I currently have a couple of .357 Magnums (640-1 and a 19 K Comp) and a P229 in .40 (old school model with a German frame). I’m toying with the idea of getting a .357 Sig barrel for the 229 - what are the benefits of the .357 Sig? I’d like something for bigger threats (of the 4 legged variety). Any thoughts?

I'm not aware of any other than being available in common auto pistols.

Ballistically, there is nothing a 357 Sig can do that a 357 mag can't do better. Especially against 4 legged animals where a 158-180gr bullet would be appropriate

I consider the 357 SIG to be a 357 S&W Magnum Light. There is some overlap in ballistics performance, especially when including some of the wimpified factory 357 “Magnum” loads of recent years, but at full power the Magnum cartridge is capable of greater maximums in terms of both bullet velocities and weights.

As stated, the advantage of the 357 SIG is that it’s an autoloading pistol cartridge that will fit and function in 9mm-size guns, and that’s not true of the Magnum. The latter was designed as a revolver cartridge and because of its case length and case rim, it doesn’t do as well in pistols. For the loss of a bit of magazine capacity, pistols chambered for 357 SIG produce significantly more projectile power than 9mm guns, and are otherwise much the same.

I also find the 357 SIG fired from a SIG Classic line pistol or the P320 to be much more controllable and pleasant to shoot than most 357 Mag loads fired from revolvers.

When I want something for bigger four-legged threats, I go with 10mm 180 grain JHP from Underwood or Buffalo Bore.

I have three 5" 1911s and two revolvers in 10mm.

I think either would be fine for anything you might encounter in California. No grizzlies. Either would give you at least decent protection against Black Bears, and certainly against Mountain Lions.

.357 Sig
Buffalo Bore's 125 gr. Barnes TAC-X: out of a 4" Sig P229 it's going to step out at about 1,300 ft per second generating 469 ft lbs. (Double Taps' .357 Sig 180 gr hard cast will leave a 4" barrel at 1,025 ft per second and make 420 ft lbs.)

In contrast,

.357 Magnum
Buffalo Bore's 180 gr. Hard Cast LFN-GC: out of a 3" barrel is going to step out at 1,302 ft per second and generate 675 ft lbs.

If I thought I might have to defend against a bear, I'd probably pick the .357 Magnum (which I do, along with the 10mm). I've never had to face a Mt Lion (or a bear) but a magazine full of .357 Sig against an agile cat would give me some comfort.

If I might face something bigger, I'd go with a .41 or .44 Magnum.

357 Sig offers an obvious advantage in cartridge capacity. 15 vs 6. Although I own hand guns chambered in both calibers, I would choose a larger caliber in a revolver to back up my rifle for use against threats with four legs.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
I consider the 357 SIG to be a 357 S&W Magnum Light.

This ^^^^^

If one's looking for .357 Mag performance levels in an auto-loader, they need to be looking more toward 10mm.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
I also find the 357 SIG fired from a SIG Classic line pistol or the P320 to be much more controllable and pleasant to shoot than most 357 Mag loads fired from revolvers.

You can say that again.

10mm is .41 magnum lite.

.357 Sig can easily push 600+ ft. lbs of energy, and .357 magnum can go well above that.

In a 4" barrel, 600 ft lbs is realistic with .357 magnum. 550 ft. lbs is realistic in .357 Sig.

Capacity in a firearm may matter to some. Six rounds, vs. 14, for example. The ability to carry magazines, with enclosed, protected lint-free ammunition, vs. speed loaders that hold less, have bigger rounds, are more awkward, and leave the ammunition exposed, at a much lower capacity, may be significant to some.

The ability to run .357 Sig in an already familiar pistol platform or manual of arms with little more than a barrel change, may be a plus to some. Try that with a revolver.

.357 Sig shoots like .40 s&w. .357 magnum does not.

Shorter cartridges.

Ammunition availability.

Feeding reliability (.357 sig as opposed to other auto loading cartridges, for example).

It's a lot faster to load a magazine of .357 Sig than a speed loader of .357 magnum, unless you're Jerry Miculek, and given the number of speed loaders and changes you'd need vs. a single magazine of .357 sig, the numbers widen even more.

.357 Sig options are available for almost any modern auto loading pistol. Not true of .357 magnum.

.357 Sig pistols are often less expensive than .357 magnum revolvers.

.357 Sig has less letters. You can write it in a shorter space.

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
I'm not aware of any other than being available in common auto pistols.

Ballistically, there is nothing a 357 Sig can do that a 357 mag can't do better. Especially against 4 legged animals where a 158-180gr bullet would be appropriate

This except with .357 sig you have a lot more capacity in a magazine and faster reloads.

Which is kinda the point - the 357SIG was originally developed to help cops deal with two-legged critters. The Magnum was developed as a flexible field cartridge.

