357 Sig vs 9x19

Colin

Colin

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357 Sig vs 9mm

Anyone have personal experience with comparing these 2 rds? Is the 357 Sig worth the effort?

I have also heard that the all stainless steel 9mm frame of the P226 will accept the .40cal/ 357 Sig slide. Wondering if it was worth investigating.


Muzzle velocity
There is a large selection of 357 SIG bullet weights available in factory loadings. Generally, the range is from an 87 grain "screamer" with a velocity of 2000 ft/s to a high of about 150 grains.
The following data set is based on standard factory loaded cartridges fired from a 4 in (102 mm) barrel chronographed at 20 feet. This is only a very small sample of what is available.
· 100 grain Cor-Bon Pow R Ball: 1,703 ft/s
· 115 grain Triton BHP : 1,564 ft/s
· 124 grain Hornady JHP XTP : 1,329 ft/s
· 125 grain Cor-Bon JHP : 1,439 ft/s --NOMINAL--
· 125 grain Federal JHP : 1,299 ft/s --NOMINAL--
· 147 grain Speer JHP GD : 1,186 ft/s
· 150 grain Federal JHP : 1,130 ft/s
This data was taken from Steve's 357 SIG Ballistic Page ([1]). Click onto his site for data and detailed information.
 
I suppose it would matter if your paper targets are impressed with muzzle blast and velocity.

If you shoot at targets that shoot back, the .357 Sig would be my preference over the 9mm.
 
Ballistically, the .357 Sig is comparable with .357Magnum...
Definately a 'leg up' on 9MM....
More pleasant to shoot than 40S&W, but it has never caught on to any great
extent, making ammo availablity and choice very limited..
Also, more difficult to reload because of the bottleneck style case.
I happen to have a spare 226 Sig barrel in .357Sig...works in any 40S&W 226, and the 40S&W mags are the same as well.
 
I have little experience with the round, but that's also because it isn't common. Personally I think it's an interesting round given that it's so variable. It's one of those rounds that has been around for a significant while and never really caught on in huge numbers.
 
Its expensive. Its hard to find. Anybody think it will around 10 years from now? I think the US secret service uses this calibre.
 
The Sky Marshalls use either 226's or 229's in .357Sig.
It's a great round, with excellent ballistics, and the bottleneck design makes
FTF less of a problem.
It basically lost out in the LE rush to replace the 'puny' and 'ineffective' 9MM
with the 'superior' 40S&W!:rolleyes:
 
I think it is an intereting round but you may have trouble finding ammo and/or brass for it here in Canada. Also, it seems very loud, especially when shot indoors. I thought Texas Dept of Public Safety (state troopers) use this round in some SIG pistol.
 
I personally don't think it's worth the trouble. It's difficult to find, fewer guns available in that calibre, ammo is much more expensive than 9mm or .40.
 
foxbat said:
Ballistically, the .357 Sig is comparable with .357Magnum...
.
Click to expand...

Out of a 4" revolver barrel, with 125g slugs, it's close.
It's really comparable with the .38 super that has been around for 70 years.......
 
I had a Glock 31 with a factory Glock 22 barrel.

The coolness about the .357sig is that it will use the same magazines as the .40S&W... infact everything is exactly the same in both pistols except the barrel. Swaps can be done in seconds and the reliablility is the same (you're not trading anything off).
In this regard the .40S&W and .357SIG rock as the ultimate pistol combo!! (You get two guns for $140 to 240 more - the cost of the extra barrel).

The .357SIG doesn't push as hard as 180gr .40s&w, but it's snappier... it's hard to describe.

Anyway, the ammunition is higher priced and harder to find as mentioned, but, since you are in Vancouver you can buy reloads for the .357SIG at awesome prices... Check out PoCo ;)

I say get one! Bottleneck pistol cartridges also look very cool.

I have a Stery M40-A1 right now, but if I can locate a .357SIG barrel for it... it's bought.


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Edited to add:

I noticed you are asking to compare the 9x19 vs the .357sig - the 115gr 9x19's feel like .22's compared to the 125gr .357SIG's ;) - definitely more fun if you like that kinda thing.
 
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Hitzy said:
Out of a 4" revolver barrel, with 125g slugs, it's close.
It's really comparable with the .38 super that has been around for 70 years.......
Click to expand...


I'm not a .38 super expert by any means, but to push 125 gns to 1500 fps out of a super, aren't you way over sami specs? The sig does it without overloads.

The texas rangers/state troopers are using it and apparently loving it..
 
Not sure what the purpose of the load is for. But pure economics will always favour the 9mm.
For target practice, the extra fire power is not required. AS a matter of fact there is a school of thought that a 40S&W 133gr is sufficient for that.
 
IM_Lugger said:
IMO .357sig is not worth the cost and the trouble; just not that much diffirent from a hot 9mm...
Click to expand...


I would disagree. +P+ 9mm is still only pushing 1300 tops out of a handgun with service weight bullets, the sig will hit 1500 with 125gr, add another maybe 100 fps for 115. Thats a sizable energy increase in a handgun. Also, the bottleneck case, while it would be a real pain in the hole to reload, is a more reliable feeder. I imagine if you got a carbine, the ballistic advantage would be even wider. If I had to carry one or the other for self defense and could shoot both equally well, I'd definetly take the sig. That being said, I wouldn't feel disadvantaged with a 9mm and modern bullets +P or standard.
They are all unhealthy to get infront of!:D
 
I would disagree. +P+ 9mm is still only pushing 1300 tops out of a handgun with service weight bullets, the sig will hit 1500 with 125gr, add another maybe 100 fps for 115. Thats a sizable energy increase in a handgun. Also, the bottleneck case, while it would be a real pain in the hole to reload, is a more reliable feeder. I imagine if you got a carbine, the ballistic advantage would be even wider. If I had to carry one or the other for self defense and could shoot both equally well, I'd definetly take the sig. That being said, I wouldn't feel disadvantaged with a 9mm and modern bullets +P or standard. They are all unhealthy to get infront of!:D
Click to expand...
what .357sig load is going to push a 125gr at 1500fps? :confused: Winchester and Remington loads are only 1350fps with 125gr bullet. Buffalo bore +p+ 9mm is 1300fps with 124gr and 1400fps with 115gr.
 
IM_Lugger said:
IMO .357sig is not worth the cost and the trouble; just not that much diffirent from a hot 9mm...
Click to expand...
Considering that .357sig is very close to the .357 mag in terms of energy/velocity, the 9mm would have to be +P+ to even come close. Keep in mind that .357sig brass is thicker/stronger than 9 mm.
 
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I have a Glock 27 with spare 9mm and 357 Sig barrels; when a 357 Sig goes off in my Glock 27 you know it. I gave my G27 to my shooting buddy, Dave (44SpecialDave), to fire without telling him it had 357 Sigs in it. Dave is used to shooting handguns with heavy recoil; after one shot Dave screamed: " What in the ####?" I am sure you and the bad guy would both be blinded during a night shooting as the flame is that bright and big. I do admit this is one hell of a fun cartridge. Regards, Richard :D

Glock 27:
fa1d3349.jpg
 
Please remember that feeding most handguns a steady diet of +P+ WILL destroy them. It is way over the sami limits and is not even supposed to be sold to civillians (as i understand, I may be wrong, correct me if you know better) None of my loading manuels show anything loaded heavier than +P.

You can get the +P+ velocity with the .357 sig and shoot it all day long in your sig chambered pistol and not hurt anything. Imagine if someone loaded +P sig ammo....

The muzzle blast issue is real, but so is the blast with +P+ 9mm

my .02$ take it for what it's worth
 
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