How is the 357 sig round for hunting?
- Thread starter Kermit
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I'm guessing the general answer will be no.
However I wouldn't hesitate to use it. You are taking a rifle so you probably won't even need the pistol.
My advice is to get some fast 125grn. FMJ's for the most penetration and screw the expansion. Getting the bullet to the boiler room should take precedence.
Be sure to practice with the rifle first, and tell us how it goes.
However I wouldn't hesitate to use it. You are taking a rifle so you probably won't even need the pistol.
My advice is to get some fast 125grn. FMJ's for the most penetration and screw the expansion. Getting the bullet to the boiler room should take precedence.
Be sure to practice with the rifle first, and tell us how it goes.
K
KilgorII
Guest
As a nonprimary sidearm that'll work just fine. I agree with the previous poster that you should load it with hot 125 or 147 grain FMJ's for penetration.
Kilgor
Kilgor
If it's all you've got, use the heaviest and hottest FMJs you can find. Problem is, most makers view FMJ as "practice fodder" and go easy on the powder. You might be better off taking a really wild-child JHP and sealing the whole JHP cavity with JB-Weld.
The big problem is that for quadrupeds, you need "deep punch", and on a pig you need a real bone-slammer for that skullbone. You can't get the necessary weight out of the .357Sig. The .357MAGNUM is available out to 200 grains, and can do in a pig just fine.
Wheelguns rule
.
Seriously, if you have anything better, cool, otherwise load that slidegun as best you can, rapid-fire it at the middle of Mr. Piggy's head and hope for the best.
The big problem is that for quadrupeds, you need "deep punch", and on a pig you need a real bone-slammer for that skullbone. You can't get the necessary weight out of the .357Sig. The .357MAGNUM is available out to 200 grains, and can do in a pig just fine.
Wheelguns rule
.Seriously, if you have anything better, cool, otherwise load that slidegun as best you can, rapid-fire it at the middle of Mr. Piggy's head and hope for the best.
M
M58
Guest
Not a hunting caliber. IMHO
You should use this as a reason to get yourself another gun. If you'll be hunting pigs on a regular (meaning more than once) basis, a .41 Magnum should be your minimum caliber choice if you handload or a .44 Magnum if you don't.
A 10mm semiauto will work in a pinch as a secondary sidearm so long as it is loaded with 200 grain solids moving as fast as possible.
A 10mm semiauto will work in a pinch as a secondary sidearm so long as it is loaded with 200 grain solids moving as fast as possible.
357 Sig is about the same as 357 Magnum, a little light for dangerous game. 10mm is a little better than 357 Magnum, but falls short of 41 Magnum ballistics. 41 Magnum is considered minimum. 45 Super provides more energy than 10mm, but the larger diameter generally means less penetration at the same velocity. I think the 45 Super would come real close to 41Magnum ballistics, at least in terms of energy.
Mr.Wingshooter
Moderator
Expert Advice
Being one of the only true hunters on this forum I can answer your question with experience and knowledge. Your 357 Sig is plenty of gun and always use a hp, never a FMJ on animals, I have shot animals with both and FMJ do not work worth a ****. A 9mm will even work fine, I have killed 2 deer with a 9MM, both kills where about 30 yards. Pigs die a little easier than deer because they are so compact. Even if you shoot the pig in the head at just the right angle and the bullet richochet's, it will knock him out, or kill him with the concussion. Me and a buddy used to take a .22 Rifle with Subsonics with us on deer hunts just to shoot pigs as they went buy, and not scare the deer too. Several times we would shoot a pig in the head, and the little .22 hp would deflect off, and the pig would still go down for a bit, giving time for an easy follow up shot.
I promise you shoot the pig with your .357 sig with and hp and he will go down hard, and be very gooey mess.
Being one of the only true hunters on this forum I can answer your question with experience and knowledge. Your 357 Sig is plenty of gun and always use a hp, never a FMJ on animals, I have shot animals with both and FMJ do not work worth a ****. A 9mm will even work fine, I have killed 2 deer with a 9MM, both kills where about 30 yards. Pigs die a little easier than deer because they are so compact. Even if you shoot the pig in the head at just the right angle and the bullet richochet's, it will knock him out, or kill him with the concussion. Me and a buddy used to take a .22 Rifle with Subsonics with us on deer hunts just to shoot pigs as they went buy, and not scare the deer too. Several times we would shoot a pig in the head, and the little .22 hp would deflect off, and the pig would still go down for a bit, giving time for an easy follow up shot.
