357SIG... Any real advantage?

[garand4life]

I'm selling my 357 Sig 239 because I don't want to stock another caliber.

How much?

[bafsu92]

How much?

IM sent

10-8 Update, I sold it this morning, a little more cash for the 1911 fund

[mauler]

My experience is that it does have more snappy recoil than the .40 S&W.  It is also substantially louder, and I believe this is a valid consideration for a defense gun.  You are most likely going to shoot in self defense with no hearing protection.  I have a buddy that permanently damaged his hearing shooting a .357 Sig in an emergency situation.  The ammo is rather on the exotic side compared to 9mm, .40 and .45, so of course it costs more.  My personal preference is bigger, heavier bullets at lower velocities and pressures.  I shoot .45 because I believe it to be the best caliber for self defense.

[bafsu92]

My experience is that it does have more snappy recoil than the .40 S&W.  It is also substantially louder, and I believe this is a valid consideration for a defense gun.  You are most likely going to shoot in self defense with no hearing protection.  I have a buddy that permanently damaged his hearing shooting a .357 Sig in an emergency situation.  The ammo is rather on the exotic side compared to 9mm, .40 and .45, so of course it costs more.  My personal preference is bigger, heavier bullets at lower velocities and pressures.  I shoot .45 because I believe it to be the best caliber for self defense.

I'll tend to agree with you on the loudness, about the same as my 10mm Glock and short barreled .357 mags. Anything loaded to higher pressures will obviously be louder. As far as being on the exotic side I have to disagree, anything that is readily available on the shelf at Wal-Mart is not an exotic. Sure it's not as common as 9mm, .45acp or .40s&w but what is? Once a caliber has been put into use by a federal agency it really can't be considered too exotic. It may have been somewhat exotic 5 years ago but .40s&w was in the same boat 20 years ago. It is now the 5th best selling auto pistol cartridge behind only those 3 and .380. It is now far more available than .45gap, 10mm and .38super. Exotic is something like 9X25 or other cartridges that you can buy a barrel for but can't find loaded ammo readily available. I carry a .45 more than anything, well a .45 and a .357 normally, so even though I believe in the big, slow bullet myself I also see a use for a smaller and super fast one as well.

[twyacht]

Don't forget the .41 Magnum. Ballistics are top notch. Like the 10mm,  a great rd. Never really caught on, especially when the politics got involved.

Yes, there are the lovers and reloaders that swear by them....But they are the extreme minority in the scheme of the evolution of ammo.

The .380, even the .32, were once not even considered worthy as a primary carry weapon. The ammo evolved, and became a heck of a lot more effective, and the sales in those calibers skyrocketed.

I still want a .357 Sig barrel for my S&W M&P as the mags will work for both,...but I won't stockpile the Sig ammo,....

[Sponsor]

[bafsu92]

Don't forget the .41 Magnum. Ballistics are top notch. Like the 10mm,  a great rd. Never really caught on, especially when the politics got involved.

Yes, there are the lovers and reloaders that swear by them....But they are the extreme minority in the scheme of the evolution of ammo.

The .380, even the .32, were once not even considered worthy as a primary carry weapon. The ammo evolved, and became a heck of a lot more effective, and the sales in those calibers skyrocketed.

I still want a .357 Sig barrel for my S&W M&P as the mags will work for both,...but I won't stockpile the Sig ammo,....

I wouldn't stockpile ammo for it either but your smart to have the barrel and some ammo on hand. It gives you options in case ammo would get scarce again. What other caliber can you change too with just a barrel? Not even having to buy more mags is a big plus in my book.

[Texas_Bryan]

The Texas Dept of Public Safety carries glocks in 357 sig. Not sure what model gun it is.

Texas DPS carries Sig 226 DAK's in .357 SIG.  Best pistol round I've ever shot, I still like .45 ACP better, but honestly the .357 SIG I think shoots much better.  If I had the money and didn't mind a new caliber, I would buy one.

I don't think the round is going anywhere, so I would worry about that, and every store I've been to that carries ammo always carries it.

Like someone else said it shoots flat and fast as hell, that's why the State Troopers love it.  Recoil is sharp and easily manageable.  My father loves shooting pigs with it and takes it on every hunt.  If he swears buy it, so would I.

[tombogan03884]

Probably wind up a "cult classic, Like Super .38, .41 Mag, and 10MM.
Always around, never common.

[seeker_two]

Texas Dept. of Public Safety (our state troopers) love their .357SIG P226's....they say that they perform like the .357Mag revolvers that they used to carry. Very few DPS troopers chose to keep their .45ACP P220's.

Having a gun in .357SIG makes sense only if you have a spare barrel in 9mm....cheaper for practice, and more ammo availibility if you can't find the SIG round....

[bafsu92]

Texas Dept. of Public Safety (our state troopers) love their .357SIG P226's....they say that they perform like the .357Mag revolvers that they used to carry. Very few DPS troopers chose to keep their .45ACP P220's.

Having a gun in .357SIG makes sense only if you have a spare barrel in 9mm....cheaper for practice, and more ammo availibility if you can't find the SIG round....

You'd really be better served practicing with 40s&w though. Not as cheap as 9mm but much closer in felt recoil. Any practice is better than none but carrying .357sig and practicing with 9mm is like carrying 9mm and practicing with .22lr.