And I know you guys have answers.

I'm considering buying a .357 SIG semi-auto, because I've never owned one. I enjoy having a variety of different calibers to shoot, and I'm intrigued by the idea of firing what is essentially a 9mm bullet with a .40 cal. charge. So here are my questions:

1. All other things being equal, how accurate is the .357 SIG in comparison to the other commonly available semi-auto rounds? On various websites, I've read a lot of owner testimonials about the superior accuracy of the .357 SIG. What's been your experience?

2. How effective is the .357 SIG as a self-defense round? The most recent DocGKR findings show he has dropped the .357 SIG from his list of recommended rounds. (See Service Caliber Handgun Duty and Self-Defense Ammo). Lucky Gunner (See http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self...=libertyrising) hasn't tested it at all. The most positive thing I've read about it as an SD round is that it is used by the Texas Highway Patrol because of its superior windshield penetration capabilities.

3. What are your pistol recommendations? I've shot a friend's SIG P226 9mm, and it had the best factory stock trigger I've ever pulled, so I am leaning in the P226/P229 direction. But I know there are other excellent .357 SIG pistols out there, so I'm willing to consider others.

Thanks!

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What, me worry?

The Texas DPS used the SIG P226 in .357 SIG until about 2014, when it went to the S&W M&P in 9mm. Then they had some serious malfunction problems with the M&P, and dropped it. Not sure what handgun they are using at the minute, but I believe they are still using the SIG in .357 SIG. Allegedly, they didn't drop the .357 SIG because it wasn't effective, but instead thought the M&P pistol would be more ergonomic. I don't believe anyone could say the .357 SIG wasn't effective, but I know reloaders don't like it for some reason. Not a caliber with which I have any personal experience.

I would guess it's because straight walled cases are less hassle to resize than bottleneck ones. Like many of the less popular calibers, there's no free brass lying around the range.

The Texas DPS never issued the S&W M&P, it failed to make it through the first recruit school it was issued to and was dropped halfway through firearms training and the recruits were issued the standard P226 in .357 Sig. Current recruit schools are being issued the Sig P320 Full Size in 9mm, duty round is the Hornady 135 gr. Critical Duty.

The .357 Sig was carried since about 1998, with outstanding results. Take care when reading folks' "scores" of handgun rounds. Like boxing, it comes down to how scorer defines a good score. If you're the FBI, penetration and bonded rounds are the little demigods you worship. Others like lightweight, high speed rounds. Some just want large caliber bullets moving slow. The .357 Sig has worked very well for many agencies, including the Texas DPS, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Sky Marshals, Secret Service, etc etc etc. It's basically a 9mm +P+ without the +P+ pressures beating your gun to tinkertoys.

Don't know 'DocGKR' or why he's considered an expert, but frankly after years of talking to officers that have actually been in shootings and talking to investigators in the after action reports, I have my own opinions. But any conventional caliber loaded intelligently should be fine, if you take care of the software part (between the ears).

As far as defense goes, what's more important is can you shoot what you carry accurately, repeatedly on target, under stress? The skill set is 90% of the battle, the caliber and cartridge is only the tool. I'm betting Arnold Palmer could have gone to K-Mart and bought a cheap run of the mill golf club set and still beat 99.9% of the worlds population in a scramble.

Accuracy wise the .357 Sig is the most accurate caliber I own in a factory weapon. The 125 grain rounds tend, to me anyway, to be the most accurate of the lot. A 1.5" group at 25 years isn't uncommon with a full size barrel from a rock steady bench rest shoot.

My preferred weapon to shoot is a full size Sig P226. The longer sight radius and the bit of extra nose weight makes it easy to shoot. For me it tends to 'push back' whereas the .40 S&W tends to be 'flippy' in the nose. I like the .357 Sig's recoil better, but they're not a continent apart. I do have a '94 P229 that, with Hogue rubber grips, is good to shoot for up close work, out to maybe 15-20 yards. My old eyes like the longer site picture of the P226 better, but the P229 isn't bad. My P239 is not as much fun as either, as it doesn't have the weight to dampen the recoil....when you shoot it, you know it's not a 9mm. Personally, I really didn't like the striker fired pistols I've shot in .357 Sig, it's too much caliber for such light guns, too much feedback through the frame. Feels like they're getting punished.

If you don't mind the extra weight, find an all stainless steel frame/slide P226 in that caliber. They're heavier to carry, but they eat up that recoil like cotton candy.

Good luck!

