SIG P229 - 9mm or .357Sig?

I

ingEneer22

New member
Okay, I know I'm opening the great pandora's box of caliber debates here but I haven't been able to find much about the .357Sig. I know the .357Sig is usually compared to the .40S&W but because the swap only requires a barrel change in the P229 I'm not too worried about that. I'm anxiously waiting to buy a Sig P229 and I've been increasingly thinking about getting the .357Sig model. Here is my though process for each caliber:

9mm
-I already own 9mm so I wouldn't have to stock another caliber
-Soft shooting, easy to control
-Target ammo is cheapest and readily available
-+P+ defense rounds get close to the energy of a .357Sig

.357SIG
-I've shot .40S&W in a Glock 27 and it was pretty snappy, how does the .357Sig compare (I've heard the P229 isn't near as snappy as the Glock in .40)
-Ammo is expensive and not readily available. (Most forums I've read about the .357 were from years ago and they all claim that you can find it easily. Is this the case today? I've never seen it at Walmart?)
-I do have a small reloading setup so I can reload a bit to offset the cost.
-I've heard the .357 Sig is accurate and a blast to shoot

If anyone could answer or add to my list of pros/ cons I would appreciate it. I would love to hear from someone who has the P229 in .357Sig! I am not trying to start the great caliber debate. I firmly believe that shot placement is key but it doesn't hurt to carry the most powerful round you are confident in controlling. For a reference, I have a 3" Kimber 1911 (.45 ACP) that I can control. The metal frame cuts down on the recoil. I find my Kimber is much less snappy than the Glock 27 I fired in .40.

Thanks for your input! :)
 
Caliber debate aside----in this gun 9mm for sure. Folks like to debate whether a high bore axis matters all the time but I'd bet folks that say it doesn't are primarily shooting 9mm. In 357SIG it absolutely matters IMO.
 
Whichever one you can afford to shoot the most. If .357 Sig ammo prices aren't a problem for you, and you want to use the round, have at it.

Frankly, 9x19mm is so common, and as a result so inexpensive, and the ballistics between them are similar enough (read: not a long arm), that it is just a preference & availability issue.

Or, if your agency issues you one kind of ammo, use that.
 
As you are considering reloading...

Would you rather chase rare 357 Sig brass after firing, or simply rake up all the 9mm cases covering the floor?;)

Case in point, I reload 7.62x39 for my bolt gun. Much as I adore the gun, it's still a PITA trying to find reloads or brass for it. I'm considering the same gun in 5.56 so I can simply shuck out the cases with abandon and not worry about hunting down the 'one that got away'.
 
I have a P229, which I bought manufactured for the .357SIG round. I love it. The .357SIG cartridge is uber-reliable (almost never fails to feed because of the bottleneck shape), shoots very flat and accurately, and is a hoot to shoot. Not as much felt recoil as a .40, but definitely more than a 9mm. I reload it, so it's not really more expensive to shoot than a 9 once you have the empty cases.

Another thing to consider: I am told that a 229 made for 9mm cannot hold up to extended use with .357SIG or .40 barrel/ammo. A 229 made for .357SIG or .40 will work fine with all three. I have aftermarket barrels and springs for 9mm and .40, so it's 3 guns in one. Change-over is quick and easy. My recommendation is to buy it in .357SIG and get a 9mm barrel, and shoot whatever you feel like on that day.
 
Another thing to consider: I am told that a 229 made for 9mm cannot hold up to extended use with .357SIG or .40 barrel/ammo. A 229 made for .357SIG or .40 will work fine with all three. I have aftermarket barrels and springs for 9mm and .40, so it's 3 guns in one. Change-over is quick and easy. My recommendation is to buy it in .357SIG and get a 9mm barrel, and shoot whatever you feel like on that day.
Click to expand...

TfflHndn, this option has sparked my interest! :) What aftermarket barrel are you using, can you send me the link? How do you like it? Wouldn't it be more than a barrel swap from .357 to 9mm seeing as though the casing bases are different sizes?
 
Folks like to debate whether a high bore axis matters all the time but I'd bet folks that say it doesn't are primarily shooting 9mm. In 357SIG it absolutely matters IMO.
Click to expand...

