Need opinions on Glock 33 and 357 Sig

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megatronrules

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I'm considering buying either a Glock 33 or 26 for concealed carry. I've owned several Glocks over the years in 9mm,40S&W and 45acp. I've shot Glocks in 10mm as well. I'm leaning towards the G33 because I'm a big 357 magnum fan and like the idea of having 357 power in a sub compact semi auto platform.

I realize that the 357 Sig was intended to duplicate a specific 357 Magnum load within a certain envelope window so to speak. I know the magnum is the more powerful of the two when it comes to power and heavier bullets.

That being said my current EDC is a S&W 340M&P so I'm thinking the G33 would do well in its place being it should in theory give me 125gr magnum ballistics in a gun with double the rounds on board. I had a G27 that I shot very well and I read the 357 Sig recoils a bit less than the .40 although I've never shot a Glock or any gun in 357 Sig. I'm wanting really just cause I want something different and I know all the service calibers work if you do your part. But I don't see anything wrong with a slightly more powerful round if I can shoot it we'll.

I have a kahr PM9 9mm and like 9mm a lot but it looks like the 357 Sig is quite a bit more power. I say this because it looks like yes 9mm can meet the same or close to the same velocities as the sig round but it has to be boutique ammo like underwood and +p or +p+ to do this. Where the sig round does it at it's normal operating pressures.

So for those who have or have shot a G33 or any Glock in 357 what do you think of this gun? Is it as reliable as other Glocks? I ask as I have no experience with the Glock 33.

I was thinking a G26 but I've already had one great gun just again have the itch for something different that I haven't owned already. And as far as ammo goes all but one of my local gun shops has it and there's always mail order. Price wise when talking JHP ammo for self defense or even FMJ it's only $7-$9 more per a box. So what do you guys think should I buy a G33? My LGS has Gen4 model in stock. Thanks for any help on this.
 
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I have a 33 and 26 - I prefer at least a 19/23/32 size pistol for getting (cramming) all my fingers on the grip.
If you are okay with a Glock 27 (40) the 357 sig Glock 33 recoil is on par with that, not really more or less, just subjectively different.
Of course, the shorter barrels sacrifice velocity; my chrono averages for at least 5 shots.
Glock 19:
Remington124 gr. +P Golden Saber @ 1,152 fps / 365# KE
Winchester Ranger T 127 gr. +P+ @ 1,235 fps / 430# KE
Glock26:
Golden Saber 124 gr. +P @ 1,118 fps / 344# KE (-34 fps)
Ranger T 127 gr. +P+ @ 1,176 fps / 390# KE (-59 fps)
Glock32:
Winchester Ranger T 125 gr. @ 1,340 fps / 499# KE
Speer Gold Dot 125 gr. @ 1,344 fps / 501# KE
Federal HST 125 gr. @ 1,358 fps / 512# KE
Glock33:
Ranger T 125 gr. @ 1,280 fps / 455# KE (-60 fps)
Gold Dot 125 gr. @ 1,284 fps / 458# KE (-60 fps)
Federal HST 125 gr. @ 1,315 fps / 480# KE (-43 fps)

Longer barrel puts 357 Sig into 357 Mag territory.
Glock 35 with 357 Sig barrel
125 Gold Dot @ 1,399 fps / 543# KE
125 HST @ 1,415 fps / 556# KE
125 Ranger T @ 1,428 fps / 566# KE
125 PPU FPJ @ 1,461 fps / 593# KE
 
I was pretty heavy into the 357SIG back around the turn of the century. Bought into all the hype and ran with it for a while. Its a cool round, but really nothing more than a +P+ 9mm.

Most of the guns I had in the caliber were SIG's, and I had one Glock, a 31. The SIG's gobbled it with no bother to the guns or signs of there being a problem.

The Glock on the other hand, was taking a beating and getting hammered on the underside of the slide where the locking block was impacting and peening it. It got bad enough I had to file down the sharp parts a few times, as they were cutting my hands while cleaning the gun, and showed no indication of stopping.

People I know who had the same gun in .40 said they saw that too, to a point, but that it would stop. Mine never did while I had it, or at least while I was shooting 357 out of it. I ended up putting an LWD 40-9 9mm barrel in it and shot more 9mm out of it than 357SIG.

Funny thing was, I have a 17 that has had more +P+ 9mm through it than my 31 had 357SIG, and all I saw on the slide with it was, some minor finish wear on the slide where the locking block was kissing it. Im guessing its the difference between the power curves of the rounds and how the guns react to it.

That 31 was also a big part of me going back to 9mm, as I had comparable guns in both calibers, and after shooting them a good bit side by side, really saw no point in staying with 357SIG, as they shot and handled the same (only real difference with the 357 was its bark), and I just had more options with 9mm, and with the +P+ loadings, came very close to 357SIG, and with less wear and tear on the guns.

