.357 SIG

[willis68]

I am thinking of getting a SIG P229 chambered in .357 SIG for my wife, I have mainly .45 ACP guns and was wondering how many of you carry this round?

Edited December 23, 2009 by willis68

[Guest CK1]

I carried .357sig for a while and just found that buying enough ammo to practice with it as much as I wanted to was expensive, that's if I could even locate ammo for it...

9mm +P or +P+ is about the same out of a 4"-ish barrel anyways, and is cheaper and easier to get a hold of.

JMHO.

[creeky]

I carry a HK USP compact in .357 sig.

Ammo is about the same price as .45 acp right now.

My wife used it for her HCP class and still shoots it now and then.

(Though she prefers 9mm and .380 over it.)

[willis68]

I carried .357sig for a while and just found that buying enough ammo to practice with it as much as I wanted to was expensive, that's if I could even locate ammo for it...

9mm +P or +P+ is about the same out of a 4"-ish barrel anyways, and is cheaper and easier to get a hold of.

JMHO.

Beside the cost and availability of the Ammo, if those were not an issue would you recommend it?

[Guest razorblade]

Buy the Sig P229 with both .40cal and .357Sig barrels so that you can practice and become more familiar with the weapon with the cheaper and more readily available .40cal. Then if you wish you can carry the more expensive and hard hitting .357Sig round with only a barrel change. Savings in ammo costs should quickly offset the cost of the extra barrel.

[molonlabetn]

I carried it for a long time in many different platforms. It is one of the more inherently accurate cartridges I've fired in a pistol... and always feeds reliably. It's loud... but recoil itself is on par with .40s&w. It's no more expensive to shoot than .45acp, and as difficult as that cailber is to find nowadays, you're better off as far as availability goes. Barrier penetration is impressive, and so are the reported terminal effects. I'm sure that I will carry one again someday.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Beside the cost and availability of the Ammo, if those were not an issue would you recommend it?

While I'm not the OP you questioned, I had and carried a P229 in .357SIG for about a year (if not longer). Really liked the round, even with the price tag on the ammo.

Now... if this is just a plinker / range gun... nightstand gun... whatever... she'll probably really enjoy it once she gets accustomed to the snappier recoil (if she hasn't shot the .357SIG already).

If it's going to be a carry weapon, at all, she'll probably grow less fond of it as the day goes on. Not necessarily a comment about the round itself, but those guns are a "brick". I carried mine in a Galco SOB holster, at the time, and while that was the most comfortable method I found for it... it was still QUITE heavy. Heavy enough that you always knew it was there.

Just food for thought.

Cliffnotes: Really enjoyed the round for range fun and defensive carry. P229 platform wasn't all that enjoyable to carry for extended periods of time, though.

[Guest CK1]

Beside the cost and availability of the Ammo, if those were not an issue would you recommend it?

Guess this comes down to one's personal opinion... It's more powerful and shoots slightly flatter than 9mm yes, but follow up shots are slower since the recoil is greater, and while I guess it's nice to be able to punch through windshields and cover, it's also more likely to go through walls or possibly a BG without expanding... penetration is a double edged sword IMO, you need enough to get the job done, but what I might choose caliber-wise in a war zone and what I think I need day-to-day are different.

Honestly though, I probably wouldn't choose it due to it's hassle-factor.

45acp and 9mm do what I'm looking for out of a handgun, and since it's accurate hits that matter, usually that means 9mm is enough as far as I'm concerned. More means a rifle or shotgun to me.

I don't put much stock in stopping power or magic caliber theories, besides, just try going over seas and getting a hold of .357sig, .40s&w, 10mm, or even .45...

[molonlabetn]

Actually... .357sig is more likely to expand because of it's velocity, thus less likely to overpenetrate (which is one reason several federal and state agencies use this caliber).

...and price-wise, just going by bulk FMJ costs (say from georgia-arms, instead of superficially inflated retail prices)

9mm 1000rd = $240

.357sig 1000rd = $300

.40s&w 1000rd $260-280

.45acp 1000rd $330-390

.45gap 1000rd $330-340

I see little advantage... $15 per 50 of sig vs. $12 or $13 for 9mm and .40 respectively, or $16-$18 for .45. It's right in the middle of the pack.

Edited December 23, 2009 by molonlabetn

[Guest Geezer]

For some odd reason the Maryville Walmart will have .357 sig and not 9mm or 40. Although at double the price of 40.

[creeky]

For some odd reason the Maryville Walmart will have .357 sig and not 9mm or 40. Although at double the price of 40.

Wal-Mart on cool springs more often than not has .357 sig when other calibers are out as well.

