Sig 357 vs ,357 s&w

[HighValleyRanch]

.357 sig vs. .357 magnum
So I have chronographed BB .357 180 grain hardcast out of my 1 7/8" LCR at 1250 fps giving around 600 plus foot pounds ME. Is there a .357 sig load that is comparable in energy to this?
It seems that the ligher weight loads get the higher energy by increased velocity, but as I want this for woods load, I prefer the heavier grain mass for penetration.

With my .40 sw 180 grain loads, I'm still only getting 970 fps out of my Kahr with a 3.4" barrel, so it's still below the .357 magnum in my snub.

 

[disseminator]

357 SIG is available with 125g loads exceeding 1500 fps that are about 625 ft lbs.

But you have identified a use case where the 357 Magnum is always going to be a better choice.

With heavier bullets the 357 Magnum equals or exceeds 10mm and 40 S&W.

I shoot a 190g Hard Cast from my 4" 686+ that is just shy of 1300 fps and that's not really pushing it.

There is really only one choice and that is to buy them all.

 

[Carl the Floor Walker]

The more post I read about the 357 Sig, the more I am impressed with the 9mm.

 

[disseminator]

The more post I read about the 357 Sig, the more I am impressed with the 9mm.

How so?

 

[Cosmodragoon]

In my opinion, the .357 Sig is like a 9mm magnum. It does what people pushing 9mm to hot +p or +p+ levels are looking to do but does it as an ordinary, bog-standard norm. It costs a little in capacity but if that's what you are looking for, then fine. People complain that it costs more but more than those radical loadings in 9mm? The guns are designed for regular use of it too.

Versus .357 magnum, you can get similar performance with similar bullets within a reasonable range of weights. There are things that .357 magnum can do that .357 Sig can't, such as firing shot shells or big heavy hardcasts with a wide meplat. There is something that .357 Sig can do that .357 mag struggles with and that's riding ready in high-capacity interchangeable magazines for semi-automatic handguns.

 

[Sgt127]

Also, my 357 Sig P239 is infinitely easier to shoot than a .357 Magnum revolver. With 125’s it gets pretty tiresome and, somewhat painful.

The P239 has slower bore axis and the slide eats up a lot of the recoil energy.

That said, I love the .357 Magnum and, if forced to choose one handgun for the rest of my life, it would a a .357 Revolver.

 

[44 AMP]

Also, my 357 Sig P239 is infinitely easier to shoot than a .357 Magnum revolver.

Perhaps you might add some qualifiers to that statement? Like which .357 Magnum you are comparing your Sig to??

you can get a .357 Magnum in everything from a light weight snubnose revolver to a long barrel S&W N frame or Ruger Redhawk, or Blackhawk, and there is a huge difference between shooting those guns and shooting any Sig semi auto.

There is something that .357 Sig can do that .357 mag struggles with and that's riding ready in high-capacity interchangeable magazines for semi-automatic handguns.

Is 9+1 high capacity?? I've got a semi auto .357 Magnum which holds that.

 

[Cosmodragoon]

Is 9+1 high capacity?? I've got a semi auto .357 Magnum which holds that.

Ten is sometimes used as a lower boundary for "high capacity" but let's look at it relative to the comparison here. This obviously varies by model but can't you get 12-15 rounds in some .357 Sig guns? That's considerably more than 6-8 in a revolver. Yes, there are semi-automatic guns made to run .357 magnum but aren't there some trade-offs?

For instance, how big are those autoloaders? Are they as handy or reliable as, say, a Glock or a Sig? Can they reliably feed some of those big bullet types that are often counted as an advantage for .357 magnum in revolvers?

 

[44 AMP]

Yes, there are semi-automatic guns made to run .357 magnum but aren't there some trade-offs?

Of course there are some trade offs. Show me anything in life that doesn't have some trade-off, and I'll show you something where you missed seeing it.

You're not going to run a 10 second quarter mile in a (normal) 3/4 ton pickup, and you're not going to haul 4x8 sheets of plywood in your Corvette.