I agree with this.

What's the purpose of the gun? Will it be a go-to gun for home defense, or just something for fun at the range?

For a range gun, pick whatever you like. You can't go wrong with the plentiful and less expensive 9mm, but .357 Sig can be fun to shoot. Reloaders say that .357 Sig is a real pain, however.

For a home-defense gun, absolutely 9mm. The .357 Sig is an extremely loud round with substantially greater muzzle flash. Greater permanent hearing loss and, more dangerous in a home-defense situation, increased temporary blindness in exchange for no real difference in "stopping power" doesn't make a lot of sense. The 9mm is also more controllable, especially out of gun with a bore axis like a P-series Sig. Also, your misses with the .357 Sig are going to go through more walls inside, possibly on the way out of, your house.

Or, as mentioned above, consider getting it in .357 Sig and buying a 9mm conversion barrel for use when the gun is serving in its home-defense capacity.
 
The .357 Sig is an extremely loud round with substantially greater muzzle flash.
Click to expand...

I want to emphasize the noise part as much as I can. I love shooting 357 SIG. I learned to shoot on 357 magnum revolvers and the loud flash and bang takes me back there and it's not punishing on the hand so I enjoy it. That said, it is honestly painfully loud. When I would shoot it at the range I would double my hearing protection with muffs and ear plugs and I don't do that for ARs. Even listening to guys shoot it at the range 50 feet below me in the dell outside when I was loading up without my ear protection; that wasn't something I would do for any length of time. I've shot hundreds of +p 9mm to test defensive loads with new guns and it doesn't even come close IMO. With 9mm if you want fast and loud you can choose that. With 357 SIG it just is. In a confined space I can only imagine the damage to your hearing.
 
I bought a Glock 23 40cal many years ago and bought a 357Sig barrel to go with it, it was fun to shoot and I liked the 357Sig as it was a nice snappy round. I sold the gun a few years ago and havent really looked back. I think the 9mm with its cheaper ammo and easier to find supplies for reloading just makes things more easier for me. I will admit I did not reload when I had the 357Sig but I really dont feel like I'm missing anything. I really cant tell you the last time I saw 357Sig brass laying around at my local gun range and I'm there every Saturday so..... If it were me and I was interested in a setup like this, I would go with the 357Sig and get a 9mm barrel to go with it. That way when you do reload you can get just one bullet.
 
If you Google .357 Sig you will find lots of good information and days of reading. It is my favorite carry caliber for a lot of reasons but you need to decide on your own after a lot of research and not just go by what you read on a couple different gun forums. I don't waste my time shooting the easy to find watered down .357 Sig ammo. The caliber was designed for a 125 grain bullet traveling at 1450 fps. Below is a picture of new Speer Gold Dot ammo. On the left is the 124 grain +P 9mm and on the right is the 125 grain .357 Sig. If the .357 Sig is no different than shooting 9mm +P why does Speer go to the trouble of using a different bullet shape and hollow point for each? The more you research the .357 Sig the more interested you will get and you will see why the Secret Service uses it to protect the President. It will shoot through just about anything except a human body.
db579abe217c5caee766609051e2c233.jpg
 
9mm
-I already own 9mm so I wouldn't have to stock another caliber
-Soft shooting, easy to control
-Target ammo is cheapest and readily available
-+P+ defense rounds get close to the energy of a .357Sig
Click to expand...
This pretty much sums things up.

I had SIG P226's and P229's in 357SIG, as well as a P239, and a Glock 31. The SIG's were great guns, accurate and reliable. I never found the 357SIG to be a problem to shoot in any of them, although the Glock wasnt holding up as well as the SIG's.

Contrary to what some will tell you, I seriously doubt you will notice any real difference between it and +P, +P+ 9mm in how the gun handles and shoots. The 357SIG is a little louder, but thats about it. Ive shot a lot of it, both factory and my reloads, and never found it to be "flashy", even indoors.

As much as I liked the 357SIG's, I came to realize that its really not that much different to +P+ 9mm, and 9mm is just a lot more versatile and cost effective. Even when you reload. If you plan on practicing, and/or shooting a lot, you dont want the 357SIG.

