SIG-Sauer and Federal worked together to SIG the 357 SIG cartridge and
bring it to market in the summer of 1994. This cartridge has continued to gain
converts from all ranks: Citizens, Municipal Police, County Sheriffs, State
Troopers, and at the Federal level (U.S. Secret Service). Although the 357
SIG continues to catch on, it was not accepted as dramatically as the .40
S&W did in a very short time. Discounting wildcat cartridges, the 357
SIG is the first bottlenecked handgun cartridge to hit the mainstream in over 75 years.
Let's see why:
1. The nominal velocity of a 125 grain bullet from a 3.86" barrel is 1350
fps (169 power factor rating). The hotter loads from a 3.86" barrel can push the
357 SIG bullet up to 1418 fps (177 power factor rating). A 5" barrel can
push a bullet to over 1500 fps (188 power factor rating). Or, a downloaded 357 SIG cartridge can emulate a full power, standard pressure 9mm Luger at 1160 fps
(145 power factor rating; a lighter recoil spring may be necessary with some
light loads). The 357 SIG has a wide velocity range to satisfy the various
sporting/defense disciplines. And, the compact 357 SIG cartridge can easily
fit into small, medium, and full sized tactical/defense pistols.
On the other hand, the 9x23mm Winchester cartridge also easily makes Major
Power factors. Yet, because of its long cartridge length, it is by necessity,
used in large framed pistols to house it. So while the 9x23mm Winchester is
an excellent sport cartridge, it lacks the versatility of the 357 SIG--See
Attachment 4.
2. For those interested in a 4" semi auto that has external ballistics
comparable to a 357 Magnum revolver, but is more compact, kicks & flashes
less, reloads faster, packs more rounds, and has faster follow up shot
capability, the 357 SIG fits the bill. Although the SAAMI specs from a 357
Magnum test barrel is 1450 fps, a typical 4" 357 Magnum often generates
about 1350 fps or so, which happens to be the same velocity as the 357 SIG
caliber from a 3.86" barrel. A 4.5" - 5" barreled 357 SIG can push bullets over 1500
fps --- See Attachment 6.
3. Typical 357 SIG bullets have a diameter of .355 - .3555 as opposed to the
357 Magnum with its .357 bullets. If other cartridges can be marketed in
such a way that a .36 caliber bullet is loaded into a 38 Special cartridge, etc,
then a 9mm (.3555) bullet has just as much right to be used in a 357 SIG
cartridge :)
4. Perceived recoil of the 357 SIG varies a great deal, depending on whom
you talk to. To me, the 125 grain 357 SIG round feels similar to shooting hot
rounds in .40 S&W, .45, and +P+ 9mm, and the blast of all these "hot" rounds
is somewhat similar to the 357 SIG as well. Ed Sanow states, "Given pistols
of the same weight, action and ergonomics, the felt recoil of the .357 SIG
125-grain JHP is LESS than the .40 S&W 155, COMPARABLE to the .40 S&W
180-grain loads and MORE than the 9mm 115- and 124- grain +P+ and 147-grain
loads".
5. Given the pressure levels and slide velocities of the 40 S&W and the 357
SIG, you can use the same recoil spring. Some people still like to increase
the recoil spring tension an extra 2 - 4 lbs when shooting the 357 SIG. The
357 SIG slide action may even improve the functional reliability of your 40
S&W pistol, although some people subjectively interpret the faster slide as
having greater recoil.
6. You get more feeding reliability *insurance* using a bottlenecked
cartridge. As long as the magazine is feeding the 357 SIG cartridge correctly,
then ramming a 9mm bullet into a 10mm chamber opening is a definite advantage.
Glock engineers actually took advantage of this bottlenecked cartridge when
they engineered their new .357 Glocks. As a result, the Glock .357 barrels
have a fairly tight chamber and a well supported chamber in the 6 o'clock
position.
7. You get another advantage with the bottlenecked 357 SIG cartridge. The
velocity spreads can often be less than 20 fps, which is quite excellent.
