So, I'm torn.... when I got old enough to get into guns I started with 357 mag revolvers but then after a few years 'discovered' Semi-autos and specifically 9mm.... fun and to a degree easy & cheap to shoot.

One of my problems is my original and main email address is 'blume357' which as you can see is a serious and hypocritical conflict. I've been thinking about fixing this by buying one or two handguns chambered in Sig 357. Since I am now a Sig fan (moved up from Rugers in my opinion) these would also be Sigs..

Wikipedia says the Sig 357 is much like the 125 grain 357 magnum round which I hated shooting, I preferred when I did shoot my revolvers to shoot either 158 grain mags or just 38 specials. One of the pistols I would go with for sure is the P239, which I carry now in 9mm... the other would be a P226.

What is y'alls opinion on the Sig 357?

It's an ok round but it really doesn't do anything a good 9mm round can do. Lot of noise, blast etc.

I have a 239 and 229 that can shoot 9,40 and 357 Sig. I prefer the recoil of the 357 compared to the 40. 357 tends to be the most accurate of the calibers, except my Barsto 9mm barrel in the 239. Not much advantage over a +P 9mm. Just sold an HK P2000 40 with a 357 Sig barrel. The new owner loves the 357 Sig out of that gun.

For years the 357 Sig was my "go to" round. I had several pistols (P229, P226 and 1911) in the caliber and even reloaded it. It is extremely accurate and in my opinion easier to shoot than the 40 S&W. I would still be shooting it today if was not for the arthritis in hands. Try it I think you will enjoy it....

I have a P229 in 357 and it's awesome. I don't shoot it anymore because I'm primarily a Glock guy because we're a Glock agency. I get enough 357 shooting since we're issued the 31 and I carry a 32 off duty. But I had to have the P229 since it was SIG's gun for 357.

I have SIGs, Glocks and HKs in 357. I'm searching for a cheap Beretta 8357.

One thing you may have overlooked:

A 357 Magnum being fired from a pistol uses the slide inertia and recoil spring(s) to cycle the action.
A 357 Magnum being fired from a revolver uses a piece of steel to send the inertia into your wrist.

Shooting 357 Sig is different. You should be able to have a flatter trajectory with the 357 Sig than either the 9 or 40. For self defense, 357 Sig and 10mm are among the few pistol rounds that cause cavitation upon impact.

It’s a hyper accurate,flat shooting, high velocity 9mm on steroids that makes no excuses nor needs any. When matted to the P239, it’s just about perfect!

Where are you getting this? I've never seen anything in any tests that indicate this.

Everything I've ever read states that cavitation, hydrostatic shock, or whatever your want to call it, does NOT become a factor in wounding / tissue destruction, until the projectile passes the 2000 F/S threshold. Below that, only direct crush from the projectile causes destruction of tissue. If you have information otherwise, please post.

quote:

Originally posted by .38supersig:
For self defense, 357 Sig and 10mm are among the few pistol rounds that cause cavitation upon impact.

Expensive, hard to find cartridge that is difficult to reload for, and doesn't do much more for you than a quality 9mm+p, while suffering from the same reduced mag capacity of the .40.

On the plus side, it's bottleneck design is supposed to facilitate reliable feeding, and the muzzle blast is kinda cool. I found it to have less recoil than a .40, and far less than a .357 mag...but has been explained in this thread already, the action of a semi-auto is going to absorb much of the recoil of a .357 Sig, while a revolver in .357 mag transfers it all to the shooter.

If I had an agency budget to pay for and source it in bulk for me I'd be happy to carry it...but as an individual it's just not worth the extra expenses and hastle.

It's been my carry cartridge for almost 15 years.

It's not difficult to reload compared to anything else. Some people like to complicate the process for some reason. As with any caliber, it's more affordable if you buy in bulk. I've NEVER had any feeding issues with it. It's really fun to shoot and does a number on water jugs when using JHPs.

If you just want to punch a ticket, get a P320FS and punch the ticket. Recoil is noticeably less of an issue than with a standard P226, and I'd be willing to bet that the same holds true relative to a 239. Triggers are good, accuracy is good, pistols are relatively inexpensive. Who knows? Maybe you'll really dig the 147-grain loads.

I am a BIG 357SIG supporter. I have been involved with the cartridge since the mid 1990s when I was working out in Dallas County



357SIG does exactly what it was designed to do, provide a semi-auto cartridge with the same external ballistics as the #1, single shot man-stopper in all recorded shootings.
That cartridge is the 125 grain 357 Magnum JHP.



As already stated, the recoil impulse of a semi-auto is much different than a revolver.
Do not let your previous revolver experience stop you from trying this cartridge.
Unfortunately, I am not in Greenberg or I would gladly meet you for some hands on interaction with the cartridge and various firearms.