When I first got into the round, it was cheap enough that it only cost me a dollar more a box to buy factory by the case, than it did to reload. When bought by the case, it also cost me exactly the same as 40S&W. The first ammo shortage changed all that, and the price of 357SIG rose dramatically. Availibility of factory ammo was never really an issue, and here, while there was nothing else on Walmarts shelves, they always had a couple of boxes of 357SIG. Components on the other hand, became hard to find, and the price of them went up quite a bit as well. One downside reloading wise is, in most cases, it uses caliber specific bullets, and due to differences in the bullet profiles, the normal 9mm bullets dont work to well.
 
The Bar-Sto conversion idea has got me interested! Get a P229 in .357Sig and a 9mm Bar-Sto conversion barrel. Can anyone comment on the Bar-Sto conversion barrel, are they quality or junk?
 
I have an older P229 in 9mm and love it. I have over 35,000 rounds through it. It rattles now but will still shoot groups like a target gun. Don't ever remember it not working. The 229 was made for the .40 S&W originally.You can shoot all the hot 9mm you want through it and not hurt it.
As you said the hottest 9mm is right there with the .357 SIG. Ammo is cheaper and you can almost alwaysget 9mm. And it just makes one sweet shooting gun. I'd say 9mm.
 
if your a reloader, than get whatever round interests you(or if you just have a large disposable income). if your not, then get a 9mm. I have seen cases of cheapo 9mm right now for 200$ per k:eek:
 
Last year I bought a P229 CPO in .40 S&W. Great pistol!
I have a lot of "trigger time" over the years with the .40 in various pistols. IMO, the P229 handles the round the best of all recoil, accuracy and function wise. That being said, my old G22 will shoot right in there with the P229. :D
IIRC, the P229 was actually designed around the .40 and .357 rounds. IMO, well thought out on the part of SIG.
Fast forward ahead a few months, I bought a .357 SIG barrel directly from SIG for my P229 when they became available. Dropped right in, 0 problems as far as fit and function. It stays in the pistol.
I've also been shooting the .357 SIG round for many years, mostly in the Glock platform, various models.
The .357 SIG round is very accurate, very accurate and reliable out of my P229. ;)
I have found very little difference in recoil between the .40 S&W round and the .357 in the P229 even with the most powerful loadings available.
My P229 loaded with the Speer 125 gr. GDHP LE loading in my ammo choice for EDC in my P229.
A P229 in 9mm...? I don't thing one needs the added weight of the P229 for the 9mmx19 round. I've fired one. While nice, I wouldn't buy one.
SIG should have never stopped production of the P228. :(
As far as availability of .357 SIG ammo, it can be found thru various vendors on the Internet at what I consider affordable prices. $27.99 for a 50 rd. box of the Speer GDHP LE loading isn't bad for SD ammo.
No, not as cheap as 9mmx19 but I don't buy ammo just because of the price, I buy ammo for what I need at the time.
I practice with my .357 SIG reloads which saves $'s but there are affordable FMJ loadings available.
 
Additionally...

The reason that the P229 does not recoil like other pistols chambered in .357 SIG is its weight.
Aluminum frame vs. Polymer.
When compared to polymer frame pistols (G32/G31) chambered in .357 SIG, the P229 is approx., on average, 6 oz. heavier w/an unloaded magazine.
I had a G32 that when fired and the magazine capacity went below 1/2 mag, the felt recoil increased but not to the point of excessive.
The only .357 SIG pistol that I have that has felt recoil like the P229 is a G35 w/a KKM .357 SIG barrel. It is a pleasure to shoot and extremely accurate.
From my experience, the G17 loaded with the Winchester Ranger-T 127 gr. +P+ LE round has more felt recoil than the P229 loaded with the Speer 125 gr. GDHP Le loading.
I find it hard to believe there are those out there who think anything over the felt recoil of a 9mmx19 is objectionable. :(
I have seen female LE recruits handled a G23 with full power .40 S&W service ammo just fine! ;)
 
9mm. More rounds in the mag, more shots/$, 9mm much more available, similar muzzle energy (400 vs. 500), neither will penetrate body armor but both lethal with a half decent shot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top