Brian, dont feel bad, there seem to be a lot of 9mm people here and across the net that dont like the 357SIG. For some reason they seem threatened by the round and constantly cry about it, and the crys against it are usually incorrect internet ramblings.
I agree 110% with your "If you want the speed of .357 Sig buy a gun built for it. Don't start shooting +p+ thru your 9mms". I'd like to see where in the manuals of all those 9mm guns where they recommend or even allow +P+ use and will cover it under warranty.
I recently emailed Speer with a question on the difference between the 357SIG and the different 9mm rounds and got this reply...
"The 9mm is a 35,000 psi, +P is
38,500 psi and +P+ is 40,000 psi. The 357 SIG is a 40,000 psi.
Bullets of the same weight will approximate the same velocities in SIG and +P+. The difference is gun construction, all 9mm's will not handle +P+. All of the 357 SIG's are made to handle the pressures for the caliber."
I think I'll email Glock, and the other major makers customer service and ask if their guns will take a constant diet of the +P+ 9mm and see what they have to say. Any takers that they will recommend it?
I also agree with practicing with ammo that is at the same power level as what you carry. Whats the point in doing otherwise, its not helping you? Do you fire .38 wadcutters out of your .357 snubbie, declare yourself a well trained shooter and then load it up with +P .357 rounds and put it in your pocket? If the difference doesnt matter, why not just use a .22, it would be a lot cheaper.
Speaking of price, 357SIG ammo is cheaper than +P, or +P+ 9mm if your going to practice with what you carry. In reality, the practice stuff is only a couple of bucks a box more than standard 9mm, so the difference isnt quite as dramatic as is so often repeated.
All you 9mm boys can do what you want, hey, its your gun and your money and no skin off my ass, I dont care one way or the other. It would be nice if y'all got your facts straight though, before you start going off about it all. If the boy wants to go on up or down to the 357SIG, he ought to be able to get good info on it, so he can make a realistic decision, instead of mis-information based on someones dislike of it, and from some of the comments, obvious lack of any real experience with it at all.