.357 Sig Speculation

It seems that several agencies that issued 357 SIGs have gone to the 9x19.

The 5.7x28, I think, is handicapped by not having the steel core ammo available to the public. And from reading several peoples experience, it is finicky to reload for. Availability of ammo even in good times, seems limited. Even with 2 new models on the market, I wonder how that will pan out.

Back to the SIG. I find it easier to find bullets in .355" than finding them in .400". Of course less neck area, but it's the challenge.

kcofohio said:

...Back to the SIG ... Of course less neck area, but it's the challenge.

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In my somewhat humble opinion, when it comes to the .357 SIG, the reloader’s best friends are Rocky Mountain Reloading 124gr. MPR JHP & Montana Gold 125gr. FMJ/JHP bullets.

riverats said:

In my somewhat humble opinion, when it comes to the .357 SIG, the reloader’s best friends are Rocky Mountain Reloading 124gr. MPR JHP & Montana Gold 125gr. FMJ/JHP bullets.

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Got some of both, except not the MG JHP.

Also have several Precision Delta 124 gr. JHP. They are close clones of Hornady's 124 gr. XTP.

There are some good aspects of the 357 SIG and I would say that it should be more popular than it is, but I'm also not terribly optimistic about the future of the cartridge. Yes it will still be around but I would not expect some type of resurgence either. It deserves better but I doubt we'll see it.

zaitcev said:

..."“Compared to a 9mm, the .357 Sig has a decreased magazine capacity, more recoil, as well as greater muzzle blast and flash, yet at best it offers no gain in bullet penetration and expansion characteristics. What is the point of this cartridge?”"...

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Run the heavies out of a 5.3" Bbl., at > 1300 fps..




GR

I recently got a sig bbl for my Beretta 92 X'performance with a .40 slide, and a bbl for my 10mm.

What happens to the Sig .357 depends... S&W has not dropped the .40 the way Sig has dropped their .357 cartridge. Users don't see the support of the originator of the cartridge and it says something, IMO.

gnappi said:

I recently got a sig bbl for my Beretta 92 X'performance with a .40 slide, and a bbl for my 10mm.

What happens to the Sig .357 depends... S&W has not dropped the .40 the way Sig has dropped their .357 cartridge. Users don't see the support of the originator of the cartridge and it says something, IMO.

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Maybe, but as with ammo production, the focus is what is selling hot now. Mainly 9mm. When production goes back to daily business and Sig doesn't list a 357 SIG, then the writing is on the wall. But that's just my opinion.

As long as the 40S&W is around, if you reload, I wouldn't get too wound up about not having 357SIG brass, at least for a load or two or 30, who knows.

I know the brass is made differently, and you're not "supposed" to do it, but I have inadvertently done it while loading 357SIG, and some 40 range brass was picked up at the same time and got mixed in and sized right up.

I cant say how many times I reloaded those cases either, as I only came across them while priming brass that Id shot (just happened to notice the headstamp said 40S&W) and had shot more than a few times. The cases are very close and if you're doing a lot, its easy to miss. They go right in and come out basically a 357SIG.

My understanding is, the 357SIG wasn't based on the 40S&W case as you often hear, and if you do resize a 40 into a 357SIG, it comes up a tad short in OAL, and to make things worse, at the neck, where neck tension has been and is an issue. I always used a load the filled the case and was a compressed load, so that basically eliminated the tension thing.

For whatever reason it might disappear, I dont think you'll have much trouble finding something that will work, as long as you can find bullets that do. When I was shooting a lot of it, that was a problem, and most 124 grain 9mm bullets wouldn't work. Bullets were too short/wrong profile. The 9mm bullets that did work in that respect, were the longer 148 grain bullets, and I never found a load that shot well using that bullet. Not that I really tried real hard.

I bought a .357 Sig barrel for my P229 for the sole reason of versatility, but other than literally one visit to the range and 50 rounds to ensure that everything was in working order, I haven't used it. Adding to this was the fact that my buddy moved to the Czech Republic shortly before the pandemic kicked off and gifted me 500 rounds of .40 S&W, further obviating the need for the spare barrel.

10mm is gaining popularity just as much as the 357 SIG is losing. Ive always considered 10mm and 357 SIG close relatives. They are the 2 most popular turbocharged service calibers. The 10mm with a bigger bore and heavier bullet appeals to hunters. I think the 357 SIG is just your "Porsche" defense round. It will always be out there, and its awesome dont get me wrong, but there will always be few compared to the norm.

Palladan44 said:

10mm is gaining popularity just as much as the 357 SIG is losing. Ive always considered 10mm and 357 SIG close relatives. They are the 2 most popular turbocharged service calibers. The 10mm with a bigger bore and heavier bullet appeals to hunters. I think the 357 SIG is just your "Porsche" defense round. It will always be out there, and its awesome dont get me wrong, but there will always be few compared to the norm.

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The 147 gr. Hornady Custom XTP penetrates like a wood tick.

It's a non-catalog bullet designed like the 158 gr. .357 XTP round.



GR

Garandimal said:

The 147 gr. Hornady Custom XTP penetrates like a wood tick.

It's a non-catalog bullet designed like the 158 gr.

​

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That looks like a nice projectile but looked like Hornady failed on their load with it.

Palladan44 said:

That looks like a nice projectile but looked like Hornady failed on their load with it.

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The 5.3" Bbl. kicks'em out at 1300 fps plus.

They perform like that bare gel test at 100 yards.

Very few critters wear denim.



Great field round.