Accurate Arms Company had this to say about the 357 SIG caliber: "This is
without a doubt the most ballistically consistent handgun cartridge we have
ever worked with. The standard deviation for every single load developed was
less than 10 fps. The average SD was 5 fps. This is impressive for any
cartridge but especially so for a handgun. The small bottleneck and high
working pressure of the round must both contribute to this amazing
consistency..."
I can attest to the validity of the Accurate Arms claim. Using a Dillon
chronograph, I picked up these stats using a maximum 13 grains of AA9
powder. (pistol: Glock 35 with a KKM 357 SIG barrel):
Hi: 1406; Lo: 1393; Extreme Spread: 13; Average: 1400; Std Deviation: 5
8. The 357 SIG conversion kit is simply a drop-in barrel replacement into a
.40 S&W pistol, that must be built strong enough to handle the effects of
the 40,000 psi pressure limits. The 357 SIG and 40 S&W can easily co-exist and
be used interchangeably based on application needs.
This is one reason that I consider the .40 S&W and the 357 SIG the same gun.
There is no "versus" here. It simply depends on your needs. The 357 SIG
pushes lighter bullets, from 90 grains to 150 grains while the .40 S&W pushes 135
grain to 180 grain bullets. What velocity range do you want to work with?
What size bullet do you want to work with? Now this is flexibility.
9. The lighter 357 SIG rounds, as opposed to the heavier .40 S&W rounds,
produce more velocity, energy, and whatever else they mysteriously do,
making them effective on the streets. The developing 357 SIG database is showing
high marks. One famous shooting, as described by Ayoob, stated that a 357
SIG punched through a heavy duty truck cab to kill a gunman, while the .45
from his partner could not do the job. A state trooper said, based on his
experience, that the 357 SIG can instantly stop opponents with no fatal
wounds. And a city police officer was delighted that the 357 SIG could stop
a vicious pit bull with one shot, while previously a pit bull soaked up
multiple subsonic 147 grain 9mm rounds before being stopped.
10. The 357 SIG has less torque than the .40 because of using a smaller 9mm
bullet. This means less twisting in the hands and a more straight up and
down muzzle action, which can help provide better gun handling control. The
faster slide action of the 357 SIG can also provide faster follow-up shooting.
11. Another advantage if you carry all day, is that five loaded 357 SIG
magazines weigh less than five equivalently loaded .40 S&W and especially
.45 ACP magazines.
12. More and more ammo companies are supporting the 357 SIG. Low priced
Blazer ammo runs around $8 - $9 per box. --- See Attachment 3.
13. A reloading advantage of the 357 SIG over the .40 is that you can buy
plated and jacketed 9mm bullets for aprox. $45 - $50 per thousand. This is
an excellent price, especially when comparing it to plated/jacketed .40 S&W &
.45 ACP bullets. Besides the fine quality Starline 357 SIG brass, you can now
get once fired 357 SIG brass from Midway, and from Ken's Ammo & Reloading in
Manchester, NH (603-622-1680), to name a couple.
Be sure to only use 9mm bullets that have a short nose so the bullet
measures .355 at the crimp point. I like to use bulk Rainier and West Coast 124 grain
copper bullets. I've pushed the Rainier 124 grain 9mm bullet over 1500 fps
with no barrel leading problems. Rainier uses an electro-plating process
that produces a molecular bond between the thin copper and the lead, which works
very well. West Coast uses a thick copper jacketing process. You can buy
Rainier bullets from Midway and Blue Press. You can buy West Coast bullets
directly --- See Attachment 5.
For the generations of American shooters who have never seen or fired a
bottlenecked handgun cartridge before, here are the extra reloading steps
needed for a "straight waller". Just like bottlenecked rifle cartridges, you
lube the brass before resizing and dry it after crimping, as well as check
the case length to make sure it stays within trim specs after firing. My 357
SIG reloads have never needed trimming. The 9mm bullet must also have a
short nose to seat properly, with a preferable diameter of .355. The case mouth
should be expanded to just "barely" squeeze the bullet into the case, to aid
in bullet & neck friction; Don't deform the bullet or brass during the
crimping process. Safety means passing the thumb pressure test, so the
bullet will not slip/setback into the case.
