[berettashotgun]

Just read the thread on the 40 (bashers), and haven't really had nothing but good feelings for the caliber, but really,REALLY want another para-ordnance in 40 , speficially the p16-40LDA- but would like to get the 357sig if I hear the right things about it.I know the barrel is gonna cost PLENTY extra, unless someone knows of a good place to shop ;)

[rrb]

It's my #1 favorite. Powerful, accurate, and it's never jammed on me, and for some reason I'm a guy that gets semi-automatics that jam all the time, particularly smaller semi-automatics..

[walking arsenal]

I had a .357 sig and loved it but ran into ammo availability problems in my area so i traded it. Good caliber but not a lot of ammo choices or reload choices.

[antsi]

I like 357 SIG, it's what I carry.
The recoil is snappy but not unmanageable. It is fun to shoot. It is very accurate and flat-shooting for a pistol caliber.
As far as defense performance, I tend to agree with those who say there is probably not a huge difference between 9mm, .45 ACP, 40 SW, or 357 SIG - all else being equal, they will probably all do the job about the same. I have read of law enforcement agencies that tested multiple calibers and chose 357 SIG, citing better performance after penetrating intermediate barriers like car windshields and door panels. Not sure how that translates into usefulness for citizen self-defense. The main reason I carry it is that I like the gun I have that shoots it, and I shoot that gun/caliber combination better than any of the others I have.
There may be a feeding reliability advantage in having a "tapered" shape round going into the chamber.

The only disadvantages I can think of to 357 SIG are:
1) higher cost or harder to find practice ammo (solution: buy practice ammo in bulk from Georgia-arms.com "canned heat")
2) decreased mag capacity compared to 9mm
3) depending on manufacturer, there may be bullet setback problems if you are chambering, unloading, rechambering, unloading the same cartridge over and over again, as some folks do with their carry piece. Then again, you can get setback in any caliber from doing this.
4) if you are a reloader, 357 SIG brass does not size well without lubrication. I usually use a light dusting of spray case lube, and it works fine.

[355sigfan]

I used to be a big fan of the 357 sig but after the +p+ 127 grain Ranger 9mm came out there was less of a reason for me. The 357 sig gives about 100 to 200 fps more speed than the 9mm. For this edge you pay twice as much for ammo and get more recoil and a less feed reliable round. Contray to popular belief bottle neck pistols rounds don't feed as well in pistol magazines. My sigs and my Glock 31 was reliable. My Glock33 was temprimental. The bottle neck case would nose dive on the feed ramp. My Browning HP that was converted to 357 sig by Cylinder and slide never did feed right despite multiple trips to the shop. The 357 sig is a poor choice in a 1911 format due to the length of the magazines. If you want a hot .355 caliber round in a 1911 go with the 38 super or even better the 9x23. They will feed more reliably in the 1911 as their overall lenght fits the 1911 better. You will also get more speed with the 9x23 and more capacity.
Pat

[Big Bad Wolf]

I jumped on the .357sig bandwagon in the late 90's especially after Texas DPS went with it thinking it was going to have a very bright future but it never got any better.

Ammo prices have not really come down any, ammo availability is still pretty limited, and it is still just a one show pony (125gr).

I have room in my life for only one caliber to go out of my way to get real ammo and decent priced practive fodder for and that is the 10mm.

[jc2]

I have read of law enforcement agencies that tested multiple calibers and chose 357 SIG, citing better performance after penetrating intermediate barriers like car windshields and door panels.
At least one large urban LEA (Dallas PD) ended selecting the 9x19 (RA9T) over the 357 SIG after testing both calibres. The better 9x19 rounds easily meet or exceed the performance of the 357 SIG. Bascially with the 357 SIG you get 9x19 effectiveness/performance at higher cost with a reduced capacity, reduced shootability, and more wear/tear on the weapon.

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

I've carried a P229 in 357sig for 5 years as my primary CCW. It's not my only CCW pistol, but it sees the most time with me. I've never felt like I ever left anything on the table with it, so to speak.

Yes, it can be compared to a 'hot-rodded' 9mm. However, I have complete faith in my P229 in this caliber and that's more than I can say for several other makes of pistol when running hot 9mm loads.

Rent or borrow a P229, an XD in 357sig, and maybe even a Glock if you're still interested in 357sig. Shoot them, see what you think, then decide for yourself. Yes, I like the 357sig, but I'm not a fanatic about it. It works for me, and that's enough for my purposes. To me, the package fits.