GR

Ballistic gel test for 357 Sig - 147 gr XTP JHP - Lucky Gunner

"...So we fired five rounds of Hornady 147 gr Custom XTP from a Glock 31 (4.49" Bbl.) from a distance of 10 feet into a block of synthetic ballistic gel with a barrier of four layers of fabric simulating heavy clothing..."

1222 fps/ 23.9" penetration/ 0.48" expansion.

GR

GR i was wrong. He said in the Video around 2:25 that the velocity was 1,125 fps. Then the subsequent shots didnt expand. Then he proceeded to say that they were on the extreme "light end of the load specturm" or something like that. I wasnt impressed by the video, but the maker also mis spoke in the video, making the velocity sound awefully slow for anything Id ever consider to hunt even small deer with.

Ok so 357 SIG can hit low end 357 Magnum performance. Im not impressed by 357 SIG as a hunting round. No thanks

Palladan44 said:

GR i was wrong. He said in the Video around 2:25 that the velocity was 1,125 fps. Then the subsequent shots didnt expand. Then he proceeded to say that they were on the extreme "light end of the load specturm" or something like that. I wasnt impressed by the video, but the maker also mis spoke in the video, making the velocity sound awefully slow for anything Id ever consider to hunt even small deer with.

Ok so 357 SIG can hit low end 357 Magnum performance. Im not impressed by 357 SIG as a hunting round. No thanks

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Agreed. Especially when 10mm exists, usually on the same platforms (or near enough) as the .357 Sig.

Assuming you want an autoloader instead of a revolver, of course.

A quick search on ammoengine shows that it's in better health than 45 GAP, but that's not saying much.

JR24 said:

Agreed. Especially when 10mm exists, usually on the same platforms (or near enough) as the .357 Sig.

Assuming you want an autoloader instead of a revolver, of course.

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Not the same form factor, though.

The .40/.357Sig is the 9mm, the 10mm is the .45 ACP.

A flat shooting .357 slug that penetrates in excess of Two feet... will solve a lot of field problems, especially from a light weight compact carry pistol.



Just one of many solutions.




GR

Garandimal said:

Not the same form factor, though.

The .40/.357Sig is the 9mm, the 10mm is the .45 ACP.

A flat shooting .357 slug that penetrates in excess of Two feet... will solve a lot of field problems, especially from a light weight compact carry pistol.

​

Just one of many solutions.




GR

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Maybe if you want a compact, sure. But for a field gun a 226 is as heavy as a 220 and I personally don't find much difference between carrying a Glock 22 vs 20 in the field, but I get it if the bigger guns don't fit your hands.

Personally my field gun is a 10mm 1911 and wouldn't find any advantage with the same platform in .357 (the rare ones that exist), but of course YMMV.

JR24 said:

Maybe if you want a compact, sure. But for a field gun a 226 is as heavy as a 220 and I personally don't find much difference between carrying a Glock 22 vs 20 in the field, but I get it if the bigger guns don't fit your hands.

Personally my field gun is a 10mm 1911 and wouldn't find any advantage with the same platform in .357 (the rare ones that exist), but of course YMMV.

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The Glock .45 form factor, save the G36 slimline, is just too big even for my large hands.

The G23.4/.40, however, is perfect. (as is the SA 1911-A1 .45 ACP)

Bbl./ammo change - 5.3" .357Sig/147 gr. at 1300 fps.

As for "hunting"...?

Ruger Blackhawk 6.5" .357 Mag. w/ 180 gr. HDY XTP thermonuclear handloads at ~ 1450 fps..




GR

Garandimal said:

Ruger Blackhawk 6.5" .357 Mag. w/ 180 gr. HDY XTP thermonuclear handloads at ~ 1450 fps..

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Yikes. Since my 10mm is just a backup/close deer and I don't have both hands free or my rifle is slung, so I'll stick with 200 gr XTP @1200

LightninST said:

9mm,380acp, 40S&W, and 45Auto Will stay the auto loading winners
357Sig &10mm will hang on only with reloaders and a niche group of shooters

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The 10 mm is popular for protection against bears. Also now that HiPoint is making a carbine in it some hog hunters are buying. The hipoint I believe is in the most recent assault weapons bill by Feinstein so the future of that carbine is not secure.
From senate bill

xi) Galil Model AR and Model ARM.19‘‘(xii) Hi-Point Carbine.20‘‘(xiii) HK–91, HK–93, HK–94, HK–21PSG–1, and HK USC.

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So hard to say.

I got .357 Sig barrels for all my .40 S&Ws except my Beretta 96A1. Cheaper than buying another gun. I really like the round for self-defense. For the woods, I carry either a 1911 in 10mm or a S&W 629 in .44 RM.

Harry

I picked up spare 40 barrels for my 357SIG's when I had them, and a case of ammo to go with each.

It was about that time I figured out that the whole convertible thing was basically a waste, and I had a lot of money sitting on the shelf doing nothing. I actually had kind of figured it out prior to that with a couple of other things that were similar, but this just cinched it.

What I found with the convertibles was, you usually find a configuration you like, and that's what you go with. All the other stuff never gets used and is just money sitting on a shelf. Better off putting that money into ammo and accessories for what you settled on.

Luckily for me, this all occurred during the Obama gun/ammo panic, and I was able to actually make some money when I sold that stuff off. Really made out on the unopened cases of 357SIG, as I had paid $250/1000 for both the 357 and 40 when I bought them. 357SIG was up to $600-$650 a case when I sold it off. Didnt make out as well with the 40's, but still made $150-$200 a case on them.