I started my gun enthusiasm with 357 magnum revolvers.... I grew up shooting 38s and shooting mostly 38s loaded to a minimum magnum load... Two things happened after I acquired a few 357s.... I found that I really did not like shooting the 125 grain rounds and I also acquired a 9mm Ruger P95. Once I learned to tame the P95 I really never went back to revolvers.... one issue that has bothered me over the years is my primary email addresses all have blume357 in them.... So last year I stepped up from 9mm to 357sig.... I will say that shooting it is a little bit of a challenge... especially in my now favorite pistol a P239. Is not a round for the popular pocket pistols of today.

Also, one of the advantages to the 357 sig in a pistol is that with most, or at leas the ones I have it is not that expensive to find a 9mm upper for the pistol and have a cheaper way to practice.

Go to YouTube and search for Paul Harrell. Paul has done numerous comparisons with the .357Sig. Paul is also one of the better teachers I've found on YouTube. Hickok45 is also ok. Although I've never seen him test a revolver without saying how much he prefers S&W or a semi auto without mentioning he likes Glock. Entertaining, but not very educational IMHO.

I find with Paul Harrell the time spent is very real world educational as well as entertaining. Paul does use a chronograph for the numbers crowd. But he also shoots into his own targets that represent human anatomy quite well.

.357Magnum (158grain Speer Gold Dot) and .357Sig (125grain Speer Gold Dot) are my CCW options.


All the best to you and Happy New Year.

quote:

Originally posted by TN Mark:
Go to YouTube and search for Paul Harrell. Paul has done numerous comparisons with the .357Sig. Paul is also one of the better teachers I've found on YouTube. Hickok45 is also ok. Although I've never seen him test a revolver without saying how much he prefers S&W or a semi auto without mentioning he likes Glock. Entertaining, but not very educational IMHO.

I find with Paul Harrell the time spent is very real world educational as well as entertaining. Paul does use a chronograph for the numbers crowd. But he also shoots into his own targets that represent human anatomy quite well.

.357Magnum (158grain Speer Gold Dot) and .357Sig (125grain Speer Gold Dot) are my CCW options.


All the best to you and Happy New Year.

All thank you for the info - I’ll look through Paul Harrell’s stuff - I enjoy his work - and not any of the gun tube I’m an expert crap.

Happy New year everyone! Be safe and stay well!

On the other end, you can't fire 38's in a 357 Sig pistol. But, you can actually buy the Sig round, while the cartridges that fit the revolver are scarce.

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
On the other end, you can't fire 38's in a 357 Sig pistol. But, you can actually buy the Sig round, while the cartridges that fit the revolver are scarce.

You can fire .40 or 9mm in .357 Sig pistols in nearly all cases, with a conversion barrel.

Not much in the way of options for the .357 magnum revolver, other than different loads in .357, or .38.

Yeah, but with the .38 Special and .357 Magnum having been as popular as they have been for as long as they have been, that can be one hell of a range of options!

It would be if one could find ammunition.

Or afford it.

I usually consider myself an autoloader guy. But I'm usually thinking about defense against two legged threats. Once we get into dealing with four legged critters, especially bigger than 100-150 lbs, forget about the autoloaders. Go with a revolver, and the smallest entry point is 44 magnum, and go up from there as the critters get larger. None of the major autoloader cartridges were designed for large dangerous game.

I suspect that in the ‘real world’, over 99.9% of people in the US would be very well protected with either a revolver in .38/.357 or a semi auto in .357Sig. Then again, perceived threats, perceived ‘needs’ and ones own justifications to get a ‘want’ fuels a lot of gun sales. People’s ’what if’ scenarios can be entertaining to read and head scratching at the same time.

Folks jump over the place about the .357 sig. I have interviewed officers who have used the Sig and the magnum. The magnum has a long standing record of use and performance in the L/E community so here we go. It works the .357 magnum is the ticket having asked officers who have shot bad folks if that individual was struck in the 8 x 11 zone one shot that's it folks. Instant stop of their violent actions. The only plus that the .357 Sig has to me is the ability to fire repeated shots faster. I carried a Smith 681 while working I-75 in Jawga in the early 1990's with Remington 158 gn Magnum rounds and never felt under gunned because I knew it would get inside a car if needed. Never had to use the weapon so good for me. Having talked with my alphabet friends who trained folks and saw the reports and the pictures the Sig .357 did well but, the round did not blow people to the next zip code either. To use the .357 Magnum as a self-defense round you have to commit to learning the revolver and how to reload quick if you suck with your shooting. Sorry for all the run around until I got hurt and came off the street in 2014 I still kept a .357 magnum hid in my patrol bag. Because I had and still do have great faith in the versatility of the weapon and the cartridge to do it's stuff if I do mine correctly this is just one idiots opinion...VI