Regards,
Rabbit.

[critter]

Berettashotgun:

The following is MY EXPERIENCE ONLY. I like the .357 SIG round a lot. I have a PO P-16 .40 S&W (one of the older models, not an LDA). It is a very reliable, accurate and fun gun to shoot. Recoil is very managable. I got an Ed Brown barrel in .357 SIG and fitted it. It is also very reliable, VERY accurate and also quite managable and I like it very much also.

Only problem. It is VERY bad about causing bullet setback upon feeding. It REALLY gets bad if you feed the same round more than once. Since the Brown barrel is well supported, I have had no problmes with swelling the brass near the head, etc. Again it is 100% reliable, VERY accurate and managable and a real hoot to shoot. Still, the setback bothers me. I do not know if that is a characteristic of the PO, the Brown barrel or what.

Compare that to my SIG 229 for which I have both barrels, and it shows no setback whatsoever when feeding that I can detect.

PM me if I can be of any other assistance.

[Rinspeed]

I have a 357 barrel for my Sig 229 and it is very fun to shoot, accurate and reliable. That being said I think 357 Sig is poor choice for home defense. After the first shot not only will you be blind but you won't be able to hear a damn thing.

[357wheelgunner]

"I used to be a big fan of the 357 sig but after the +p+ 127 grain Ranger 9mm came out there was less of a reason for me. The 357 sig gives about 100 to 200 fps more speed than the 9mm. For this edge you pay twice as much for ammo and get more recoil and a less feed reliable round. Contray to popular belief bottle neck pistols rounds don't feed as well in pistol magazines. My sigs and my Glock 31 was reliable. My Glock33 was temprimental. The bottle neck case would nose dive on the feed ramp. My Browning HP that was converted to 357 sig by Cylinder and slide never did feed right despite multiple trips to the shop. The 357 sig is a poor choice in a 1911 format due to the length of the magazines. If you want a hot .355 caliber round in a 1911 go with the 38 super or even better the 9x23. They will feed more reliably in the 1911 as their overall lenght fits the 1911 better. You will also get more speed with the 9x23 and more capacity.
Pat"


I had feeding problems in my G31, but it was due to the 10 year old police trade in G22 mags I was using, that had beat up followers and old worn springs. A simple rebuild kit made the weapon reliable for 2000 rounds without a hitch.

I totally agree that the .38 super is better in a 1911 sized gun than the .40 or .357sig. The advantage of the .357sig is that the case is short enough to fit into the smaller glock's gripframe, kinda like the .45gap.

[Dr. J Frame]

but ran into ammo availability problems in my area so i traded it.
So it isn't just a local thing. "Local" meaning the entire states of MN, ND, SD, WI & IA. The most loads I've ever seen in one store is 3. This includes Gander Mountain, Cabelas, Scheels and Sportsmans Wharehouse, while there's no shortage of 9mm, .40 or .45acp choices.

[jc2]

Despite the hype, the 357 SIG is just not a very popular round. In LE usage/sales, it is a very, very distant fourth (behind the 9x19, .40 S&W and .45 ACP). In civilian usage/sales, it's considerably further back. The propspect of the situation improving is slim to none. There's just not a lot of reasons for most dealers to stock it.

[Peter M. Eick]

Its a "blast" round to shoot . Lots of fun. Dang accurate, surprisingly very easy to load for. I consider it a range plinking round with my 229 sport. Just a lot of fun to shoot!

[grendelbane]

I like the 357 SIG, but it can be a problem child at times. In short frame handguns it is the 9mm velocity champion. In long frames the 9x23mm may beat it by just a little.

Either one will drive most bullets faster than is good for penetration.

The nicest thing about 357 SIG is if you have one, you can buy a barrel for .40S&W.

[michiganfan]

I agree with Pete. It's a blast to shoot. The flame jumps out the end of the barrel and it is loud. Whenever I take friends shooting who are not gun people they always like the 357sig the most.

[rrb]

...............

[355sigfan]

The 9mm is a more reliable cartridge than the 357 sig. According to a DOJ report back in 1997 only 60% of pistols in 357 sig and 40sw passed their reliability and safety standard over 85% of the 9mm's and 45acp's passed. I have owned the 27 (first one) Glock 33 (second subcompact) and now a 26 the 26 in 9mm is far more reliable than the other two were.
Pat

[rrb]

...................