I also prefer to use a light cannelure groove and an RCBS roll crimp (or a
Lee roll/taper crimp), for the ultimate in bullet setback safety. The roughened
surface from the cannelure groove helps hold the bullet in place at the
crimp point. The only other ultimate safety technique, which is used by some ammo
companies, is to use a glue or sealant to hold the bullet in place. The 357
SIG neck is short, but is quite adequate as long as the cartridge is
manufactured and/or reloaded correctly.
It's fairly easy to load new 357 SIG ammo to headspace on the case mouth.
But for remanufactured ammo and for reloads, it's a completely different
ballpark, especially regarding the safety issue of bullet setback. I would like to see
SAAMI re-evaluate the 357 SIG so that ammo companies, barrel companies, and
firearms companies can agree how to handle this cartridge. This unity is
necessary to make the 357 SIG a mature, safe cartridge for "all".
Even though the original stats from Federal state the 357 SIG headspaces on
the case mouth, it should really be treated like a little bottlenecked rifle
cartridge. SIGArms has stated it headspaces on the case mouth and shoulder,
and has wisely made their pistols accordingly. Luckily, new 357 SIG pistols
by other companies and barrel makers for that matter, appear to be copying
SIGArms' lead. The shoulder placement is critical and it really headspaces
on the shoulder, primarily.
I even know of a local ammo company that still resizes .40S&W brass into 357
SIG cases, which means the cases are too short. Yet, these reformed cases
shoot perfectly and have been a popular low priced 357 SIG ammo alternative.
However, I would not recommend using reformed .40 brass for reloading
purposes --- the case is too weak for multiple 357 SIG firings. Yet, if the
357 SIG shoulder is out of place, it has severe problems. Go to the
following site to read a good definitive study on the headspace issue with the 357
SIG:
www.realguns.com/archives/001.htm
--- See Attachment 5.
14. You can now get a 'standard' +P+ 9mm-like semi auto (the 357 SIG) that is
within SAAMI specs, unlike the standard 9mm Luger caliber. This can be an
important point when agencies make pistol bids, and to standardize on the
only REAL level of effective 9mm bullet 'velocity' that scores in the over
90% one-shot-stop category. Put another way, the 357 SIG is the most
flexible 9mm Magnum duty cartridge available. If you like +P+ 9mm performance, the
357 SIG is just more of the same, with extra to spare --- See Attachment 3.
15. The strong brass was constructed to handle a standard 40,000 psi, as
opposed to the 35,000 psi SAAMI spec for the 9mm and 40 S&W. 357 SIG
brass is stronger than .40 S&W brass. Even though the 357 SIG looks like nothing
but a necked down .40, it's quite different. The 357 SIG case wall and the
insides are beefed up to handle more pressure than .40 S&W brass is capable
of doing.
16. The 357 SIG has the option of pushing heavier bullets like the 147/150
grainers, to higher, supersonic velocities than a standard 9mm pistol is
able to do (1127-1218 fps from a standard 4" barrel) --- See Attachment 3.
17. The 357 SIG and 40 S&W 135 grain rounds both produce over 500 ft/lbs of
energy. But the 357 SIG is clearly ahead if you have application needs using
lighter bullets that penetrate well with excellent accuracy --- See
Attachments 1 & 2.
18. The 357 SIG has the energy and trajectory of a lighter weight 40 S&W
bullet, yet the 357 SIG penetrates like a 180 grain 40 S&W bullet. You get
two for the price of one. Ed Sanow stated, "The Glock 31 (4.5" barrel)
firing .357 SIG 125-grain JHP's has about the same felt recoil as a Glock 22
(4.5" barrel) firing .40 S&W 180-grain JHP's. With 50 percent more energy,
the .357 SIG has better tactical penetration." --- See Attachments 2,3,& 4.
