walks with gun
New member
Due too the shape of the cartridge itself, I've never heard of a .357 sig jamming, loud as heck but reliable.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Glock 33
- Thread starter garryc
- Start date
leadcounsel
Moderator
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.
What more could you possibly want??
Keep in mind a well-placed 9x19 or .40 will be more effective than a poorly placed .357 Sig.
The former is much cheaper to practice with and much more controllable than the latter.
It's your life, do what you want.
Jim Keller
Inactive
.357 SIG vs. 9x19
I like the 357 SIG. As far as comparing it to the 9x19 cartridge, I think the difference in velocity can be significant. In looking at the data provided by the Hodgdon web site, and comparing loads for 124/125 grain jacketed bullets, The fastest load they showed for the 9x19 is 1162 FPS. For the 357 SIG, they show a velocity of 1438 FPS. That is a difference of 276 FPS. Both of the test barrels were 4" long. As a reference, the maximum velocity shown for the 357 Magnum using a 125 Grain Hornady XTP bullet is 1480 FPS, using a 10" barrel. The 357 SIG cartridge truly lives up to its design goal of duplicating the performance of the .357 Magnum through a 4" barrel, when using 125 grain bullets.
I performed some tests with the 357 SIG and other common autoloader chamberings in penetrating car bodies, and specifically door panels. I found that the 357 SIG consistently had better penetration than either the 45 ACP or the 9x19.
Plus, I seem to be able to shoot the 357 SIG more accurately than the 9x19 or the .40 S&W.
As far as cost, I hand load most of my 357 SIG ammo (As well as other cartridges), and have found that the cost to load it is not much more than 9x19 (just a bit more powder), and is less than either .40 S&W or .45 ACP, due to the bullets being lower cost. This round works great in the smaller pistols such as the Glock model 33, from which I have fired thousands of rounds.
As far as being harder on the gun or causing more wear, I did notice that there was a bit of wear at one point on the slide of my GLock on one spot on each side. When I asked several Glock armorers, they all said the same thing. The wear I saw was normal, and it would wear a particular small amount, then the wear would stop. That is exactly what happened. This wear does not seem to be any greater than on my .40 S&W chambered Glock, and I tend to shoot the 357 SIG more.
I like the 357 SIG. As far as comparing it to the 9x19 cartridge, I think the difference in velocity can be significant. In looking at the data provided by the Hodgdon web site, and comparing loads for 124/125 grain jacketed bullets, The fastest load they showed for the 9x19 is 1162 FPS. For the 357 SIG, they show a velocity of 1438 FPS. That is a difference of 276 FPS. Both of the test barrels were 4" long. As a reference, the maximum velocity shown for the 357 Magnum using a 125 Grain Hornady XTP bullet is 1480 FPS, using a 10" barrel. The 357 SIG cartridge truly lives up to its design goal of duplicating the performance of the .357 Magnum through a 4" barrel, when using 125 grain bullets.
I performed some tests with the 357 SIG and other common autoloader chamberings in penetrating car bodies, and specifically door panels. I found that the 357 SIG consistently had better penetration than either the 45 ACP or the 9x19.
Plus, I seem to be able to shoot the 357 SIG more accurately than the 9x19 or the .40 S&W.
As far as cost, I hand load most of my 357 SIG ammo (As well as other cartridges), and have found that the cost to load it is not much more than 9x19 (just a bit more powder), and is less than either .40 S&W or .45 ACP, due to the bullets being lower cost. This round works great in the smaller pistols such as the Glock model 33, from which I have fired thousands of rounds.
As far as being harder on the gun or causing more wear, I did notice that there was a bit of wear at one point on the slide of my GLock on one spot on each side. When I asked several Glock armorers, they all said the same thing. The wear I saw was normal, and it would wear a particular small amount, then the wear would stop. That is exactly what happened. This wear does not seem to be any greater than on my .40 S&W chambered Glock, and I tend to shoot the 357 SIG more.
Last edited:
leadcounsel
Moderator
I performed some tests with the 357 SIG and other common autoloader chamberings in penetrating car bodies, and specifically door panels.
Hardly a reason to elect if for defensive use. And I personally have never observed any 9 or .40 that won't go through a car door panel which is thin sheet metal.
This is the better analysis. Shoot what works best for you.I seem to be able to shoot the 357 SIG more accurately than the 9x19 or the .40 S&W.
As far as cost, I hand load most of my 357 SIG ammo (As well as other cartridges), and have found that the cost to load it is not much more than 9x19 (just a bit more powder), and is less than either .40 S&W or .45 ACP, due to the bullets being lower cost.
Ah, the reloader and free ammo... this always comes up but is such an unfair analysis. Reloaders never factor in their time spent reloading, which is not free. Time = money... If not then all the ammo I buy with the money I earn working is technically free.
When I first started shooting 357SIG, it wasnt worth the bother to reload for it, as it was only about a dollar a box cheaper. Once 357SIG took off, it was a different story. Reloading for it became more cost effective.As far as cost, I hand load most of my 357 SIG ammo (As well as other cartridges), and have found that the cost to load it is not much more than 9x19 (just a bit more powder), and is less than either .40 S&W or .45 ACP, due to the bullets being lower cost.
Still, reloading 357SIG, was costing me about $4 a box more than loading 9mm. Bullets alone are, or were, more than double that of comparable weight 9mm bullets. 357SIG, while 9mm, uses bullets specific to the caliber. Ive heard some say they use 9mm bullets to reload with, but I was never able to get 124 grain 9mm FMJ's, or HP's to work. The bullets were to short and the profile wrong. The closest I came, was 147 grain HP's, as they are close to the profile of the 125 grain 357SIG bullets, but they were more expensive than standard 9mm, and I never found a load that worked.