I promise you shoot the pig with your .357 sig with and hp and he will go down hard, and be very gooey mess.
Stans . . .
You stated: "357 Sig is about the same as 357 Magnum".
With respect, that is simply untrue. As discussed many times on TFL, by design the high-end .357 Sig approximates the low-end .357 magnum. That is as close as the two rounds come. Any hot .357 magnum has greater mass and much greater velocity than any .357 Sig.
I am not criticizing the .357 Sig round; rather, I simply want to set the record straight re the energy and velocity provided in the two calibers.
You stated: "357 Sig is about the same as 357 Magnum".
With respect, that is simply untrue. As discussed many times on TFL, by design the high-end .357 Sig approximates the low-end .357 magnum. That is as close as the two rounds come. Any hot .357 magnum has greater mass and much greater velocity than any .357 Sig.
I am not criticizing the .357 Sig round; rather, I simply want to set the record straight re the energy and velocity provided in the two calibers.
K
KilgorII
Guest
Re: Expert Advice
Wingshooter says:
Glad you are a "true" hunter
You also sound like a true pompous ass.
There are many hunters on this board my friend. Including myself.
Kilgor
Wingshooter says:
Glad you are a "true" hunter
You also sound like a true pompous ass.
There are many hunters on this board my friend. Including myself.
Kilgor
hitnthexring
New member
357 Sig vs 357 Mag..
I don't hunt, but I do know something about ballistics & I shoot both 357 Sig & 357 Mag. I think the confusion about the power of the two rounds comes from the fact that the 357 mag CASE is much larger than the 357 Sig, therefore, it APPEARS to be more powerful. The deer, pig, etc. doesn't know whether the bullet came from a 357 mag or 357 Sig. The difference between the two bullet diameters is .002. (.355 vs .357). Today's 357 mag loads are not what they were when the cartridge came out in 1935. Today, a factory 357 mag 158 Gr. bullet develops about 1200-1300 fps & a 125 Gr. develops about 1400-1500 fps.. exactly what a 357 Sig develops, especially the ones from CorBon.
I don't hunt, but I do know something about ballistics & I shoot both 357 Sig & 357 Mag. I think the confusion about the power of the two rounds comes from the fact that the 357 mag CASE is much larger than the 357 Sig, therefore, it APPEARS to be more powerful. The deer, pig, etc. doesn't know whether the bullet came from a 357 mag or 357 Sig. The difference between the two bullet diameters is .002. (.355 vs .357). Today's 357 mag loads are not what they were when the cartridge came out in 1935. Today, a factory 357 mag 158 Gr. bullet develops about 1200-1300 fps & a 125 Gr. develops about 1400-1500 fps.. exactly what a 357 Sig develops, especially the ones from CorBon.
hitnthexring . . . let's get the facts right
Having shot for many years, I easily understand the superficial, cosmetic disparities in the appearance of the .357 magnum cartridge when compared to the .357 Sig’s. However, in this case -- even for standard factory loads -- the differences are more than “skin deep”.
Check the Federal and Remington web sites (I select these only because they are acknowledged, major ammunition producers). In both cases, their .357 Sig JHPs are 125 grain, with muzzle velocities approximating 1350 FPS, and muzzle energies approaching 510 pounds. By comparison, Federal .357 magnum Cast Core hunting round produces 625 pounds muzzle energy, while Remington’s .357 magnum Core-Lock provides 610 pounds muzzle energy.
All of these are “standard” factory loads, not “hot” rounds. Yet, these .357 magnum loads offer 20 PERCENT MORE POWER than the .357 Sig. Accordingly, I cannot agree that the two rounds are essentially equal. I reiterate my original statement: “by design, the high-end .357 Sig approximates the low-end .357 magnum”.
Having shot for many years, I easily understand the superficial, cosmetic disparities in the appearance of the .357 magnum cartridge when compared to the .357 Sig’s. However, in this case -- even for standard factory loads -- the differences are more than “skin deep”.
Check the Federal and Remington web sites (I select these only because they are acknowledged, major ammunition producers). In both cases, their .357 Sig JHPs are 125 grain, with muzzle velocities approximating 1350 FPS, and muzzle energies approaching 510 pounds. By comparison, Federal .357 magnum Cast Core hunting round produces 625 pounds muzzle energy, while Remington’s .357 magnum Core-Lock provides 610 pounds muzzle energy.
All of these are “standard” factory loads, not “hot” rounds. Yet, these .357 magnum loads offer 20 PERCENT MORE POWER than the .357 Sig. Accordingly, I cannot agree that the two rounds are essentially equal. I reiterate my original statement: “by design, the high-end .357 Sig approximates the low-end .357 magnum”.
