GAP is intended to be a flatter flying big bore round that fits in a medium size frame, 357 Sig is intended to closely replicate the performance of 357 Magnum fired from a full size revolver in a semi auto friendly size cartridge. Although .45 ACP is well known for being a great man stopper, it also has been shown to have questionable performance against hard barriers like sheet metal and laminated glass, 357 Sig has shown great performance against the same barriers. As long as Glock keeps making the 37,38 and 39, there will be somebody making ammo for them, but not many. I can count on two fingers the number of times I have seen GAP ammo on the shelf in a store.
The underlying reason for the existence I think is really driven by one intangible: Gaston's ego...
On another note, it annoys me to no end hearing/reading people say that the 357 Sig is a .40 S&W necked down to 9mm...THAT IS NOT TRUE!!! AHHHH!!!! :aargh4:
They were developed during the same general time period, .40 came out in late '91, 357 Sig in mid '92 and went into service with Texas DPS about a year later.
45 GAP is intended to be a flatter flying big bore round that fits in a medium size frame, 357 Sig is intended to closely replicate the performance of 357 Magnum fired from a full size revolver in a semi auto friendly size cartridge. Although .45 ACP is well known for being a great man stopper, it also has been shown to have questionable performance against hard barriers like sheet metal and laminated glass, 357 Sig has shown great performance against the same barriers. As long as Glock keeps making the 37,38 and 39, there will be somebody making ammo for them, but not many. I can count on two fingers the number of times I have seen GAP ammo on the shelf in a store.
The underlying reason for the existence I think is really driven by one intangible: Gaston's ego...
On another note, it annoys me to no end hearing/reading people say that the 357 Sig is a .40 S&W necked down to 9mm...THAT IS NOT TRUE!!! AHHHH!!!! :aargh4:
They were developed during the same general time period, .40 came out in late '91, 357 Sig in mid '92 and went into service with Texas DPS about a year later.
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That's a shame! The 9x23 Winchester is awe-inspiring, just wish it was chambered in more pistols. An HK P30S in 9x23 would be godlike...
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You can still pick up a HK P2000 SK or a full size HK P2000 in 357 Sig. All the firearms mentioned have a conversation Barrel to .40 S&W. You can even buy a .357 Sig Barrel for the HK P30 40 S&W!
The only knock in the Rag's article was that most .357 SIGs have a barrel shorter than 4"! Every SD round loses velocity and performance in a short barreled pistol, even the vaunted 45 ACP performance degrades when you go from a 5" duty to a 4" barrel or even worst a 3" barrel! So his knock is nothing but Male Bovine Feces!
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Unless they have recently changed,i know the S.C. highway patrol are issued the 45 Glock Gap.It's been a while back,but,i had the chance to shoot one.I like it,but to big to conceal,for me.
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Don't ever say that about the .41 Colt! (JK...Prior to the panic, .357 Sig passed the "Walmart" test. It still has a lot of law enforcement use. I don't have data to back it up, but my perception, is that it is actually growing. Absolutely awesome cartridge!
I suppose there are tons of rifle calibers nearing extinction.
Handgun, Idk, .41 Colt? 455 Webley? .30 Luger? What is the criteria?
I don't think the 327 Mag. has caught on as well as they hoped. Just doesn't seem like near the interest in revolvers as there used to be, and I think that is sad.
saa.
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Within the confines of this household the .41 Long Colt is pretty popular. It's even been toted for field use and for self-defense on occasion.
The .41 Magnum is esteemed here as well.
The .41 Magnum is esteemed here as well.
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