The only reason to ask for ammo is if the box is too far away to read the label. Assume the counter clerk knows less about ammo than you do. Asking for .357 handgun ammo is as big a crap shoot as asking for generic .30 caliber rifle ammo. Do your homework, you gun's barrel marking as well as the owners manual will have specifics on ammo requirements.
Can someone explain the difference in this terminology?
- Thread starter Steven_Seagal
- Start date
Cheapshooter
New member
May I suggest this book to you. It is well worth the money to reference all kinds of firearms questions.
http://www.amazon.com/Cartridges-of-the-World-ebook/dp/B002U3CC6K
http://www.amazon.com/Cartridges-of-the-World-ebook/dp/B002U3CC6K
Re: .357 Sig
The .357 Sig, while based on the .40S&W is not a true progeny. If you neck down a .40 S&W, the resulting case will be .02" too short. Since the .357 Sig headspaces on the case mouth and not the shoulder, you can end up with problems.
You also can't use the 10mm, since it has a different case structure, and uses a large pistol primer. This will create pressure problems.
The .357 Sig, while based on the .40S&W is not a true progeny. If you neck down a .40 S&W, the resulting case will be .02" too short. Since the .357 Sig headspaces on the case mouth and not the shoulder, you can end up with problems.
You also can't use the 10mm, since it has a different case structure, and uses a large pistol primer. This will create pressure problems.
Behind the counter:
I once had a man ask me for "dirty calibry boolits." I asked what weight but he said he just wanted to look at some. So I pulled down a couple of boxes of Sierras and opened them.
"Dems ain't no boolits, dems de heads an I sed boolits!" exclaimed the customer. OK, he meant cartridges. So I had to ask which "dirty calibry" he wanted.
"Hell, I dunt know, youse works in a gun store youse otta know wot I want."
When I told him that there were many different "dirty calibry" cartridges, and that I had no idea what kind of gun he had, he called me several names and stalked out, hopefully to infest the competition.
I think of that everytime I read one of those "the guy at the gun store is an idiot" postings.
Jim
I once had a man ask me for "dirty calibry boolits." I asked what weight but he said he just wanted to look at some. So I pulled down a couple of boxes of Sierras and opened them.
"Dems ain't no boolits, dems de heads an I sed boolits!" exclaimed the customer. OK, he meant cartridges. So I had to ask which "dirty calibry" he wanted.
"Hell, I dunt know, youse works in a gun store youse otta know wot I want."
When I told him that there were many different "dirty calibry" cartridges, and that I had no idea what kind of gun he had, he called me several names and stalked out, hopefully to infest the competition.
I think of that everytime I read one of those "the guy at the gun store is an idiot" postings.
Jim
kodiakbeer
Moderator
He must have wanted Wolf ammo.
HellBillySuperstar
New member
I just laughed so hard I think I peed a little...
Learn something new every day...
I had always assumed, it being a bottle neck case that it headspaced on the shoulder, like all the others. Guess thats what I get for not having checked out the caliber much. There are still a few handgun rounds that I don't have, and don't reload for, .357 Sig is one.
As for the .357Sig/magnum confusion, it might help to remember that .357 Sig is for auto pistols and .357 Magnum is a revolver cartridge. (yes, I know that there have been a couple of auto pistols chambered in .357 Magnum, I have owned some of them) 99% of the time you find .357 Magnum only in revolvers. Long straight case, with a rim. .357 Sig is shorter, bottlenecked, and rimless. The only thing they have in common is .357 in the name, same weight bullet in some loads (125gr) and that the .357 Sig was designed to give the nearly the same performance with the 125gr bullet that a .357 Magnum does from a 4" barrel.
I had always assumed, it being a bottle neck case that it headspaced on the shoulder, like all the others. Guess thats what I get for not having checked out the caliber much. There are still a few handgun rounds that I don't have, and don't reload for, .357 Sig is one.
As for the .357Sig/magnum confusion, it might help to remember that .357 Sig is for auto pistols and .357 Magnum is a revolver cartridge. (yes, I know that there have been a couple of auto pistols chambered in .357 Magnum, I have owned some of them) 99% of the time you find .357 Magnum only in revolvers. Long straight case, with a rim. .357 Sig is shorter, bottlenecked, and rimless. The only thing they have in common is .357 in the name, same weight bullet in some loads (125gr) and that the .357 Sig was designed to give the nearly the same performance with the 125gr bullet that a .357 Magnum does from a 4" barrel.
caliber terminology
Steven- be aware that the term "caliber" refers to the bore size of the bullet (usually), whereas the term "chambering" refers to what the profile of the loaded, unfired cartridge looks like. The .45acp and .45 colt shoot the same caliber bullet, but the cases are different sizes/shapes.
Some exceptions to the rule: a .44mag and .44 special are actually .429" diameter, and a .38 spl is really .357" in diameter, in a similar but shorter case than the .357 magnum, which is .357".
Also- be aware that different chamberings have vastly different maximum pressures- a .38 special can only safely take 1/2 what a .357 mag chambering can, and a .44 special only about 2/5 of what a .44mag is designed for.
Steven- be aware that the term "caliber" refers to the bore size of the bullet (usually), whereas the term "chambering" refers to what the profile of the loaded, unfired cartridge looks like. The .45acp and .45 colt shoot the same caliber bullet, but the cases are different sizes/shapes.
Some exceptions to the rule: a .44mag and .44 special are actually .429" diameter, and a .38 spl is really .357" in diameter, in a similar but shorter case than the .357 magnum, which is .357".
Also- be aware that different chamberings have vastly different maximum pressures- a .38 special can only safely take 1/2 what a .357 mag chambering can, and a .44 special only about 2/5 of what a .44mag is designed for.
The version I learned was that "ball" ammunition meant live ammunition as opposed to blanks. In muzzleloading days they used firearms for celebratory purposes-a "feu de joie", e.g. Then there was "buck and ball"-a large round ball with 3 buckshot. I know they used that in the Mexican War.