I consider .357 Sig to be the best commonly available auto-pistol self defense cartridge available. The ammunition industry has created their own standard for +P+ loadings (SAAMI only defines limits for +P). This means that Buffalo Bore or Underwood ammo in 9mm 124 grain +P+ will go 1300fps. These same vendors sell standard pressure .357 Sig 125 grain that leaves the barrel at 1425-1450fps. The KE for these rounds are correspondingly epic, with numbers ranging from 500-600 lbs/ft. Nearly all .357 Sig ammo uses either bonded hollow points or full metal jackets to prevent fragmentation due to the high velocities (S&B makes a 140 grain FMJ that is great in the field).

Okay, so what about 10mm or .45? Well here's the difference. A .357 Sig pistol is no bigger than a 9mm in most formats. They are easier to conceal and or just tote around due to their size. The thing that you sacrifice is one or two rounds of capacity. Apart from that, the size and weight is very similar. A 10mm or .45 ACP requires greater size and weight...

As for pistols, I like Glocks for their reliability, modular design, low bore axis, and light weight. The new Sig 320 is another good striker design. If you prefer an all metal gun in DA/SA the Sig P226/229/239s are excellent quality pieces (albeit a more expensive choice) available in .357. All of the above pistols can be converted to a .40 S&W with just a barrel change.

I qualify for 50 state concealed carry through the LEOSA annually. With my Glock 32 my lowest score for the Louisiana Peace Officer course has been 118/120 with a fist-sized hole at center mass. What is more is that it is a very flat shooting round...no neck-hold is necessary at 50 yards. The funnel-shaped cartridge feeds beautifully. I have not had a single malfunction with my G32 in twelve years.

I can't believe that this cartridge is not the "next big thing." Try one out...when you hear and see a 125 grain bullet hit a pepper-popper at 1400fps, you'll be a believer.

Glock 33 in 357 SIG, here. The only think I would add to the above is that I think the 9MM bullet feeding into the 10MM sized chamber reduces the chance of jamming, all other things working correctly.

I'll add that I find the recoil more manageable than a 38 caliber J frame. More thump, sure, but it's a straight back push instead of the twisty muzzle flip of the J frame.

I think 357 SIG is misunderstood and under rated. I separated bullet seating and crimping steps when reloading and it reloads just fine.

I've got a few in the herd. Glock 31 and an M&Ppro. ( Considering a Sig 1911 in this caliber right now as well.) Both are great shooters with high reliability. As for effectiveness, I'll just say is that all you need to do is fire some factory rounds to know this round has all the "umph" you will need. It clearly ain't no 9mm!
That said, I'm not sure I would own one as a "first string" gun as ammo can be elusive and expensive. I reload for mine which just adds to the fun.
The joy of many 357 sig offerings though is that you can buy a 40S&W barrel and enjoy cheap and plentiful 40 cal ammo for the range.

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Dave

I own a Sig P239, Glock 31 and Glock 32. My son has a Glock 31, has owned several Sig P226/229 pistols and a Glock 33. The .357 Sig shoots flat and hits hard. I believe you will enjoy it.

My idea is to use something you can train with a lot. 356 sig is $20 a box of range ammo. That's double the price of 9 and $5 - $7 more than the 40/45. I can't train with 9 for $210/1000

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Too expensive to shoot for me to consider . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

I have a Sig P226 in 40S&W and I have a 357 Sig barrel for it and magazines in both calibers. The 357 Sig is a flat shooting round and is very accurate. The problem for me is that it isn't easy to reload and for me the 40 S&W is plenty accurate and easy to reload.

I am one of the ones enamored with the 357Sig. I confess all my range ammo is free for it. I'm currently a long time owner of a glock 31, 32 and a 35 with a Bar-sto 357 Sig barrel in it. ,Im not a goup meaesurer but if i do my part I can keep them on a paper plate at a 100yds, good enough for me. I've shot two coyotes with the 35 and it flat out crumpled them. When my friends express a desire to get that caliper I always suggest they have the abilty to convert it to a 40 or a 9mm in the event the caliper decides to fade away your not stuck with a paper weight. I hope this helps your decision Cheers Joe

Dallas PD uses SIG's and one officer I talked to carries a .357 because the 9mm issued ammo is subsonic stuff in which he has lmited confidence.


I agree. But if hotter 9mm ammo was authorized, I'd feel less need for a .357 SIG.


But I suspect the .357 SIG is indeed the most effective defense load in an auto pistol. And it has a lot of outdoors potentual, too.


TX DPS used to authorize SIG .45's. A highway patrolman using one fired at a trucker in a big rig. His bullets did not pierce the door and strike the trucker. His partner had a .357 SIG and the faster bullets did penetrate and killed the target.


I've read that this incident caused DPS to adopt the .357 SIG as standard. I think it performs very well, and would probably give an officer an edge if he had to shoot an alligator. That can happen here.

Before the advent of the .40 and the .357 SIG, the .357 Magnum was often credited with having the highest percentage of one-shot stops. The .357 SIG was designed to duplicate .357 Magnum ballistics so I wouldn't worry about its effectiveness in SD situations.