Another big plus to 9mm is, ammo and components are a lot cheaper, and a lot more components and loadings are available to you if you reload. At least when I was loading 357SIG, you needed caliber-specific bullets for it, and most of the 9mm bullets wouldnt work, and those that did, basically the 148 grain bullets, I couldn't ever get them to shoot as well as the 125's.

I have a couple of 26's and have always liked them. If I could only have one Glock, that would be the one. If you shoot the 26 well, I doubt you'll have any troubles shooting the 33. Id just be watching what was going on with the gun if youre shooting it a lot.
 
megatronrules said:
I had a G27 that I shot very well and I read the 357 Sig recoils a bit less than the .40 although I've never shot a Glock or any gun in 357 Sig.
Click to expand...

I disagree, for me 40 Smith recoils alot softer than the Sig does. At least for me. .357 Sig has alot more flash and velocity, kicks my hand back alot harder than the .40.
Of course both are harder kickers than 9mm.

I've been wanting to stick to .40 Smith over .357 Sig but for reloading I already put alot of efforts and materials into loading .357 that it's actually easier for me to make those than .40s. So I stick with the .357 for now.
 
I have an sig p226 and a S&W M&P in 357 sig. they are both “snappier” than the same guns in .40, I agree with @Heir Kommt Die Sonne. If you are going to reload for it, you will have some growing pains. Once you get it dialed in it’s not a problem. This is a good little article.
www.marksmanshipmatters.com

The .357 Sig (.357 Auto Pistol Cartridge)

The ancestry of the .357 Sig In 1902 the 9X19 mm Luger Cartridge was introduced. This cartridge did not become popular with American law enforcement or the gun buying public until the 1980s when …
www.marksmanshipmatters.com www.marksmanshipmatters.com
 
A Glock 31 can easily be converted to a 9mm or 40S&W so it would not be a waste to buy the gun even if you don’t like the round later.

A round that is probably similar to a 357Sig is Underwood’s 40S&W 155gr XTP at 1300fps. I like that round but ended up moving to 9mm.

I’ve been considering a 357Sig barrel to convert my 40 but knowing I can shoot better with the 9mm, has kept me from making the change.
 
The Sig 226 is the same way the factory barrels swap between the .40 and the .357
If you do swap barrels remember that the .357 will shoot lower than the .40
 
Yamifrk said:
If you are going to reload for it, you will have some growing pains. Once you get it dialed in it’s not a problem
Click to expand...

And you will get so dialed in that for me it's easier than .40 smith.
It was a big learning curve though, at the time it was the caliber I spent the most money on to reload for.
If you are up to the challenge then it's wonderful to reload for. I think every seasoned reloader must do at least one bottlenecked pistol cartridge.

EDIT: For me the load I use is 8.1 grains bluedot below the Lee 124 Grain truncated cone cast bullet. Those flake powders are ideal for this caliber, because they can handle a little compression which is what you want for a bottle necked cartridge.
 
I like 357 SIG. I find it easy to reload and it shoots well especially in my 357 SIG 1911.

But, you lose a bit of magazine capacity vs a 9x19 although the 357 SIG has a bit better performance.

I’d rather have the heavier bullet of a 40 S&W cartridge round with the same mag capacity of a 357 SIG or one or two extra cartridges in 9x19.

I also load 38x45 Clerke for a couple 1911 pistols. So, I do have experience loading bottle neck semi-auto pistol cartridges.

I’m not a big fan of Glock pistols, and yes I have a couple, but they do have their attributes. Anyway, cannot comment on a 357 SIG Glock.
 
Hey thanks for the replies and info everyone, I appreciate it. I've never reloaded but maybe one day I'll give it a try even who knows.

As far as the 357 SIG itself and the Glock 33 goes,I actually since posting this had the chance to shot a G33 and likes it a lot. It felt a little harsher in recoil than the kahr PM9 I had with 9mm+P. As a nice side note it's felt to me like it kicked LESS than the G27 just a little louder.

It certainly kicks A LOT less than my M&P340 scandium J frame does with 125 golden saber 357's does. It's the one caliber of Glock I haven't owned other than the 10mm Glocks so I figured why not? I figured I can always get a .40 barrel or even an OEM Glock 32 barrel to give it a bit more zip maybe. Where I'm at all but one of my local shops carries 357 SIG ammo and the prices locally are only $7-$9 more than other ammo. The Sig round is literally only $3 a box for the same brand of JHP ammo which is HST and that's comparing 9mm +P ro 357 SIG defensive JHP stuff. If I go online it's in stock everywhere I've checked and no more than .40 for FMJ or JHP ammo.
 
This thread reminded me about a loud round. Load some 9mm 115gr with a max load of Blue Dot (aprox 8.1gr iirc). You’ll think you’re shooting a 357Sig!😆😎
 
I’ve got a Gen 3 31C that I really enjoy shooting—it’s been a number of years since I owned a 9mm Glock so I don’t have recent experience with one but the 31C feels not that different from what I recall. I haven’t shot it a ton yet but it’s be 100% reliable with FMJ and JHP ammunition.
 