For the Law Enforcement Officer working the Highway Patrol beat, it is SIGnificantly better than the 9MM as it provides superior window and door/body penetration over any 9MM offering that is in the marketplace



And Yes, I have personally needed to shoot through a windshield to save a life

Does the 357SIG cartridge do anything better for the average Joe punching paper, of course not

Though the bottleneck design does make the 357SIG super reliable and it is amazingly flat shooting

As a personal defense cartridge? That is mostly personal preference. The 9MM has been around over a hundred years and is a very effective choice for personal defense

IF you are looking to buy a single box or two of 357SIG ammunition from the local emporium, sure it might be hard to find and more money than 9MM

I have never have an issue getting ammunition. I just hit my keyboard and have a case delivered to the house. I know not everyone can buy a case at a time, but that is truly the way to go to save money on any caliber. Once you have your first case staying stocked is easy

I used to go through 6000+ rounds of 357SIG per year. But that is when I had buddies coming into town and wanting to shoot my guns. And we were feeding an MP5/357 SMG

SIG makes a wonderful assortment of pistols chambered in this cartridge, I am certain you will find one or more of them will easily fill the bill as your next purchase

This message has been edited. Last edited by: colt_saa,

I shot next to a LEO here recently who was shooting a 229 in 357 Sig. They seem pretty loud at an indoor range. I was shooting 10mm next to him. The other people at the range didn't hang around long.

+

I've shot it, and it's nice, but I have no desire to pay for it. It's a round that I think makes a lot of sense for LEO, as it's a great penetrator of auto glass, car doors, heavy clothing, etc., which can be a difference maker in law enforcement shooting. Note that the Secret Service carried the .357 SIG for years, only now switching to 9mm.

Practically speaking, with the advances in 9mm technology, there really isn't a compelling reason to have it now as performance isn't that much better, capacity is lower and recoil and blast are greater. It suffers from the same faults as the .40, and I own a couple of .40s.

So I guess the point of all of this is, get it if it interests you, and you will enjoy it, but there really isn't a practical reason to own it over a 9mm any more.

I only still own .40 because I could find it in stores without fail during the Obama drought. Any new defensive pistol I buy will be a 9mm.

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
If you have information otherwise, please post.

Checked around and couldn't find my source. Getting old sucks.

One other thing that would be worth mentioning is that .38 Super gives similar performance of a 357 Sig, but gives the capacity of a 9mm. Neither one are as affordable as a 9mm.

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
Where are you getting this? I've never seen anything in any tests that indicate this.

Everything I've ever read states that cavitation, hydrostatic shock, or whatever your want to call it, does NOT become a factor in wounding / tissue destruction, until the projectile passes the 2000 F/S threshold. Below that, only direct crush from the projectile causes destruction of tissue. If you have information otherwise, please post.

quote:

Originally posted by .38supersig:
For self defense, 357 Sig and 10mm are among the few pistol rounds that cause cavitation upon impact.

Reading this thread is giving me the strangest feeling of deja vu, all over again.

I can understand why.

quote:

Originally posted by RichardC:

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
Where are you getting this? I've never seen anything in any tests that indicate this.

Everything I've ever read states that cavitation, hydrostatic shock, or whatever your want to call it, does NOT become a factor in wounding / tissue destruction, until the projectile passes the 2000 F/S threshold. Below that, only direct crush from the projectile causes destruction of tissue. If you have information otherwise, please post.

quote:

Originally posted by .38supersig:
For self defense, 357 Sig and 10mm are among the few pistol rounds that cause cavitation upon impact.

Reading this thread is giving me the strangest feeling of deja vu, all over again.

quote:

Originally posted by .38supersig:
One other thing that would be worth mentioning is that .38 Super gives similar performance of a 357 Sig, but gives the capacity of a 9mm.

While I am a 38 SUPER shooter, I must disagree.

SAAMI specification loaded 38SUPER ammunition does not come up to the level of equaling 357SIG external ballistics. 38SUPER kind of splits the difference between the cartridges

However, 9x23 Winchester and 356TSW do both offer extremely similar external ballistics when loaded with the 125 grain projectiles while maintaining the same cartridge capacity as their 9MM brothers

.357 Sig is no where near the equivalent of a 9mm +P. It far exceeds it. It is an accurate, very flat shooting, very powerful handgun cartridge that has tremendous real world results when used against both human and animal subjects.
In fact, if it had not been for the cost and the lack of availability as compared to other calibers (9mm, .40 and .45 chiefly) and the added wear it puts on some handguns, it would have dominated the handgun market.
Folks tend to point to this fact to somehow claim that its really just a jacked up 9mm, or to say it won't do anything that a 9mm +P won't do etc.. etc..
just not true in my opinion. Its a great round, that just did not become widespread because of factors not related to its performance versus other rounds.
Want a little support that what i say is true?? Look at the resurgence of the 10mm. Nobody ever doubted its ballistic advantages, it was just expensive and not readily available for a long time. Now, there are dozens of manufacturers for the 10mm, dozens of pistols, it can be had for the cost of .45 in alot of cases, and presto its now very popular.

quote:

Originally posted by Bulldog7972:
It's an ok round but it really doesn't do anything a good 9mm round can do.

Annnnnd away we go... again