I think the SIG round would have garnered a much larger chunk of the police market but the .40 got there first. If anything, there are probably too many SD rounds to choose from. With the resurgence of the 9mm, for having a balance between street effectiveness combined with ease of handling, recoil recovery and high capacity, I think the .45 GAP will fade a way and the .357 SIG will slowly fade away. The .40 seems to be in a decline yet the more than 100-year-old .45 ACP is as strong as ever. Go figure.

I am a believer in the 357 Sig. I only got one a couple of years ago when I bought a used P-229 in 40 S&W and my son told me about getting a drop-in 357 Sig barrel.

I started my LE career in the old revolver days and always preferred my M-19 or M-65 with 158 gr. JSPs to a 9mm. My WWII vet mentor told me the "oldtimers" liked the 1911 in 38 Super because (in the old days) it was the only semi-auto that would reliably shoot through a car door or windshield like a 357 Mag. I never could bring myself to pay the price for a 38 Super.

When I compared the ballistics of the 357 Sig to the 38 Super and the 357 Mag 125 gr. from a snub-nose revolver I realized that the 357 Sig is something special. Now when I do my LEOSA qualification I use the 40 S&W barrel (since I have to pay for the ammo), but list it on the rangemaster's sheet as 40/357 so I can carry it as a 357 Sig.

As to reloading - I haven't tried it yet. Some say the short neck makes it hard to load reliably. Since the 40 S&W is so easy to reload, I will just shoot factory 357 Sig and swap barrels for practice.

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6/23/2022

"I'm betting Arnold Palmer could have gone to K-Mart and bought a cheap run of the mill golf club set and still beat 99.9% of the worlds population in a scramble."

Probably true. Some years ago I remember (with lack of detail) reading something about some famous pro tennis player being challenged to use an old-style wooden tennis racket from the 1950s (obviously re-strung) to see how well he could do with it. Turned out his performance was as good with it as the more modern graphite-aluminum rackets.

I've a sig P239 in 40 S&W and recently there have been a bunch of articles saying the cartridge was on the way out. Don't shoot it as much as I used to but even though it is a single stack magazine. I don't feel like I'm undergunned. and am very pleased that P239 in that caliber is very accurate. My other sig is a P6 which is the West German designation for that pistol. Very accurate 9mm which I like very much. The only ammo I've used in it is Winchester White Box in either the 165 grain or 180 grain loadings. I got lucky when Aim Surplus was selling the magazines for about $16 each so bought about 8 spare mags. I really like the P6 as its been the most accurate 9mm to date that I have shot. Frank

I have a Sig P320 Compact (poly frame , striker fired ) in 357 sig . It is very accurate . The gun itself is light weight , easy to carry , easy to shoot . I don't notice the recoil , at all .
I reload for it and , contrary to what others will tell you , it is a very easy cartridge to reload . I bought the Lee 3 pc set and the Lee factory crimp die . Yes , they are steel so you have to use case lube . So what ? We did that for years . I use Imperial Sizing Wax . I use Ranier 124 gr heavy plated bullet sized .355 . I have used BE-86 and Accurate #9 powders , both with great success . I have never experienced a problem reloading it .
It will penetrate barriers that 9mm, 40mm and 45acp calibers won't . I'm a revolver guy through and through , but I do like my Sig P320 C in 357 sig .

I use Dillon's carbide die set for the 357 Sig. It's quite expensive, and lube is still required, which I think may turn a lot of reloaders off. Other than that, the round is no more difficult to load than any other. By the very nature of their design, bottle neck rounds are more reliable in feeding, and I've never had a failure to feed, something I can't say for 9mm, 40, or 45 acp.

The downside to the round other than cost and availability is firing from a pocket sized pistol is daunting. Lots of flame and recoil, which is natural given the velocity and powder used vs the short barrels it's usually fired from. Reminiscent of a 357 mag fired from 2" barrel snub nose. Remember that pistols chambered for the 357 Mag are usually revolvers, which tend to be heavier and help tame some of the recoil, where as most the semi autos chambered for this round are relatively light, having polymer frames.

EDIT: I forgot to add, that bottle neck cartridges are also prone to stretching and work hardening, which requires trimming and annealing the brass. That's not difficult on 20 or 40 rifle rounds, but on 500 pistol rounds it's a major pain.

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So many S&W's, so few funds!!

Just for my own curiosity, has anyone tried forming the .357 SIG cases from .40 S&W using the .357 SIG FL die? Sort of like making .400 Cor-Bon cases from .45 ACP brass. I do that. Sort of wish the case necks were longer. And indeed carbide FL dies do not work well on bottleneck cases. For .400 Cor-Bon, I FL-size fired cases in .45 ACP carbide dies, then run those sized cases through the .400 Cor-Bon FL die without lubrication to size the necks. Works OK.