19. A major advantage of the 357 SIG over the .40 S&W is that a lot of
people have proven that the 357 SIG is inherently accurate, while the .40 S&W is
good, but not excellent in this arena. --- See Attachment 6.
20. Here are some current 357 SIG pistol makers: the AMT DAO Back up, 1911
conversion kits, SIG's P226, P239, and P229, Taurus Service Auto, Beretta
Cougar, S&W Sigma's, and Glock M31, M32, & M33.
21. Many U.S. Citizens have adopted the 357 SIG for sporting and/or self
defense purposes. Some simply use the 357 SIG because it's a simple drop-in
barrel replacement for their beloved .40's.
A number of agencies are also using the 357 SIG because it's an accurate,
flat shooting, easy to handle 9mm magnum with excellent penetration
characteristics through barriers. In fact, more and more 357 SIG ammo is hitting the market
all the time, to handle various application needs (shallow and deep penetration), including specially made police only ammo.
A Short List of Agencies Using the 357 SIG Cartridge:
Alameda County
Delaware State Police (First to adopt the 357 SIG)
Dallas, Texas Police
Morristown, NJ
New Mexico State Police
Richmond, Virginia
Springfield, IL
Texas DPS
U.S. Secret Service
Virginia State Police
22. The 357 SIG caliber is recognized in the IDPA (International Defensive
Pistol Association), which has an edge on 'practical' defense shooting with
stock duty/defense guns. The IDPA also uses a more realistic power factor
rating for duty cartridges. Unfortunately, the IPSC/USPSA (United States
Practical Shooting Association) does not recognize the 357 SIG as a Major
Power cartridge as of this writing, even though the streets beg to differ.
23. During most of the 20th century, straight wall cases have been the most
popular in the U.S., since people wanted to generally push the biggest
diameter bullets possible for the best stopping power. Since bullet and
firearms technology has improved so much, there is a new interest in
bottlenecked SIG. This means that smaller bullets can be pushed at
higher velocities to accomplish the same stopping power as the bigger
bullets have been doing all along. And bottlenecked cartridges have some special
advantages of their own.
24. The 357 SIG has sometimes been accused of having too much blast. Well,
it depends. 357 SIG blast and flash is certainly less severe than a typical 357
Magnum revolver. Blast and flash can be controlled with various powders,
flash inhibitors, and other components. Even a heavier bullet can lower the
noise level. The 357 SIG simply speaks with authority :)
When I shoot, or when I listen to others shoot "hot" supersonic rounds in
.40 S&W, +P+ 9mm, or .45 ACP, the blast sounds fairly similar to a 357
SIG.
And the flash is nowhere near what occurs in a 357 magnum revolver. As far
as I'm concerned, all duty calibers are too noisy.
With recent advances in electronic ear protection, it's really a moot point.
You can even have electronic ear inserts made. Unless you just have a split
second to respond to a threat, use electronic ears with your gun, whether
you're a Law Abiding Citizen, or a Law Enforcement Officer. Besides,
electronic ears help you hear normal sounds even better, while muffling out
the loud noise.
Here's a short list of Environmental Noise decibel ratings:
dB Environmental Noise
10 Normal breathing
50 Interior home noise
70 Crowded restaurant
80 City traffic
85 Hearing Damage Possible
90 Lawn mower
120 Threshold of Pain
120 Siren
130 Jackhammer
140 Jet engine at takeoff
152 .22 pistol
156 12 gauge shotgun
157 .45 ACP pistol
160 9mm pistol
164 .357 Magnum revolver
The decibel scale is a logarithmic scale, not a linear one. Each increase of
3 dB corresponds to sound that has twice as much energy (measured in
Pascal's). Each 10 dB increase corresponds to a 10-fold increase in energy.
Loudness is a subjective thing. People might perceive a sound to be twice as
loud as another when there is a 10-fold increase in energy. Most people
cannot perceive differences in loudness of less than 3 dB.
