Perhaps I titled this wrong because I don't want it to be a caliber debate, but a caliber discussion.
I am a .45 fan. I like the fact that it is dependable. It does not depend on magic tricks, it just makes a big hole.
But, I am thinking of going to the .357 magnum/Sig side, and I am thinking that it is just *slightly* better in most cases.
Before the .45 fans get in a huff, just step back and look at it rationally, and remember that they both work well, and I just would like to discuss the differences to see if my thinking is correct.
I have basically decided that the .45 is a great hole-maker, but that the .357 Mag not only makes a good hole on a bad day, but on a good day it makes a very good hole AND great energy dump.
Even though I have generally been seen as anti-MS, it is just the skeptic in me. That skeptic must also think that there is the possibility that energy dump does have *some* effect, even if some people agree. It is *possible* that the studies like MS and Strasbourgh are legit, and even if they are legit or not, it is *possible* that energy is had some deciding factor in the immediate effect of a handgun bullet incapaitating a person,.
With the .357 Sig, I feel that I can go the direction of the high-energy worshipers, without sacrificing the penetration that I like. Most bullet selections make you choose one or the other, like choosing between the 135gr .40 or the heavier 155-180gr .40. You have to choose either penetration OR energy dump. The 10mm and the .357 Sig seem to offer both high-energy AND penetration. The .357 Sig just offers what the 10mm offers, but in a smaller package.
It seems to me that the .357 Sig pleases all schools of thought: It has a big initial energy dump, but it also penetrates well over 12 inches (I am picturing a 125gr Gold Dot here). The wound profile for a 125gr Gold Dot at 1440+ fps and 550+ KE shows a big initial energy dump like the 135gr .40 shows, but coupled with about 16 inches of penetration. The .357 Sig, out of a short barrled gun, has equivelent energy to a 10mm in the same size barrel. Looking at the wound profile, it seems to do everything that is asked of a bullet from both sides of the light/fast and the heavy/penetrator bullet debate: it gives the big energy dump, and has lots of energy to do it with, but also penetrates well because it has a high sectional density,
Also, with the speeds it is going at, hollowpoint expansion is very reliable. The odds of it only making a 9mm hole are very very slim, even after penetrating barriers.
So...am I missing something here? It seems that the .357 Sig leaves little to be desired. Is it possible that it is the ultimate cartridge design, like the 10mm was, with enough juice to fill all roles?
Are there any downfalls to the .357 Sig? It seems like the ultimate round.
(This isn't even mentioning the many benefits of the bottleneck cartridge, but just looking at ballistics).
I am a .45 fan. I like the fact that it is dependable. It does not depend on magic tricks, it just makes a big hole.
But, I am thinking of going to the .357 magnum/Sig side, and I am thinking that it is just *slightly* better in most cases.
Before the .45 fans get in a huff, just step back and look at it rationally, and remember that they both work well, and I just would like to discuss the differences to see if my thinking is correct.
I have basically decided that the .45 is a great hole-maker, but that the .357 Mag not only makes a good hole on a bad day, but on a good day it makes a very good hole AND great energy dump.
Even though I have generally been seen as anti-MS, it is just the skeptic in me. That skeptic must also think that there is the possibility that energy dump does have *some* effect, even if some people agree. It is *possible* that the studies like MS and Strasbourgh are legit, and even if they are legit or not, it is *possible* that energy is had some deciding factor in the immediate effect of a handgun bullet incapaitating a person,.
With the .357 Sig, I feel that I can go the direction of the high-energy worshipers, without sacrificing the penetration that I like. Most bullet selections make you choose one or the other, like choosing between the 135gr .40 or the heavier 155-180gr .40. You have to choose either penetration OR energy dump. The 10mm and the .357 Sig seem to offer both high-energy AND penetration. The .357 Sig just offers what the 10mm offers, but in a smaller package.
It seems to me that the .357 Sig pleases all schools of thought: It has a big initial energy dump, but it also penetrates well over 12 inches (I am picturing a 125gr Gold Dot here). The wound profile for a 125gr Gold Dot at 1440+ fps and 550+ KE shows a big initial energy dump like the 135gr .40 shows, but coupled with about 16 inches of penetration. The .357 Sig, out of a short barrled gun, has equivelent energy to a 10mm in the same size barrel. Looking at the wound profile, it seems to do everything that is asked of a bullet from both sides of the light/fast and the heavy/penetrator bullet debate: it gives the big energy dump, and has lots of energy to do it with, but also penetrates well because it has a high sectional density,
Also, with the speeds it is going at, hollowpoint expansion is very reliable. The odds of it only making a 9mm hole are very very slim, even after penetrating barriers.
So...am I missing something here? It seems that the .357 Sig leaves little to be desired. Is it possible that it is the ultimate cartridge design, like the 10mm was, with enough juice to fill all roles?
Are there any downfalls to the .357 Sig? It seems like the ultimate round.
(This isn't even mentioning the many benefits of the bottleneck cartridge, but just looking at ballistics).