[willis68]

I watched a special on the Secret service the other night, the fact that them and a few other agencies carry the p229 chambered in that round has me intrigued. I am not worried about the price of the ammo for it as it is relatively the same as .45 ACP and I am use to paying those prices. I think I will get a P229 in .357 and have SIG do the action and trigger work that they did on my P220, and if the wife does not like I will just keep it

Edited December 23, 2009 by willis68

[Guest Patty]

Why don't you let your wife buy the gun she wants to use. Do you really think she is interested in a 357 sig?

[dunndw]

I've been researching the 357Sig as well. I've seen the pics of the gel tests, seems like it performs like the 9mm/45 ACP. From what I remember the wound cavity looked impressive, but no diffferent than a 45 ACP really.

The only real advantage I can see is it seems to cut through steel like melted butter. I can't make up my mind if it's worth it to add another caliber to the stables.

[Guest drc767]

My take on the 357 Sig is this.....I prefer it over 9mm mainly due to its velocity, expansion and barrier penetrating advantages over the 9mm. I have chrono'd about every 9mm and 357 Sig round I can get my hands on, and whoever says the 9mm +P (or +P+) is about the same as a 357 Sig is just not telling the truth. I find on average, I get about 200 fps (plus or minus) more out of a comparable weight 357 Sig, but the Sig round does not give the same felt recoil to me. Do I feel outgunned with a 9mm? Absolutely not, but I do prefer the 357 Sig. That being said, as a gun for your wife, I have been down the same road. I used to have several Sigs (and still have a couple). My wife has a fair amount of shooting experience, but she could not warm up to the SA/DA trigger on the Sig. She was very erratic with the DA pull, especially with a quick first shot. After shooting a variety of pistols (I have a few...) she decided on the Glock 9mm's because it has a consistent trigger and short reset. She will not even touch another platform of pistol now. Another thing to keep in mind. If your wife's gun will be a bedside pistol, as well, you need to consider what a 357 Sig shot indoors will do.....They are considerably louder than a 9mm, and although your hearing is kind of the last thing on your mind when somebody is breaking into your house, it is certainly a factor. I love my 10mm's, but choose not to use them as my bedside pistols for the same reason. If you have ever shot a DoubleTap or Buffalo Bore 10mm load indoors without hearing protection, you know what mean. I guess it all boils down to what your wife wants and what she feels the most comfortable with shooting. I let my wife shoot everything I had and she picked the platform and caliber that she was most comfortable with. I want her to feel confident that she can do what she needs to do should, god forbid, she ever have to use a firearm to defend herself.

Edited December 24, 2009 by drc767

[THE COOP]

So this week I bought my first Sig in .357, a P226 which is the gun Sig originally designed for this caliber, I owned all 9mm's (Sigs and a Glock) and really wanted to try the .357 caliber and every time I go to Wally world they were usually out of every caliber except for .357 Sig. So I bought a used P226 from G&L at a price I cant even discuss online (thanks Daniel, I love you man) LOL. Anyway I've been to the range twice and I love this gun and caliber, very accurate and fun to shoot, I did compare it to my other 9mm's and it's more accurate but does have a little more punch to it but I really like it so I immediately moved it into my carry rotation and I just feel good carrying this caliber. Yes it's heavy but no more that a 1911 so IMHO, if you want this caliber buy it!!!! Here's some Sig .357 PORN...... COOP

[willis68]

So this week I bought my first Sig in .357, a P226 which is the gun Sig originally designed for this caliber, I owned all 9mm's (Sigs and a Glock) and really wanted to try the .357 caliber and every time I go to Wally world they were usually out of every caliber except for .357 Sig. So I bought a used P226 from G&L at a price I cant even discuss online (thanks Daniel, I love you man) LOL. Anyway I've been to the range twice and I love this gun and caliber, very accurate and fun to shoot, I did compare it to my other 9mm's and it's more accurate but does have a little more punch to it but I really like it so I immediately moved it into my carry rotation and I just feel good carrying this caliber. Yes it's heavy but no more that a 1911 so IMHO, if you want this caliber buy it!!!! Here's some Sig .357 PORN...... COOP

Coop,

That is a very nice used pistol, I would have jumped on that one!!!

[dunndw]

"In the picture above the 357 SIG did the most damage of the calibers shown "

But the .45 ACP shows approx the same damage except for the very small portion at the very end of the wound track and the total pentration seems to be about the same. Still trying to decide if it's worth the extra caliber, mags, etc. Sig mags are never known to be cheap, more ammo to stockpile...I mean buy...

Although...buying another gun has never really NEEDED a reason :-)

[Guest cjr]

I like the .357 sig round for all the reasons already mentioned.The recoil and follow up shot does not seem to be a problem for me.

[Guest drc767]

Did you let her shoot a BROWNING HP or a 1911 ???

She did, but likes the simplicity of the Glock. The 1911 is too heavy for her to lug around in her purse, as well.