Let's assume you have excellent electronic ear protection with an NRR rating
of 29 dB. Let's use the quietest .22 caliber pistol, which has a noise level
of 152 dB. Subtracting 29 from 152 still leaves you at a noise level of 123
--- Hearing damage is possible at 85 dB. Like I said, all the calibers are
too noisy.
So why do some of us still have excellent hearing after shooting for so many
years? Because, gunfire is a complex, short-lived sound wave, and it doesn't
travel as well through hearing protection as pure sustained tones do. The
NRR rating on ear protection might actually be higher than the nominal 29 dB
rating, in regards to gunfire. Yet, for continuous noise, the NRR rating may
be reduced by as much as 50% of the nominal 29 dB rating.
So there you have it. Clear as mud.
25. Many people have not even begun to tap into the versatility and
capability of the new 357 SIG magnum semi auto --- See Attachment 7.
In summary, quoting from Handguns, April 1996:
"However, for the shooter who wants it all (high energy, flat trajectory,
high velocity, extreme accuracy, high firepower and deep penetration) in a
single cartridge that fits in a concealable, shootable handgun, the 357 SIG
is just the ticket."
Attachment 1
Here is a comparison of Ed Sanow's penetration data comparing the Federal
357 SIG standard round with the COR-BON 40 S&W 135 grain round:
Cartridge Penetration Expansion Crush C.C. Stretch S.C.
357 SIG Federal 125 gr JHP 13.7 .59 3.7 43.4
40 S&W COR-BON 135 gr JHP 9.8 .56 2.4 69.1
Note: The 357 SIG Federal bullet is engineered to not fragment, while the 40
S&W COR-BON 135 gr bullet violently expands and fragments.
A number of agencies are buying the 357 SIG for the express purpose of
penetrating through car bodies, glass, etc in order to get the job done. A
COR-BON 135 grain 40 S&W could not do this kind of work; but it's excellent
for an open head-on confrontation.
Attachment 2
Here is a chart based on a FBI test comparing the standard 357 SIG 125 grain
Federal load with a 155 grain Hornady XTP 40 S&W load. It's interesting that
the chart is based on a SIG 229 3.86" barrel and a Glock 22 4.49" barrel,
which gives substantial velocity advantage to the Glock. The velocity increase from a 4" to a 5" 357
SIG barrel is dramatic. I'm guessing that a Glock 357 SIG Carbine would be a real smoker.
FBI Eight Step Test Results: (Penetration in inches)
(357 SIG barrel: 3.86"; 40 S&W barrel: 4.49")
Cartridge 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
357 SIG 125 gr Federal 14.0 20.1 22.9 17.1 19.5 13.8 20.5 12.1
40S&W 155gr Hornady XTP 14.5 18.1 23.0 14.0 18.3 10.7 15.9 12.1
115gr 9mm Win Silvertip 10.0 11.8 12.7 12.9 13.1 9.2 10.5 10.5
test1: Shooting into bare gelatin at 10 feet.
test2: Uses several layers of clothing over the gelatin at same distance.
test7: Same as test2, except at 20 yards.
test3: Simulates shooting through a automobile door.
test4 & 5: Simulates shooting through common building materials.
test6 & test8: The acid tests: Shooting at lightly clothed gelatin through
automobile glass, which is extremely tough on hollow points.
Test6: shooting at gelatin through a piece of glass that is angled 45
degrees to the rear and 15 degrees to the left and simulates an oblique shot at an
automobile windshield from the driver's side.
Test8: shooting straight on through a piece of glass that is angled backward
at 45 degrees. This simulates a head-on shot at an approaching vehicle.
Attachment 3
Here is a non-exclusive chart showing several 357 SIG Factory Rounds:
|
Cartridge / Bullet |
Velocity (FPS)
Feet Per Second |
Energy
In FP |
Penetration
In Inches |
Bullet
Expansion |
CCI-Speer
Gold Dot JHP
125 grain |
1385 |
533 |
16.5 |
.68 |
Cor-Bon
Sierra JHP
115 grain |
1515 |
586 |
12.5 |
.58 |
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Cor-Bon 125 grain Sierra JHP 1440 576 13.3 frag.