The 357 Sig versus Magnum one is a tricky one. In the end, yes a 357 Mag can be loaded hotter if you handload heavy bullets.
BUT, remember that most 357 Mag velocities are listed from a 6 inch barrel PLUS the chamber length, while 357 Sig velocities are from a 4 inch barrel INCLUDING the chamber.
The arguments go back and forth from there.
The 357 Sig is definitely hotter if you consider factory 125gr loads, from equal tube lengths.
My 357 Sig Glock pushes a 125gr common factory load (Corbon) to around 1525 fps and often over 600 foot pounds of energy.
I would defy anyone to find a common 357 Magnum factory load that can do that out of a 4 inch barreled revolver.
BUT, remember that most 357 Mag velocities are listed from a 6 inch barrel PLUS the chamber length, while 357 Sig velocities are from a 4 inch barrel INCLUDING the chamber.
The arguments go back and forth from there.
The 357 Sig is definitely hotter if you consider factory 125gr loads, from equal tube lengths.
My 357 Sig Glock pushes a 125gr common factory load (Corbon) to around 1525 fps and often over 600 foot pounds of energy.
I would defy anyone to find a common 357 Magnum factory load that can do that out of a 4 inch barreled revolver.
I would defy anyone to find a common 357 Magnum factory load that can do that out of a 4 inch barreled revolver.
CorBon makes a 200 grain bullet that clocks 1200 fps from a 4 inch barrel. That's over 640 Pound feet of energy and a Taylor KO that is 20% greater than the 357 Sig. That would be a hard cast with a wide meplat diameter for superior wound channel and penetration.
Bet your .357 Sig can't fire a 200 grain bullet like that!
Bullet selection for the .357 Sig is poor for wild game. Wasting your time even taking it.
CorBon makes a 200 grain bullet that clocks 1200 fps from a 4 inch barrel. That's over 640 Pound feet of energy and a Taylor KO that is 20% greater than the 357 Sig. That would be a hard cast with a wide meplat diameter for superior wound channel and penetration.
Bet your .357 Sig can't fire a 200 grain bullet like that!
Bullet selection for the .357 Sig is poor for wild game. Wasting your time even taking it.
Cor-Bon is as much a mainstream manufacturer as Federal or Remington. They're just smaller and gutsier. They are NOT the only source of "original horsepower level" .357Magnum ammo.
The original 1937 .357Magnum specification called for a 158 "Keith-style" semi-wadcutter doing 1,550 from a 6" barrel. Cor-Bon's monster hunting loads still don't hit that. There's other vendors who equal Cor-Bon's power level.
You can get that out of the .357Magnum. That's what it was designed for, in an N-Frame S&W. You can shoot that stuff out of Ruger Blackhawks/Vaqueros, S&W N-Frame 6-shots like the 27 and 28, and the Ruger GP100 and Redhawk. And the large-frame Dan Wessons.
Most .357Mag ammo is derived from the watered-down stuff that became popular with the early K-Frame .357s, the Python and other "fragile" .357s.
But .357Mag ammo that is NOT watered down is still very much "in spec", Cor-Bon is only ONE producer of same (there are others!) and such undiluted "old school" .357Mag fodder leaves the .357Sig for DEAD. The .357Sig was only trying to duplicate the "watered down" loads, but us wheelgunners don't have to stick with that stuff.
Wheelguns rule
.
The original 1937 .357Magnum specification called for a 158 "Keith-style" semi-wadcutter doing 1,550 from a 6" barrel. Cor-Bon's monster hunting loads still don't hit that. There's other vendors who equal Cor-Bon's power level.
You can get that out of the .357Magnum. That's what it was designed for, in an N-Frame S&W. You can shoot that stuff out of Ruger Blackhawks/Vaqueros, S&W N-Frame 6-shots like the 27 and 28, and the Ruger GP100 and Redhawk. And the large-frame Dan Wessons.
Most .357Mag ammo is derived from the watered-down stuff that became popular with the early K-Frame .357s, the Python and other "fragile" .357s.
But .357Mag ammo that is NOT watered down is still very much "in spec", Cor-Bon is only ONE producer of same (there are others!) and such undiluted "old school" .357Mag fodder leaves the .357Sig for DEAD. The .357Sig was only trying to duplicate the "watered down" loads, but us wheelgunners don't have to stick with that stuff.
Wheelguns rule
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