[rrb]

But, to be fair, some of those Glock 9mm jams - but not all! - may be attributed to the reloaded ammo they were using.

[rrb]

"According to a DOJ report back in 1997 only 60% of pistols in 357 sig and 40sw passed their reliability and safety standard..."


Got a link for that? Only 60%? That's rather hard to believe.

If that was the case, why have so many police agencies adopted the .357SIG and the .40, many switching over from the 9?

[355sigfan]

Well I am a police officer currently and my experience contradicts yours. I used to be a huge 357 sig fan not anymore. Its usually reliable in the sigs and in full size glocks but not so in my baby 33. I am not sure what happened with NYPD and their phase 3 malfunctions. Its strange that it only happened to that agency and it seems to be limited to the 19's. I wish I had more actual details from being there. We recently switched from a standard Issue Glock 21 to glock 17's. However we now allow personal weapons in larger calibers if the officers can shoot better than 90% on the qualificaiton. I carry a Wilson CQB. The 17's have given us no troubles however and have a slight reliability edge on the 21's.
Pat

[355sigfan]

Actually I have the hard copy I got the report sent to me because I am one of the department firearms instructors. They tested various guns from Sig, Glock, Taurus Kimber ext. Admittedly its a bit dated.
Pat

[HighVelocity]

After spending some range time with several different handguns chambered in 357sig I came to the conclusion that SIZE MATTERS. ;)
In a mid sized gun like a Sig 229 or a Glock 23 it's fun to shoot. In a small gun like a Sig 239 it's not nearly as much fun. It's just really snappy. The muzzle flash from a really short barrel is pretty bright too.
My 229 has a Bar-Sto barrel and although the factory barrel was plenty accurate, upgrading to the Bar-Sto made a HUGE difference in the guns accuracy. I'd say it's in the top 5 most accurate pistols I've ever had and also my favorite.
Basically all I'm saying is that the 357sig is a great cartridge "in the right gun".

[rrb]

355SIGfan -

Well, who knows...the endless calibre debate. My Glock 33 has been 100%.

Would you know anyplace online that shows what calibres and weapons all the different police agencies are using today? The Secret Service was using .357SIG, SIG not Glocks, and other agencies as well - Virginia, Texas, New Mexico maybe, I forgot. It would be interesting to know that, and to know what their rates of gun failures have been, but I don't think that info is easy to come by.

[SpookyPistolero]

The search button would be pretty helpful to those looking for info and support for the caliber, but I'll chime in again anyway.

Specifically I wanted to say that my Glock 33 has been 100% to date after four or five years. I used it in IDPA for about 1.5 yrs and carried it everyday. I fed it every kind of cheap factory ammo and several good defense loads, as well of lots of reloads. It never missed a beat.

If you've got the green or a reloading bench it's a great caliber. I feel it's great defensively or for shooting sports. If you're pinching pennies, it gets hard to sustain it's diet using factory ammo.

Happy shooting.

[355sigfan]

Personally I don't worry about caliber too much. I care more about the platform. I like 1911's so I carry 45's most of the time. I also like Glocks and they seem to run their best in 9mm so I have gotten rid of all my non 9mm glocks. In fact all my centerfire autos are 9mm and 45 acp now. I used to have a ton of 40's and 357 sigs and a few 10mm's. But not anymore. Shotplacement and reliability are more important factors to me than 40 vs 9mm.
Pat

[rrb]

I did the reverse. I got rid of my 9mm Glocks when I bought the .357 Glock several years ago. Reason being I didn't want to put the wrong ammo in the wrong gun in an emergency situation - which can be done - with I don't know what results - very exciting I'm sure!

[smokin'n gun]

Yes, the Secret Service uses Sig .357

[LiquidTension]

My department issues .357Sigs, but there are several people that aren't happy about it. I was listening to one of the captains talk the other day about testing various rounds on vests, and he said that the .357Sig was the only round they tested (other than rifle rounds) that went through the vest. His complaint was that if anyone ever has to use their weapon, overpenetration is a big concern. I don't remember what level vest they were talking about, II I think. He would prefer .45, and I can't say I disagree :D 'Course, coming from a 1911 fan you may want a grain of salt with that opinion ;)

[355sigfan]

In fairness to the 357 sig with good ammo it has no more risk of overpenetration than a 45. Vests are not people penetration in a vest (must have been expired or a low level vest level 1 or so) is different than in flesh.
Pat