Cor-Bon 91 grain BeeSafe 1525 470 7.0 frag.
Federal 125 grain JHP 1430 568 12.7 .62
Federal 150 grain JHP 1140 433 18.0 .50
Federal 125 grain Tactical 1410 552 12.0 .65
Glaser 80 grain Blue Safety 1610 461 8.0 frag.
Glaser 80 grain Silver Safety 1610 461 9.0 frag.
Hornady 124 grain XTP-HP 1395 536 14.5 .55
Hornady 147 grain XTP-HP 1210 478 16.2 .58
Magnate 64 grain Defender 2275 736 11.3 frag.
Remington 125 grain JHP 1350 506 14.3 .57
Triton 125 grain JHP 1440 576 13.8 frag.
Triton 115 grain Quik-Shok 1425 519 9.0 3-frag.
Winchester 125 grain Ranger T 1385 533 11.5 .75
As you can see, the 357 SIG doesn't base penetration on just one cartridge
brand. And there are some 357 SIG rounds that have mild penetration
characteristics and others that have slower, quieter velocities. As the 357
SIG catches on, I'm sure there will be more cartridges coming out to fill
various niches. I'd like to see some factory downloaded 357 SIG ammo that
equals full power standard 9mm rounds. Specially made "police only" 357 SIG
ammo is now available from Winchester.
Attachment 4
Here is a Comparison of 7 different 9mm cartridge types along with the .357
Magnum cartridge (in order of Wound Area):
Cartridge/Factory Load Velocity Wound Area Firearm Barrel (sq. in.)
Length
*357 SIG/Speer 125 gr Gold Dot 1374 25.95 SIG P229 3.86
357 Magnum/Winchester 125 gr JHP 1375 23.66 S&W M66 4.00
9x23mm CP/Elite Ammo 124 gr hp/XTP 1326 22.98 Colt 1991 5.00
356 TSW/Federal 135 gr Hydra-Shok 1199 22.47 S&W M3566 5.00
9mm Luger/Federal 135gr Hydra-Shok 1037 21.81 Glock M26 3.50
9x23mm Win/Win. 125 gr Silvertip 1463 21.07 Colt 1991 5.00
9x23mm Largo/Speer 124 gr Gold Dot 1197 20.51 Colt 1991 5.00
38 Super/Remington 115 gr JHP 1303 19.41 Colt 1991 5.00
Note: A longer 4.5" - 5" barrel Significantly increases the 357 SIG
velocity. Some people have recorded velocities over 1500 fps in full sized pistols.
And the 357 SIG can fit into small sub-compact pistols, making it extremely
versatile.
Attachment 5
Here's some Reloading Information
SAFETY DISCLAIMER --- Use this information at your own risk. I am not
responsible for your actions. It's much safer to use official Reloading
Manuals and start with mild powder charges. This data is provided to simply
give you some ideas about available reloading information, as well as show
some powder types and charges that can be used for the 357 SIG.
Under-charges can be just as dangerous as over-charges.
Non-exclusive list for 357 SIG reloading info:
Speer/Blount 208-746-2351
Accurate Arms Company 800-416-3006; (www.accuratearms.com )
Hodgdon (www.hodgdon.com )
Vihtavouri (www.vihtavuori.fi/vihtavuori/index.html )
Alliant (www.alliantpowder.com )
Sierra 50th Edition Reloading Manual
Dillon Blue Press (800-223-4570) makes an excellent carbide die set for the
357 SIG; http://bluepress.com
Midway (800-243-3220) www.midwayusa.com
Several barrel companies support the 357 SIG caliber:
Jarvis 406-961-4392
Bar-Sto 619-367-2747; http://Barsto.com
Olympic Arms
KKM Barrels
Plus others I have not had experience with....
Die sets I've used and like: Dillon, Lee, and RCBS. The best value is the
Lee die set for $20. It resizes excellently and crimps very well. I like the
RCBS roll crimper, even though I use Dillon dies for the other stations.
