wheelguns that come with two cylinders out of the box: one for .357 Magnum/.38 Special, another for 9mm Parabellum. And the chart doesn’t show it, but there are far more .357 Magnum revolvers than there are handguns chambered for the .357 SIG. 357 Magnum vs. 357 SIG: These two calibers sound similar and while the performance can be about the same, they have very different uses. Its counterpart could be any N-Frame size revolver (e.g. ) Underwood Ammo 357 Sig 125 Grain Bonded Jacketed Hollow Point. Underwood Ammo .357Mag 140gr. Back to the .357 SIG, the heaviest bullet commercially available at the moment is Double Tap’s 180-grain Hardcast Solid. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo. Comparing ballistic performance, versatility, firearms and ammo availability and pricing, the .357 Magnum reigns supreme over the .357 SIG and many other handgun calibers on both the civilian and law enforcement market today. N-frame revolvers could safely chamber and shoot much more powerful .38 Special cartridges than the ones Remington manufactured. A firearms and ballistics enthusiast and an outdoorsman, Mike is one of Gun News Daily's best contributing authors. In response, Remington developed a hot .38 Special load for use in these large revolvers and branded it the High-Speed .38 Special. The best .357 magnum ammo is the ammunition that fits the specific need for you in the most efficient manner. All .357 SIG handguns can be converted to shoot .40 S&W, its sister caliber, but it will require a barrel swap (and sometimes the recoil spring has to be changed too for 100% reliability). Revolvers chambered for the .357 Magnum come in all shapes and sizes. Furthermore, the muzzle energy of a .357 Magnum round averages out to 530 ft-lb, while a .357 SIG round averages out to about 520 ft-lb. ” on criminals who were hit in non-vital body parts — it just stopped them on their tracks as if they were struck by lightning. The following ammunition cartridge ballistics information and chart can be used to approximately compare .357 Magnum vs .380 Auto ACP ammo rounds. Essentially, the .357 SIG is a round that uses the same sized bullet as a 9mm round but in a cartridge casing that is similar to a .40 caliber case. Unlike a revolver’s barrel that is separate from the multiple chambers in its rotating cylinder, a semi-auto’s barrel and chamber are machined from a single piece of metal. True .357 Magnum and .357 SIG ballistics information can vary widely from the displayed information, and it is important to understand that the particular characteristics of a given round can make a substantive difference in its true performance. that will hold up to eight rounds of .357 Magnum. Please email us if you have questions about any of our product listings. These handguns were chambered in 9mm Parabellum, used staggered-column magazines that allowed for higher ammo capacity compared to standard semi-autos of old, and could be fired without having to rack the slide. Multi-caliber .357 Magnum revolvers have been seeing a resurgence in the past couple of years, i.e. Over the years, this load earned a reputation for its one-shot stops, with Kentucky State Troopers giving it the nickname “the magic bullet” and Texas State Troopers claiming that it had some sort of “lightning bolt effect” on criminals who were hit in non-vital body parts — it just stopped them on their tracks as if they were struck by lightning. The .357 Sig is actually a 9mm (bullet diameter being .355 rather than the .356 or .357 of the .357 Magnum). If you’re looking for a gun that can also be us With everything loaded in, the overall length of the cartridge went up to only 1.26 inches — a few hundredths of an inch shorter than the .45 ACP, making it suitable for use in magazine-fed semi-autos. It’s official. The cartridge looks distinctive. Understanding the differences can make you a better gun owner and user. The only reason he had to ask was, for the longest time, he has been thinking of getting a revolver in .357 Magnum. This video is for educational purposes and discussion only. Its like saying my gun is bigger than yours. Keith developed a super hot .38 Special load which was still safe for the aforementioned revolvers with 15 grains of Alliant 2400 providing the required energy to push a 154-grain hard-cast lead hollow point to velocities reaching anywhere from 1,200 to 1,300 feet per second. The heaviest factory ammo I've been able to find for the Sig is 147 grains. In came former U.S. marine and handguns expert Lt. Col. John Dean “Jeff” Cooper. Stopping power? As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Comments have to be approved before showing up, © 2021 Foundry Outdoors - All Rights Reserved, Product successfully added to your Shopping Cart, 223 WSSM Winchester Super Short Magnum Ammo, 243 WSSM Winchester Super Short Magnum Ammo, 25 WSSM Winchester Super Short Magnum Ammo, 300 RSAUM Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum Ammo, 7mm RSAUM Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum Ammo, .357 Magnum vs .357 SIG Ammo Comparison - Ballistics Info & Chart. It’s around two thousandths of an inch narrower, which means if you’re planning to reload, a bullet meant for the .357 magnum will not fit in a 357 SIG case. The idea of the 10mm cartridge was originally conceived by Jeff Cooper, himself a .45 ACP purist, in 1983. This is a difference of 1,473 foot-pounds of force favoring the .357 SIG which amounts