Glock 33

[garryc]

357 SIG has always been a round that interested me. Can someone give me their opinion of the handling and recoil and such of the G33 Gen 4 with standard 125 grain ammo as compared to the G27 Gen 4 with standard 180 grain ammo? Or even more notably the 40 Shield as that is my normal carry gun right now.

 

[Dan-O]

More of a snap than the recoil impulse of the G-27. Unless you roll your own....shooting the 357sig can get real expensive, real fast.

 

[Tactical Jackalope]

.357SIG has one of my favorite ballistics.. but that's about all I like about it.

I hate the extra wear it does on guns.
The snap.
The cost.
The rarity in my area.
etc.

Nay.

 

[garryc]

Always load my own as it is all expensive and I'm a cheap bastid. Now I don't need another CCW piece, far from it, it is just a want.

I'm going to take your answer as a snap as in the 40 shield as to me the Shield is a snappier pistol than the G27. That is fine, it only takes range time to work that out.

The calculation of free recoil comes out to 10.74 on the 40 Shield and 8.68 on the G33. Recoil impulse is .89 and .84 respectively. That's with using 180 grains at 1000fps in the shield and 125 grains at 1350 FPS in the G33. Free recoil is 10.74 and 8.68 respectively.

The math says not enough difference to make difference. The math does not always describe human perception.

 

[DaleA]

The math does not always describe human perception.

You got that right. IMhO a very wise statement.

I think your interest in the .357 Sig matches my interest in the 10mm. Given enough time I'll eventually get one. But don't think you're going to have all the time in the world...

In other words, if you can still pay your taxes and eat semi-regularly go get one and find out-it'll be a fun experience even if you find you can't stand the little snapper.

 

[AK103K]

I always felt the recoil from a 357SIG to be basically the same as shooting 127 grain +P+ 9mm from the same gun. Its a bit louder, but that was about it. (I had a 31 and a 9mm barrel for it)

I had a number of SIG's in 357SIG, and .40 barrels for the same guns. The .40's had a heavier recoil impulse, but that only makes sense, as the bullets were heavier. Again, the 357's felt like shooting hot 9mm (which is basically all 357SIG is) out of the same model SIG's.

 

[garryc]

The regular dealer I use for these types of guns does not have G33's listed in the LE list. They do have G27's listed at $399. Buds lists the G33 at $499.

So I get a G27 and put in a Lone Wolf barrel for $90. One G33 mag and One G31 mag.

Does the spring need changed?

 

[AK103K]

I believe the RSA is the same for 9mm, 357SIG, and .40. I used the same spring in my 31, when going back and forth between 357 and 9mm.

 

[Rob62]

I carry a .357 SIG chambered gun daily and have for 12 plus years, so I am very familiar with the cartridge. However I am not a fan of it in the G33 - and I have shot that combination.

There is way too much recoil and muzzle blast for me. My small - sub compact - Glock is the G26 which I like a lot.

Regards,

Rob

 

[walks with gun]

I've run a hundred rounds through each (Gen 4's in 40 - .357) To me the 33 seems to push back into my hand under recoil where the .40 seems to rise up. For cost efficiency I'd have to pick the .40, but for my shooting enjoyment, I really like the.357 and tend to shoot better groups with it with asst. ammo. If I had some extra dough I'd be carrying one instead of using by bro-in-laws.

 

[garryc]

You guys make some good points. With my 40 Shield and my G26, my Polish P64 and my 3" XD 20 I have all bases covered on the CCW end.

I still want to play with the round. I wonder if I can get a 357 sig barrel for my XD tactical 40 5". I see that Bar-sto makes them but it's $195 and 2-4 months

 

[GEARHEAD_ENG]

Or you could trade your Glock 26 for a Glock 27 and pick up a $99 Lone Wolf 357 sig barrel. You would be able to practice/carry either round. Mags, RSA, extractor are all the same between the 27 and 33.

 

[garryc]

I could except I'm shooting consistent head shots double tap from the draw at 8 yards. ( 25 yard pistol target black = head shots) Tough to give up a gun that shoots like that.

 

[AK103K]

I was into 357SIG pretty heavy when I got my 31, which was my first Glock in almost 20 years, since having issues with an early 17.