Corbin makes an excellent cannelure tool. (541-826-5211)
Pro-Ears provides excellent electronic ear protection. Various companies
like Dillon, Midway, etc also sell electronic ears.
West Coast Bullets: www.westcoastbullet.com Nevada, 775-246-3941
Oregon Trail Laser Cast Hard Lead Bullets (122 gr flat point BB);
www.laser-cast.com ; 800-811-0548
357 SIG cartridge:
Max over-all-length (OAL): 1.140
My preferred over-all cartridge length (OAL) generally ranges around 1.135.
Mouth: .381 (I crimp my reloads to .378 measured half way down the neck)
Nominal bullet size: .355 generally; .3555 for Rainier & West Coast copper
bullets; .356 for Laser Cast hard lead bullets.
40,000 psi --- maximum average pressure.
Small primer.
Headspaces on the shoulder. Interestingly enough, a gun writing source just
told me, Jan 4, 1999, that he called up SIGArms and asked whether the 357
SIG headspaces on the mouth or the shoulder. Answer from SIGArms: both.
Treating the 357 SIG like a small bottlenecked rifle cartridge is the best
way to go regarding safety. See item 13 above, in regard to reloading.
Max case length: .865
Trim-to length: .855
Check the length of the case to make sure it is less than the maximum
allowable case length dimension, especially when using full power loads.
Starline brass seems to hold its dimensions very well.
Don't resize 10mm brass or 40 S&W brass into 357 SIG brass. There is an
abundant brass supply from Starline (800-280-6660; www.starlinebrass.com )
and from ammo companies. The 10mm has different internal construction along
with large primers; As a result, the combination could be quite dangerous.
Another good reason to use real 357 SIG brass is because the internal 357
SIG case dimensions are more beefed up than the .40 S&W case.
Cleaning Note: With the new .357 bottlenecked cartridge, you must be very
careful to actually clean the INITIAL *wide part* of the chamber. One way to
do it, is to use a .40 caliber bore brush to clean ONLY the wide part of the
chamber. Then, use the 9mm bore brush to clean the rest. Just don't get
carried away and ram the .40 caliber brush all the way through the bore!
I prefer to use a light cannelure groove with a Rainier or West Coast 124
grain flat point bullet as described above in the item 13 reloading
section..
Sample reloading data (Note: visit www.reloadammo.com to view various
powders that can be used with the 357 SIG):
1. Alliant Free Reloading Manual
barrel: 4"
powder: Power Pistol (PP) (Note: Excellent powder for full power ammo)
Bullet Max Grains fps psi
90 JHP 11.4 1715 37,000
115 JHP 10.0 1505 36,200
124 TMJ 9.5 1435 37,200
147 XTP 7.8 1245 37,000
2. Hodgdon Free Reloading Manual
barrel: 4"
powder: Universal (Note: Excellent powder for soft recoiling, downloaded
ammo)
Powder Bullet Max Charge Fps psi
Universal 90 JHP 7.0 1511 37,200
Universal 115 hp 6.1 1300 37,400
Universal 124 hp 5.8 1235 38,500
Universal 147 hp 4.9 1062 36,300
Attachment 6
Wiley Clapp states (from a SIGArms Brochure):
"The .357 SIG cartridge is a police service or combat/defensive load
intended to bring .357 Magnum performance to a high-capacity semi auto pistol.
"As long as you compare 125-grain .357 SIG loads with 125-grain .357 Magnums
and keep the barrel lengths roughly comparable, the velocities will be the
same, and in fact often favor the .357 SIG. Winchester's [Magnum] 125-grain
JHP did not exceed the velocity of the .357 SIG until I went to a full six
inches of barrel. Some of the time, 125-grain .357 Magnum JHP's will edge
the new SIG round in four inch barrels, but not overwhelmingly so.
"I checked the accuracy of the new cartridge in the P229 by shooting 10-shot
groups with the pistol mounted in the Ransom Rest and the targets placed at
25 yards. Four different lots of ammunition were used, including both old
and new lots of the federal 125-grain JHP load, a single lot of the Federal
125-grain FMJ load, and one experimental lot of the Speer 125-grain Gold
Dots.
