.357SIG or .40S&W?

[Elkins45]

I jumped onto the 357 Sig bandwagon fairly soon after it was introduced and I have several of them. I bought my latest just a couple of week ago after stumbling across an H&K USP compact on a dealers shelf w/ 3 magazines. OTD it was about $460 for a gun in very good condition. And my first H&K as well. I guess it must have been on the shelf long enough they were willing to let it go for cheap. I also have a Sig P229 with my thinking being that if its good enough to protect the President it must be good enough for me.

My first 40 wasn't actually a 40, it was a conversion barrel so I could shoot my Glock 20 without losing my expensive 10mm brass. One thing I have learned is that it's never a good idea to shoot 9 and 40 in the same range session because they are similar enough in size that the empties will get thrown together, but just different enough that the 9s will get wedged inside the 40s in the tumbler. You can at least avoid that with 357 Sig.

Once fired range brass is the same cost between the two in my experience, but 9mm bullets are cheaper. And they make a 357 barrel for my Glock. So I'm thinking about getting out of the 40 S&W business-- but I can't because I don't want to let this one go:

 

[bluecollar]

40 s&w or 357 sig. As to effectiveness from a non Leo viewpoint pretty much a wash. I know an air Marshall who is also a firearms instructor and I asked him why 357 sig? Just seemed counterintuitive inside an airplane. He said their reasoning is that they were looking for a round that could penetrate the typical airline seat and still be effective on the other side.

 

[Mainsail]

I was never excited about the .40S&W; it's really just an underpowered 10mm and I like 10mm. The .357Sig is like an overpowered 9mm, and I like overpower. The .357Sig has some pretty impressive performance, especially through obstacles. I have a lot of once-fired brass saved up for when I unpack my reloading gear. Availability is a pretty low priority for me.

I like it so much I bought a P320 in the caliber, and then a year later busted out the big bucks for the P229 Legion.

 

[CDW4ME]

At least two replies cite availability at Wal-Mart.

I wouldn't buy a 22lr based on ammo availability at my local Wal-Mart(s).

Ever see 9mm or 45 acp HST, Gold Dot, Ranger T in 50 round boxes there?

How about 10mm?

If one lives in a place where ammo can't be shipped (Chicago, NY, CA ?) then fixation on local availability makes more sense.

If one lives where ammo can conveniently be delivered to your home then I don't get limiting yourself to what Wal-Mart (local shop) stocks.

 

[chaim]

Get a Glock 23 & a Lone Wolf or Glock .357 SIG barrel. Here is a smoking deal on a G-23 gen 3:
$365
http://summitgunbroker.com/glock-23.html

Or
A G-22 for $329:

http://summitgunbroker.com/g22--329.html

By the way I just got one of G-23 from the link above. It looks new to me with the exception of the coppery goop from the factory. The night sight have a few years of service in them & the finish is perfect.

Man, that is a nice price and the photo of the gun looks new. Since I bought the P01, it will be a little while before I get another 40 or a 357, but once my gun fund is replenished I’ll have to check to see if they still have them. Even if they don’t, I have noticed over the past couple years that they have some nice used guns at good prices so by then they may have a similar deal.

But by all means, get a .357 Sig or .40 S&W and an aftermarket barrel in the other caliber. In fact, you can get a 10mm, say a Colt Delta Elite, in 10mm, and barrels and mags in .40 S&W, .357 Sig, and 9x25 Dillon!

If I go full size a 1911 in 10mm is an interesting idea. I love a 1911, though I doubt I’d play with 10mm often. Then I could get a .357 and .40 barrel. If I went with a Glock maybe a 10mm with a .40 and .357 barrel would be interesting.