The 31 was actually the gun that convinced me to go back to 9mm (I had a LWD 9mm barrel for it as well). Once I realized that there was little difference between 357SIG and +P+ 9mm, I really didnt see the point in 357SIG anymore. That, and the fact 357SIG ammo prices increased significantly at the time, and my 31 was showing heavy wear to the underside of the slide, and it was a pretty easy choice, and one I have yet to regret.

I have three 26's, and they are great guns. Even with the "pinkie under" grip, they shoot and handle like a full size gun, and I shoot just about as well with them, as I do with my 17's.

Hey, if 357SIG interests you, get a gun in it and give it a try. It is an interesting round, and Ive shot and reloaded a good bit of it, but from my experiences with it, I dont think its anything more special than any of the others. With it being generally accepted these days, that all the major SD calibers perform to the same standards, the 9mm makes the most sense, with its lower cost, ease of shooting, and higher capacity in the same sized guns.

 

[garryc]

One thing I've gotten back into is crawling into small areas and shooting woodchucks. Out to 50 yards, hunting not just shooting.

I look at that data, 90 grain XTP at 1650fps and it gets my mind going. Worthless for SD, but I figure that bullet would darn near explode at that velocity.

I shot two with the 9mm and 124 grain Berry's HBRN bullets. Both had a berm behind them. Those bullets smacked that berm pretty hard after going through the chucks. I'm betting that 90 grain wouldn't hardly exit and if it did there would not be much left of it.

 

[AK103K]

I would think you would get 9mm to run only slightly slower, and with the same result.

Hornadys manual lists the 90 grain XTP at 1500 (max), and the 9mm using the same bullet, at 1400 (max). Sierra shows 1550 (max) and 1400(max) respectively for the same bullet weight. 150fps isnt a big difference.

Who's loading the 357SIG to 1650 using that bullet? Whats their 9mm of the same weight running?

This is one of the things I considered when I went with 9mm. I even emailed Speer (the main ammo maker of it at the time) if there was a ballistic barrier/advantage to the 357SIG over 9mm, similar to the 5.56 barrier in a rifle, and they said no. Those few fps really arent going to make that much of a difference.

 

[garryc]

Hodgdon showing 1642fps with CFE from a 4" barrel and a 90 grain XTP. Grizzly Ammunition 357 Sig 90 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point advertises at 1850 FPS but that is irrelevant as I don't buy ammo except for CCW.

This just became about play, not serious reasons. For serious I have confidence in the Federal HST in 9mm.

 

[2450paul]

9mm +p+

AK103K I woul shoot a bunch of that in a Glock its machinegun ammo and hard on your frame

 

[AK103K]

Im not too worried.

Back in the late 80's, early 90's, Glock sent a factory letter around to its dealers, advising that Glocks needed "hotter" ammo to function properly, and recommended UZI "Black Tip" carbine ammo (basically SMG ammo), which was a good bit hotter than what was usually being sold commercially at the time. That same ammo, was the only 9mm to actually start to fire form into the flutes of the chamber of my MP5, something that even surplus SMG ammo, never did.

Ive shot a good bit of +P+ through a couple of my Glocks, with no sign of wear.

 

[CDW4ME]

Glock 33:
Ranger T 125 gr. @ 1,280 fps / 455# KE / PF 160
Gold Dot 125 gr. @ 1,284 fps / 458# KE / PF 161
Federal HST 125 gr. @ 1,315 fps / 480# KE / PF 164
Glock 27:
Federal Hydra-Shok 180 gr. @ 940 fps / 353# KE / PF 169
Remington Golden Saber 165 gr. @ 1,028 fps / 387# KE / PF 170
Winchester Ranger T 165 gr. @ 1,113 fps / 454# KE / PF 184

I think the power factor (PF) calculation matches my subjective impression of recoil; the 357 Sig produces slightly less recoil than even the "softer kicking" 40 loads.

Compare to a "hot" 40 like Ranger T 165 and the 357 Sig generates about 10% less calculated (and IMO felt) recoil.

Blast is notable with the 357 Sig, some may associate blast with recoil.