Is .357 SIG too much for CCW?

[Dgreno]

I am considering a new gun for ccw and was thinking the GLOCK 33. I have read that the .357 SIG was designed to have .357 magnum power out of an auto. My question is this, is the round so powerful that over penetration could be an issue should I have to use it? If anyone could point me to some ballistic data, I would really appreciate it.

 

[DFW1911]

The G33 in .357 Sig is one of my primary CCWs.

Others will be more helpful on the ballistic information (such as over penetration, etc), but see this comparison from Federal:

http://www.federalpremium.com/products/compare/handgun_compare.aspx

If you've not yet shot the G33, I recommend seeing if you can find a range that will let you rent one to test drive it.

Good luck,
DFW1911

 

[NG VI]

Not at all!

Go for it, the 357 SIG is nothing more than a 9x19 with a little more juice. If anything, overpenetration is less of an issue with the 357, since the extra velocity will result in more resistance to the bullet, slowing it down quicker, and it will probably expand a little quicker as well. I have a model 27, and it is great. If you don't like the 357 as much as you thought, or would like to have a factory conversion to .40 for $100, the 33 is a great choice. And the sub Glocks are very fun to shoot, pretty accurate, and conceal soooo easily compared to even a slightly bigger auto.

 

[Eric F]

in a word NO

 

[guntotinguy]

I have a XD in 357Sig as one of my CC,I wanted a little more power behind the round,in a just in case need so no,I think its suitable.

 

[40SWHero51]

I have heard that the .357sig has been accused of over-penetrating and possibly passing through a target when fired. However, this round has been characterized as being both a light and powerful load. The US Secret Service, US Air Marshals, Federal Protective Service, and several State Highway Authorities have made the .357sig their round of choice. I would say they might know a little about choosing a defense round.

The .357sig is a .40 S&W casing necked down to hold a .355 caliber bullet. Its intention is to perform like a .357 magnum round or a 9mm +P round, all while accomplishing this with a light bullet - say 125gr. Using a heavier bullet than the 125gr. is said to reduce the intended performance of this caliber.

Also, be aware that a .357sig is said to have considerable recoil force - greater than the .40 S&W, comparing more to a 10mm style of recoil. It is easy to see why - this round is intended to handle like a .357 magnum while being loaded in a smaller casing. There is a lot of pent up power in there being loaded at 5,000 psi more pressure than the original .40 S&W casing the round is based on.

I have considered using a .357sig myself and my .40 S&W M&P can be converted into a .357sig if I were so inclined. I would have to find out if my rig could handle the higher pressure loads of a .357sig before the change was made - but this could be accomplished by contacting S&W to verify the change would be okay. They produce the M&P in both .40 and .357sig so I bet a conversion would go off without a hitch.

 

[orionengnr]

Is .357 SIG too much for CCW?

Too much money for the ammo...yes.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

As long as you can control it and can afford to buy enough ammo for reasonably regular range practice, there is no particular reason not to use it.

 

[hatchetbearer]

Its the preferred weapon of Gecko45, the original mall ninja. who supposedly took out several combatants with one while taking multiple .338 lapua (sp) rounds to the back

 

[novaDAK]

Nah...he was not harmed...he had several extra plates duct taped to his back, remember?

 

[Dgreno]

Thanks for the info guys! One plus, to me, is that the troopers in my home state (VA) use the .357 sig.

 

[jonboynumba1]

you could get a G22 and order a .357 sig barrel for it...you can go the other way to though...makes life cheaper on plinking days...lonewolf also makes a 9mm conversion barrel...just add a couple G17 mags and it's even cheaper to plink...gotta love it

 

[Hook686]

I carry a .44 magnum, so I reckon that gives you my opinion regarding your question.

 

[Defensory]

.357 SIG recoil, barrel rise, muzzle blast and muzzle flash are somewhat excessive for many. Definitely not a round for inexperienced shooters.

.45 ACP is a proven round that will "Git-R-Done", without the excesses of the .357 SIG.

 

[ugaarguy]

My question is this, is the round so powerful that over penetration could be an issue should I have to use it? If anyone could point me to some ballistic data, I would really appreciate it.

Take a look at these links, the site is run by THR member JE223.
http://www.brassfetcher.com/.357SIG 125gr Federal JHP.html
http://www.brassfetcher.com/357SIG Cor-Bon 125gr JHP.html

.357 SIG recoil, barrel rise, muzzle blast and muzzle flash are somewhat excessive for many.

Very good points. Make sure you try your carry ammo in low light so you know how much flash you'll be dealing with. Indoors in low light the flash and blast are impressive, so be careful.

 

[MDW GUNS]

I carry a .44 magnum

Unless you are in a rural area with no one else around this is quite irresponsible!
The .357 SIG is not a +P+ 9mm, it’s still has about 150 feet/s more then the fastest 9mm.
Also, the .357 SIG is not a necked down .40. You can not use .40 cases to form them into .357 SIG, they are too short and might blow up your gun.
The G33 is a good choice, while I carry a P2000 or P2000sk in .357 SIG!

 

[ugaarguy]

Also, the .357 SIG is not a necked down .40. You can not use .40 cases to form them into .357 SIG, they are too short and might blow up your gun.

It may not be exactly a necked down .40 S&W, but that's essentially what it is. Same 10mm auto parent case, necked to .355", shortened so it fits existing .40 S&W magazines and pistol frames.

 

[MDW GUNS]

Yes, you can make .40 guns to real guns by just changing the barrel and everything else stays the same!

 

[-v-]

From my experience shooting the .357SIG, I will say that the recoil is not that bad. I found it to be quite on par with .40S&W without the sudden snap that .40 has, if anything it was more .45-esque in that it pushed strait back at you for a while rather then snapping back and up. This was out of a Sig226 series firearm, if I remember right.