Accuracy is just plain outstanding. Twelve 10-shot groups, three with each
lot of ammunition, averaged 1.99 inches. The best was 1.59 inches, but any
gun and cartridge that will do two inches at 25 yards is just fine with me.
And by the way, the hands-on shootability of the gun and ammo is excellent
--- far better than that of a comparable revolver."
Attachment 7
It's really a moot point to state that the 357 SIG would never have survived
if it were not a simple drop-in barrel replacement for 40 S&W pistols, since
it can never be proven. Dido for the argument that the 357 SIG is just
another money making scheme. And if you must, by all means go ahead and
complain about various gun magazine writers if that makes you feel better.
Finally, if you're really desperate, go ahead and say the 357 SIG is yet
another new version of the old 9mm --- a solution to a non-problem.
But! Let's just look at the 357 SIG facts. To ignore the 357 SIG is to miss
the point. A typical compact, 'easy to control' 357 SIG provides excellent,
'standard high velocity', 9mm-magnum-performance and it promotes an
excellent feeding semi-auto (9mm bullet into a 10mm slot) for defense/sport pistols.
The 357 SIG can also be downloaded to equal 9mm Luger ammo for the sake of
versatility. The 9mm bullet in this new incarnation deserves a lot of
Respect.
The Feb '96 issue of Handguns has a comparison article on the 357 SIG, 40
S&W, 10mm, and the 45acp. Conclusions: "There isn't a lot of difference between
popular defensive calibers. Human variables are much more likely to matter
than minor differences in recoil and theoretical controllability. Case in
point: Jan did his fastest shooting with the 45 auto. Dave Arnold did his
slowest. Both Jan and Dave were very impressed by the 357 SIG cartridge.
Even though it generated the second highest muzzle energy, [357 SIG: 536
ft/lbs; 10mm: 584 ft/lbs], of the four [guns] we tried, it seemed easily the
most pleasant to shoot, and both of us shot it fast and well. We think this
cartridge may well be a real 'comer'. Given the inherent feed reliability of
its bottlenecked case shape, it may well prove to be the best cartridge of
all for combat auto pistols."
Walt Rauch stated in his .357 Glock article, from Autopistols Magazine, "The
new .357 cartridge successfully duplicated the performance of the highly
touted 125-grain .357 Magnum revolver load in a mid-framed auto pistol."
Jan Libourel, reporting on the 357 SIG from Guns & Ammo, stated,
"I don't
think there's a sidearm/cartridge combination in the world that offers a
better level of protection."
In "Handguns", Ed Sanow stated, "The .357 SIG is here to stay."
----------------
Acknowledgments:
I would like to acknowledge the following sources for providing 357 SIG
information:
"Cop Talk', by Massad Ayoob, American Handgunner, Jul/Aug, 2000
"Getting The Most From The .357 SIG", by Cpl. Ed Sanow, GunWorld, May 2000
"Now hear This!", by Ralph Mroz, Combat Handguns, Sep 1998
"Glock's New .357s!" by Walt Rauch, Glock Autopistols, 1998 Vol. 4 No. 1.
Ed Sanow's 357 SIG article in March '98 Handguns.
"357 SIG: Powerful, Reliable And Going Strong" by Dick Metcalf, Shooting
Times,
Nov 1997.
"'HOT NINE' Cartridge Showdown: An All-Out Test To Name The Best!" by Dick
Metcalf, Hand Gunning, Nov/Dec 1997.
"The 357 SIG: How Good Is It?" by Ed Sanow, Handguns, Jan 1996.
"FBI Tests the 357 SIG" by Dr Martin Topper, Handguns, April 1996.
"Critical Analysis: Inside the .357 SIG" by Charles Petty, Guns, June '96.
Unofficial SIG Home Page on the Web.
Official SIGArms Brochure with a 357 SIG article by Wiley Clapp.
Glock-l Email Group who have provided stimulating critiques.
http://www.greent.com
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