I think you should standardize on 9mm for semi auto personally. Less calibers to stock up on.

Also, the G26 has better ballistics than your Smith 340 .357 magnum due to the short barrel. The G26 has faster follow up shots and holds 11 in the magazine. It’s superior to a Smith 340 (and I love the Smith 340, having carried it for a decade as a police backup gun)

I have a G31 and haven’t shot it in a long while. I generally like the caliber but it’s expensive and LOUD. I would not want to light one off in a self defense scenario. The boom is obnoxious. I have complete faith in the caliber. In my experience, its seems to be the best police duty caliber with the highest percentage of one shot stops.
 
The Glock 33 would be a upgrade from a 357 Mag snub revolver. (Read any revolver for SD against human attackers)

Data I posted before:
Glock33:
Ranger T 125 gr. @ 1,280 fps / 455# KE
Gold Dot 125 gr. @ 1,284 fps / 458# KE
Federal HST 125 gr. @ 1,315 fps / 480# KE

125 gr. 357 Mag factory ammo from a snub revolver:
https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/revolver-ballistics-test/
125 gr. Gold Dot @ 1,200 fps
125 gr. Critical Defense FTX 1,208 fps
125 gr. Remington SJHP @ 1,209 fps

Not only does the 357 Sig deliver higher velocities (factory ammo vs factory ammo) it is also double the capacity.
 
I have a G32 and P226 in .357 Sig. Been carrying the G32 the last couple of winters and real like the package. I like the G19/32 size Glocks as they are quite familiar to me.

That being said, I’m not affected by the recoil difference the .357 Sig has over a 9MM or .40 since I shoot a lot of 10MM . Some say it’s a snappy round but I’m not bothered by it.

I do reload for range ammo but choose to carry Underwood’s 125 gr offering for PD.
 
I own both a G31 and a G32 as well as a number of other Glock pistols in 9MM, 40S&W, 45GAP and 45ACP. My EDC is a G43 with XS Big Dot sights…a matter of personal preference as I prefer to carry my EDC in the front pocket of my loosely fitting slacks in a DeSantis Super-Fly pocket holster. I have a concealed carry permit and Oklahoma is an open carry state (with the exception of some Tribal land) so I could carry openly but, I prefer not to advertise the fact that I have a gun.

Both my G32 and G31 pistols were LEO trade-in pistols that were in 99% condition. I got them for under $300 each about three years ago on GB. Both pistols are 100% reliable, and as others have pointed out, the 357 SIG is one hot round and comparable to the 357 magnum. I have not shot any of my 357 SIG pistols extensively, as that kind of horse power comes with a price…accelerated wear and tear. Force your way into my house and you will get a first hand demonstration of just how well the G32 works with 124 grain SIG V-Crown ammunition. If your mode of carry accommodates the weight and size of the G33 then by all means, go for it. You may wish to read the 2014 report published by the FBI on cartridge effectiveness before deciding. I found that report very illuminating. The bottom line was that caliber was not nearly as important as the use of premium grade, defensive ammo and shot placement. I suspect that this report had a good bit to do with a number of police agencies going back to 9MM. Whatever your choice, you will not be under armed with the 357 SIG. Just practice with it to ensure you can use it accurately in a high-stress situation.
 
I don't know what speeds you'll get from a G26 or G33. But it isn't hard to find 124 gr 9mm ammo that will get 1200-1250 from a 4" barrel. Over 1300 fps from a 5" barrel. And that is almost exactly the same as real world 125 gr 357 mag speeds from 3" or 4" barrels. All the printed ballistics you see for 357 mag revolvers is from 7.5" to 8" barrels.

IMO it isn't worth the reduced ammo capacity and cost of 357 Sig to pick up 100 fps along with more noise and recoil. Especially when 9mm comes within 50 fps of the actual speeds 357 mag built it's reputation on.

You will see less velocity from the shorter G26, but you'll also see reduced speed from the smaller 357 Sig too. Most of my experience is with rifle instead of handgun rounds. In every case I've seen the greater the powder capacity a cartridge has requires more barrel length to realize those speeds. Based on that I'd think the 357 Sig will be hurt with the shorter barrel more than 9mm.

To be fair this is just conjecture. But I'd think 357 Sig would show a bit more advantage over 9mm from 4.5" to 5" barrels. From 3" barrels there may not be much if any difference.
 
Fine Figure of a Man said:
I have a 357 sig barrel for my G22. It's a good round IMO but not fun to shoot in high volume. I don't find that the recoil is any more than a 40 but it is very LOUD.
Takes some tinkering but it is not hard to reload for.
Click to expand...
A 357S barrel is on my short list for my 22.3. Did you keep the factory recoil spring when you were shooting the Sig, or did you change it? I hadn’t really thought about changing springs, but @trackskippy post above got me thinking.
 
They all use the same spring. Or at least the factory springs are all the same. The 33 uses the same spring as the 26, etc.
 
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