to 20.25% more energy, but keep in mind that you need 15 rounds or 87.50% more ammo to achieve this. This platform showed promise, but a growing community of individuals passionate about the .38 Special knew that the .38 Special was capable of so much more. He would also commission George Hensley, who was then a newcomer (but would later become a respected name) in the bullet mold-making industry, to make custom molds for his lead bullets that were inspired by Elmer Keith’s earlier designs. Bonded jacketed hollow point bullets will also exhibit core-jacket separation. The caliber is designed to replicate the performance of a 125 grain 357 Magnum load(hence the number in its name) when fired from a 4” revolver barrel, and also to be used in a semi-automatic handgun with a greater capacity than a revolver could offer. Ultimately this would result in Smith and Wesson developing the, Not too long after, SIG Sauer, at the time an emerging leader in handguns manufacture and design (thanks to their entry that passed the highly controversial. As it was designed to be a semi-auto cartridge, the .357 SIG shooting platform proposes numerous advantages over its magnum revolver counterpart, some of which are: Because of the platform’s advantages, the P229 chambered for .357 SIG was adopted as the standard issue sidearm (and is still in use today) by many different federal government and law enforcement agencies, some of which are: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Federal Protection Service (FPS), Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS). Technically, it was introduced to reproduce the terminal ballistics of a 125 grain.357 Magnum hollowpoint, but out of a semi-automatic pistol. The target velocity was at least 1,200 feet per second. There’s Korth’s Super Sport, Ruger’s Blackhawk Convertible and Taurus’ Model 692 to name a few. Colt, after being tight-lipped about one of their biggest snake gun resurrection projects for the last five years, has finally unveiled what many consider to be their most respected revolver from what seemed like a lifetime ago: the, Recently, one of our readers (let’s call him Bob) emailed me with a rather commonly asked question on a much debated topic, one I usually shy away from because there are just too many arguments surrounding it (and I’m sure a few of our wheelgun-loving regulars know of my biases as far as handgun calibers, Bob didn’t sound like the type who’s into debates. Modern semi-auto handguns usually have more than double the ammo capacity of conventional revolvers; There is no forcing cone velocity loss in a semi-auto because it doesn’t have a forcing one. Bullets for the .357 SIG are of the same diameter as those for the plentiful 9mm Parabellum. There’s a silver lining though. 357 magnum is a classic revolver round, while the other is a modern semiautomatic cartridge. A semi-auto handgun by design has a recoil spring that utilizes some of the force of the recoil (i.e. 8 years ago. It was a game changer, but as far as enthusiasts were concerned, it was just another wildcat cartridge. The .357 SIG was originally designed to have enough power to propel a 125-grain .355-inch diameter jacketed hollow point bullet out of a 4-inch barrel at a velocity of 1,450 feet per second. I do not like .357 SIG to all. But he has yet to make up his mind on whether or not he should get one, because he’s already got a Glock 31. As for me, all things considered, the winner of this Handgun Caliber Showdown is the .357 Magnum. As mentioned earlier, in the late 1960’s, 9mm handgun models with staggered-column magazines were starting to creep their way into the police and civilian markets which were then largely dominated by the 1911 chambered in either .45 ACP or .38 Super and six-shot revolvers chambered in .357 Magnum. In case you have never heard of the.357Sig, The Sig Sauer Firearms Company was asked back in 1994 by Federal to collaborate on a hot new cartridge that rivaled the venerable.357 Magnum in ballistics. Let’s start by considering how well each cartridge’s bullet does at what it’s meant to do, which is neutralize a target. But strangely, the caliber never caught on in the civilian market in terms of popularity. The cartridge information … Out of a 6-inch barrel, the bullet flies at a velocity of 1,600 feet per second, producing a muzzle energy of around 909 foot-pounds of force. About the .357 Magnum The .357 Magnum was created in the 1930’s as a solution for law enforcement who needed a high-velocity round to penetrate barriers like car doors, which were used as cover by Prohibition-era criminals. , with Kentucky State Troopers giving it the nickname “, ” and Texas State Troopers claiming that it had some sort of “. Here’s probably the most important 357 SIG vs 357 Magnum chart in this article that you’d want to look at: We’re including three different brands of ammo for each caliber, each representing three different budget segments. How do we define success? The performance of most common charges .357 SIG are tied with the brightest .357 Magnum. The businessmen needed the ammo mass-produced so they approached a few ammunition makers but were turned down by every single one of them — except by FFV Norma AB (now Norma Precision), a Swedish ammunition manufacturer. 