There's no free lunch.

 

[Elkins45]

You must not shoot .357-SIG, or care about accuracy. I replaced my barrel at about 3K rounds, and the rifling was almost invisible and the accuracy was gone. New barrel, poof, it's accurate again.

I do both, and this sounds impossible to me. Grooves filled with lead is far more likely to be the culprit.

What model gun are we talking about here?

 

[Sgt127]

Perhaps you might add some qualifiers to that statement? Like which .357 Magnum you are comparing your Sig to??

The P239 has slower bore axis and the slide eats up a lot of the recoil energy.

Any .357 Magnum revolver with any bullet weight. There is a magic spot between my thumb and index finger that a hard recoiling revolver nails every time.

Revolvers, for me, torque to the left a little smacking the bone on the top of my thumb. Add the higher bore axis and the fact that my hand eats all the recoil....the semi auto works better.

I own more .357 Magnum revolvers that anything. I grew up with them. I think it’s the single most versatile handgun ever made. But, with stout loads, it gets tiring shooting them.

 

[44 AMP]

Any .357 Magnum revolver with any bullet weight.

Thanks for the explanation. This still covers a huge range of territory, but I understand, your hands are not my hands...

Do you have the same problem with SA revolvers, too?
Heavy .357 loads are painful in some guns, the heaviest can't be fired in some guns. Grip shape, size and material all matter, along with the weight of the gun. AND, everyone of us is different.

When you say "tiring", to me, that means short of actually painful. Everyone is different, and I understand some (a lot, actually) of us aren't human machine rests that can go 500rnds in a session without fatigue.

For stout loads, I prefer heavy pistols, and rubber grips. For me, the problem of the gun "biting" shows up at about .44 Magnum levels. A S&W M29 with the stock factory grips and full house loads is NOT pleasant to shoot. Same gun, same loads, Pachmayer grips, is a LOT better. Same loads from a Ruger Super Blackhawk is better yet.

A S&W M28 with loads in the 1600fps range is a chore, and it does get tiring, pretty quickly, but its not painful FOR ME, like the .44 is.

I have several semiautos in the .44 Magnum power class, bigger and heavier than revolvers in the same range. What I like most about shooting them is that their grip shape changes the feel of the recoil to something different from either the DA or SA revolver, and more tolerable to shoot with heavy loads. I get that, many people don't.

 

[Cosmodragoon]

Sgt127, does your revolver have an exposed backstrap? I'm not sure if this is part of the problem for you but I've always found that to be a source of discomfort with magnum ammo. It's an almost perfect mechanism for delivering shock from the frame to my carpal tunnel. If you have a modern L-frame like the 686, it can probably wear the cushy X-frame grips that are designed for shooting super-magnums. It makes .357 magnum a real kitten!

 

[aroundchicago]

Love the .357 Sig. I have a Glock 23 and bought a .357 Sig barrel from Glock. Drops right in. Find myself shooting 125 grain HST’s and Gold Dots. Targetsports has great pricing on .357 Sig ammo btw. Love a nice .357 mag revolver but in my converted G23, you get a capacity of 16 rounds of a powerful cartridge in a compact package. What’s not to like? My only complaint is .357 Sig is loud.

 

[Sgt127]

I’ve been shooting revolvers for over 40 years. The single most miserable revolver I’ve ever shot is a model 58 .41 Magnum with the hot loads.

Big heavy guns are better. But, there is a magic spot between my thumb and forefinger that takes the brunt of the recoil. The gun seems to torque counter clockwise for me and just nails that exact spot. And, it flat hurts. A nerve apparently runs right through there.

Rubber grips help. But, I have dainty little girl hands. Add enough padding and I can’t grip it properly.

If the recoil came straight back, the web of my hand could take it. It’s when the horn of the backstrap (or grips) twists in, it hurts.

I’ve shot .357, .41 and .44 for so long, I remember the web of my hand bleeding. Maybe it’s a cumalitive effect.

Single actions don’t hurt. The gun rolls up.