You keep ragging on about this. No one ever said it was free, but it is considerably cheaper, even with my time in there. I buy ammo two ways, by the case, and in components. By the case, a box of 50 is usually half or less what your local dealer sells the same stuff for off the shelf. With my reloads, it usually costs me about half or less of what I pay for a box by the case.Ah, the reloader and free ammo... this always comes up but is such an unfair analysis. Reloaders never factor in their time spent reloading, which is not free. Time = money... If not then all the ammo I buy with the money I earn working is technically free.
I dont know how you buy your ammo, or how much you shoot, but reloading allows me to shoot close to 30,000 rounds of just handgun ammo alone each year. I reload and shoot a lot of rifle as well. If I had to just buy by the case, Id be shooting a lot less.
Reloading to me, is just part of shooting. Its really no chore, and is done here and there during the week, as I feel like it. It does allow me to shoot a hell of a lot more, than if I were to buy like most people I know, by the box at the local dealer. Then again, I shoot a lot more than 99% of them.
Jim Keller
Inactive
AK103K:
That may have been the case at one time, but now the 357 SIG bullets are about the same price as comparably priced regular 9mm bullets. For example, Zero Brand bullet #R127-A, a 9MM (.355) Diameter) - 124 GR FMJ bullet for 8mm, costs $110.60 per 1000 bullets. On the other hand, the Zero Brand bullet #R158-A, a 9MM (.355) Diameter) - 125 GR FPFMJ designed specifically for the 357 SIG, costs $110.65 per 1000 bullets. That works out to a cost difference of $0.0025 per box of 50 loaded rounds. For Berry's Plated bullets, there is $0.43 per box difference, or no difference, depending upon the style of regular 9mm bullet you select. This is for quantities of 1000 bullets. For 125 Grain Speer Gold Dot bullets, the difference is $0.25 per 50 rounds. It seems that while there may have been a large price differential at one time, it is no longer the case.Still, reloading 357SIG, was costing me about $4 a box more than loading 9mm. Bullets alone are, or were, more than double that of comparable weight 9mm bullets. 357SIG, while 9mm, uses bullets specific to the caliber.
Jim Keller
Inactive
leadcouncsel,
I think barrier penetration is a good reason to select a self-defense load. There have been cases were people have used automobiles as deadly weapons, and it would not be impossible for someone to be shot at by a person who was in an automobile. And as far as a door panel being thin sheet metal, in some parts of door panels, there is more than just a single piece of sheet metal. there are reinforcing steel, regulators, glass, and other materials that must be penetrated, depending upon where you hit the door panel, and if the window is rolled up or down. Also, if I remember the test results correctly, if you have to shoot through the windshield, the 357 SIG round tends to deflect less and hold together better than some of the other cartridges.Hardly a reason to elect if for defensive use. And I personally have never observed any 9 or .40 that won't go through a car door panel which is thin sheet metal.
Jim Keller
Inactive
JDBerg,
You have a good point. I do not need an excuse to reload, and it sounds like you probably don't either. I love it as much as I do shooting. To me, it is fun and relaxing. Since it is a hobby I enjoy, I do not count the cost of my time any more than I count the cost of watching TV or going for a walk. Sure I could hire someone else to watch TV for me or walk for me, but that would be silly, wouldn't it? I would get no benefit from hiring someone else to do it. I do not buy much factory ammo. I reload for all the centerfire cartridges that I regularly shoot, even 9x19. I could not afford to shoot as much as I do if I did not reload, and I would miss out on half the fun. Yes, I save more per box reloading 357 SIG than I do 9mm, but I still save more than half of the cost by reloading even 9x19.
At any rate, I think we have gotten away from garyc's original question, which was our opinion of the recoil and handling of the 357 SIG Glock model 33. I agree that it feels similar to 40 caliber, but to me it feels a bit snapier. Not harder recoil or harder to handle, just different. We can fight the caliber wars on another thread.
You have a good point. I do not need an excuse to reload, and it sounds like you probably don't either. I love it as much as I do shooting. To me, it is fun and relaxing. Since it is a hobby I enjoy, I do not count the cost of my time any more than I count the cost of watching TV or going for a walk. Sure I could hire someone else to watch TV for me or walk for me, but that would be silly, wouldn't it? I would get no benefit from hiring someone else to do it. I do not buy much factory ammo. I reload for all the centerfire cartridges that I regularly shoot, even 9x19. I could not afford to shoot as much as I do if I did not reload, and I would miss out on half the fun. Yes, I save more per box reloading 357 SIG than I do 9mm, but I still save more than half of the cost by reloading even 9x19.
At any rate, I think we have gotten away from garyc's original question, which was our opinion of the recoil and handling of the 357 SIG Glock model 33. I agree that it feels similar to 40 caliber, but to me it feels a bit snapier. Not harder recoil or harder to handle, just different. We can fight the caliber wars on another thread.
Last edited:
Jim Keller
Inactive
garyc:
As others have stated, the action spring of the G27 does not need to be changed. You may or may not need to change magazines, or magazine followers to be specific. GLOCK has gone through several iterations of magazine followers for the 40 caliber, and the follower for the 357 SIG magazine used to be the only thing different from the 40 caliber magazine, other than the markings. The follower may be the same for both now, I do not know, because I have not purchased any GLOCK 40 caliber or 357 SIG magazines lately. I do know that I had some problems feeding 357 SIG ammo through some of my 40 caliber magazines in my GLOCK 27 with a GLOCK factory 357 SIG barrel. I think that is why the 357 SIG magazines had different followers.Does the spring need changed?