357 Magnum vs. 357 SIG: These two calibers sound similar and while the performance can be about the same, they have very different uses. That’s an interesting concept though, as the .357 Magnum cartridge is a versatile cartridge capable of many duties. Norma’s 10mm version was a little on the hotter side, with velocities slightly exceeding Jeff Cooper’s (i.e. to eject the spent case and snag a fresh cartridge from the magazine’s lip). As a rule of thumb, when it comes to hunting, muzzle energy is what many hunters look at when deciding on what caliber of firearm / ammunition to select. This is because the longer case of the 357 Magnum allows longer bullets weighing up to 180 grains or so that won’t fit in the.357 SIG. The Model 27 became an overnight success, even with its initial unrealistically high price with both law enforcement and civilians. Comparing ballistic performance, versatility, firearms and ammo availability and pricing, the .357 Magnum reigns supreme over the .357 SIG and many other handgun calibers on both the civilian and law enforcement market today. Handguns for the .357 SIG are mainly for law enforcement and concealed carry in urban environments but can be called upon in a pinch if you’re out hunting and your main rifle fails and you really need something to defend yourself with against things like black bear (it has to be said though: I would only recommend the .357 SIG for that purpose if you don’t have a more powerful handgun for backup). Small-frame revolvers can be easily concealed while medium frames can be a challenge. Why, you ask? Again, the above is for comparative information purposes only, and you should consult the exact ballistics for the particular .357 Magnum or .357 SIG cartridge you're looking at purchasing. These numbers produce a muzzle energy of around 583 foot-pounds of force. Not much is known about the .357 SIG’s early development except that it was a result of a collaboration between SIG Sauer and Federal. By comparison, there are countless companies manufacturing revolvers (take a look at this other article I wrote if you want to know what options are available to you) and lever-action rifles chambered for the .357 Magnum. Please note, the following information reflects the estimated average ballistics for each caliber and does not pertain to a particular manufacturer, bullet weight, or jacket The following ammunition cartridge ballistics information and chart can be used to approximately compare .357 Magnum vs .357 SIG ammo rounds. Recently, one of our readers (let’s call him Bob) emailed me with a rather commonly asked question on a much debated topic, one I usually shy away from because there are just too many arguments surrounding it (and I’m sure a few of our wheelgun-loving regulars know of my biases as far as handgun calibers is concerned)…. One benefit that draws shooters to 357 SIG ammo is that it packs a serious punch but has less recoil than 357 Magnum rounds … Multi-caliber .357 Magnum revolvers have been seeing a resurgence in the past couple of years, i.e. But I digress. Underwood Ammo .357Mag 140gr. Similarly, all .357 Magnum revolvers will shoot .38 Special out of the box, with one exception: the M47 Medusa. The heaviest bullet available on any factory .357 Magnum loading is a hard cast lead wide flat nose that weighs 200 grains. Featuring dependable primers and the same exceptional, clean-burning propellants used in breakthrough SIG V-Crown defense rounds, SIG FMJ durable copper-jacketed bullets remain … And it’s a well-deserved win for this old-timer too. The Sig was designed to deliver the ballistics of the.357 Magnum out of an autoloading pistol. It has an advertised velocity 1,050 and will produce a muzzle energy of 441 foot-pounds of force. By virtue of its flat profile, a semi-auto doesn’t require too much effort to carry concealed, The revolver’s cylinder on the other hand has a bulging profile that easily prints, making it a bit harder to conceal. The FBI’s Firearms Testing Unit (FTU) found the recoil a little too much to handle especially for agents with smaller stature. Rowe’s goal was to equal the performance of a 125-grain bullet shot from a 4-inch barrel.357 Magnum revolver out of a semi-automatic pistol, and he did a good job of that. In my velocity testing using five different .357 Sig pistols, a Sig Sauer P229, P226, P320, Glock 32, and Glock 31, I’ve gotten pretty darn close with a number of loads … It’s official. From the late 1920s to early 1930s, the two gentlemen experimented with various bullet and powder types and weights, little by little pushing the .38 Special cartridge case well beyond its established pressure limits. I’ve personally read. Chief among such loads was Federal’s 125-grain hollow point which, when shot from a 4-inch barrel, could go up to 1,450 feet per second. This is 309 foot-pounds greater than Double Tap’s .357 SIG Hardcast Solid, or a difference of 70.06% in favor, again, of the .357 Magnum. The .357 SIG (designated as the 357 Sig by the SAAMI and 357 SIG by the C.I.P. Fiocchi of America’s ammunition is made by shooters for shooters. when fired from .357 SIG brass, resulting in less penetration. A jacketed hollow point … Because of the platform’s advantages, the P229 chambered for .357 SIG was adopted as the standard issue sidearm (and is still in use today) by. It’s much faster to draw a semi-auto handgun from an. Their efforts led to the creation of the Bren Ten handgun. This event pushed many ammo manufacturers to produce 10mm FBI loads (or “10mm Lite” as older folks call it). Meanwhile, Phil Sharpe continued with his own hot loads development.