[model of 1905]

dropped the 357 sig nomenclature for their guns chambered for this caliber? They are now calling it "357 auto".

Maybe it will catch on...I like it myself.:)

[MIgunguy]

Sig should do likewise and chamber their .40 S&W in .40 Auto. How childish.

[MachIVshooter]

Probably an attempt at increasing sales. Other gunmakers/ammomakers have changed nomenclature in an effort to boost sales (Remington; .244 --> 6mm, .280 --> 7mm Express). It usually didn't help, though.

[Oro]

How childish.

I'd hold off on calling something Childish until looking at the whole situation. Renaming cartridges has been going on for over 100 years. Peters, Remington, Winchester, etc. have a LONG history of removing their competitors name from a new cartridge when loading it. Colt was pretty bad about it, too - even renaming competitors cartridges with their own name (.38 S&W became ".38 Colt New Police"). And few people today, other than S&W, refer to the .38 Special by it's correct given name, the .38 S&W Special.

This helps put it in context that it's pretty common and been going on a long time, with S&W losing the credit more often than gaining it. Also, the cartridge is a necked-down .40 S&W, using already common bullets, and not a wholly new cartridge. Sig trying to lay their own name on other people's research and off-the-shelf parts seems a bit bold to me, also.

On the other hand, it might not have been totally malicious - ".357 Sig" has a bit of a wildcat sound to it, and the untutored buyer might shy away from it faster than a more friendly sounding ".357 Auto." I don't know, but it's hard to make a judgment before I know the whole story and reasons.

So it might not be a bad thing for the future of the round, and if it helps with the acceptance, why get bent out of shape?

[model of 1905]

I'd hold off on calling something Childish until looking at the whole situation. Renaming cartridges has been going on for over 100 years. Peters, Remington, Winchester, etc. have a LONG history of removing their competitors name from a new cartridge when loading it. Colt was pretty bad about it, too - even renaming competitors cartridges with their own name (.38 S&W became ".38 Colt New Police"). And few people today, other than S&W, refer to the .38 Special by it's correct given name, the .38 S&W Special.

This helps put it in context that it's pretty common and been going on a long time, with S&W losing the credit more often than gaining it. Also, the cartridge is a necked-down .40 S&W, using already common bullets, and not a wholly new cartridge. Sig trying to lay their own name on other people's research and off-the-shelf parts seems a bit bold to me, also.

On the other hand, it might not have been totally malicious - ".357 Sig" has a bit of a wildcat sound to it, and the untutored buyer might shy away from it faster than a more friendly sounding ".357 Auto." I don't know, but it's hard to make a judgment before I know the whole story and reasons.

So it might not be a bad thing for the future of the round, and if it helps with the acceptance, why get bent out of shape?




Well said, ORO. I actually believe that this is an underappreciated round to the less well informed that may never have had any experience with it while those that have (namely several LEAs including the Secret Service and Air Marshalls and the New Mexico State Police (my state of residence) amongst others) have seen the many merits of this cartridge. Too many people may believe it will go the way of the 41 or the soon to be forgotten 45 GAP. If this has less of a "wildcat" type connotation it may actually supplant the 40 S&W in popularity. It has with me.

[Runningman]

FWIW On my S&W M&P says it says "357 SIG". Must be something brand new. My Glock 31 states "357" nothing else.

I know that when Glock sued S&W about patent infringement concerning the Sigma. The case was settled out of court. Soon afterword Glock changed the caliber designation on the G22s from "40 S&W" to "40". So there might be a little bad history and legal departments involved here. That said I don't mind the 357 auto designation.

I've seen many many different names for the 380 ACP round stamped on pistols over the years so I guess its nothing new.

[lechiffre]

my sw99 and sw1911 have .45 auto marked on their barrels.

[pbearperry]

Sig teamed up with Federal and made the cartridge up.Thats why its called the 357 Sig.I guess when you think of it,the rest don't mind that your name gets stuck with it?

[S&Wfan]

Gaston Glock was indeed not the nicest person ever to walk this planet. Not surprisingly, he doesn't like putting the name of other makers on the side of his firearms. Through the years, some other companies have done the same.

Other companies don't seem to care. After all . . . you bought their gun anyway.

[varoadking]

Gaston Glock was indeed not the nicest person ever to walk this planet.

What makes you say that - have you met him?

[ACBMWM3]

I say it is what it is. leave it as is. I like the comment about changing it to .40 Auto instead of 40 S&W. they should just leave the names and not try to comfuse everyone so they dont know what the hell caliber they are getting anymore.

[Steve C]

The gun makers have been doing this for 100 years. Colt called the .32 S&W Long the Colt New Police, and the same nomenclature followed for the .38 S&W, the .38 S&W special became simply the .38 New Police and the .38 special. as no manufacturer wants to put a competitors name on their product. It could also have something to do with name copywrite laws.

I wonder if S&W puts .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) on their 1911 clones or do the simply call it the .45 Auto?

[Borch]

Sig teamed up with Federal and made the cartridge up.

They may have come up with the idea for this round but the fact remains that they used the .40 S&W case and off the shelf bullets to develop their "new" round. So they really ddin't come up with a new idea they simply modified and cobbled together existing parts in a new configuration.

As for the original post, I see a lot of guns with modified caliber names on them. My Glock 23 says .40 Auto on the slide and my brother's S&W 1911 says .45 Auto. So it certainly seems that this is not a new phenomenon.