I bought a used Sig 229 w/ both .40 and .357Sig barrels and a handful of magazines about 8-9 years ago......

I am content to carry a 9mm 95% of the time....... with a .45 or .357 revolver the other 5%..........the Sig 229 is my only .40 or .357sig.

That said twice/three times in the past 8 years the only ammo on the shelf has been .40 S&W or .357Sig......... so I'm glad I have it!!!!!!!

I have been read that forming 357 sig brass from 40S&W , you end up with a shorter case , less case capacity .
I bought " once fired " brass when I started reloading the 357 sig and I bought the Wilson case gauge to make sure the cases were properly resized . My Lee sizing die does a very good job as the cases fall right into the case gauge , perfect fit in diameter and length , shoulder set back etc . I have never experienced a feeding problem . I have never bought a box of factory ammo for it .

Can't..the .357 SIG headspaces on the case mouth not the shoulder like one would think a bottleneck case would. One could make them out of 10mm cases but would be too expensive and a lot of trimming...

I've carried a Commander in .38 Super since 1980...if I didn't it would be a .357 SIG in probably a SIG P229.

Have two Glocks that have SIG barrels..a 40 and a 19 with a extra 23 upper... I use the 40 with the SIG barrel around the house for a little less wall penetration than the 10mm. I rarely carry the 19 but if I did it would be with the .357 barrel.

If I was back in LE I would want a gun, any gun, in .357 SIG...for the one reason is that there are no bad rounds. The slowest round available is the Hornady 147 at 1200 fps....everything else is 1350 and over...what isn't too like.

Bob

"I've carried a Commander in .38 Super since 1980...if I didn't it would be a .357 SIG in probably a SIG P229. "

One reason I don't have, and have no interest in, the .357 SIG is that I have two .38 Supers. In 9x23mm cases, it will provide the same or better ballistics as the .357 SIG. My top handload will produce a MV of 1450+ ft/sec with a 130 grain bullet, and I could probably boost the MV a little beyond that. I don't shoot many of those.

Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious, but I hope by 'handload' you're not talking about using those as carry loads....

Why not use them as carry loads?

I would not want to go into court after a shooting, especially if someone died, and have a prosecutor or trail attorney grill me over why I was using handloads. The opportunity for them to cast a defendant in a bad light is way too easy; remember they'll be telling a jury made up of folks who likely know nothing about guns that you were using handloads to "kill" because "Factory loads weren't enough, he had to go make his own special killing bullets!"

This is the exact type of crud that lawyers will use in a trial. They're job isn't to tell the truth, it's to emotionally manipulate a jury into believing the lawyer is right and the defendant is wrong. Using handloads as carry loads gives them the opportunity to do that on a silver platter. They will characterize you as irresponsible, reckless or worse, a blood lusting maniac.

Get a copy of Mas Ayoob's book "In the Gravest Extreme", or better yet go to the Glock forum and register, he's over there, and ask him yourself why it's a horrible idea.

Not telling you what to do, just some free advice from an anonymous guy on the 'Net. But 26 years in Law Enforcement has informed my understanding that after a shooting, one shouldn't give any additional help to a trial lawyer or politically motivated prosecutor that's already trying to crucify you.

I've read Mr. Ayoob's book on the matter and do not agree. In Mas' writings, it was the aspect of the handloader carrying 'super high powered' rounds. As long as your handloads do not exceed what can be bought over the counter, I don't see how they would have any effect on a criminal or civil case.

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So many S&W's, so few funds!!

There have been numerous previous threads on the topic of the cons of using handloads for personal defense. While there is no comprehensive answer, there have been no known cases in which a clearly self-defense homicide situation which involved handloads resulted in prosecution of the shooter for that reason. But anything can happen, depending upon the jurisdiction. Some years ago, I remember there was a self-defense homicide case in, I think, Colorado, involving the use of a .40 S&W pistol (back when it was the new kid on the block), and the prosecutor was charging the shooter with murder as a result of excessive force, portraying him as a homicidal maniac for using such a powerful handgun for self-defense. I think the shooter was found guilty and convicted, but the verdict was later overturned on appeal. But it had nothing to do with using handloads.

Back in the 90's a guy was up in the mountains of Az hiking . He was an Az resident . He was attacked by a crazed man with a knife . The hiker tried to get away but the guy followed . The hiker pulled out his 10mm trying to scare the bad guy away , but he kept coming at the hiker . The hiker , finally in self defense shot and killed him . The attorney general had him brought up on charges . The prosecutor named him as a ' killer " because he was using a 10mm loaded with " hollow point " ammo and charged the factory ammo as being designed to maim and kill . He was convicted and sentenced to about 10-12 yrs in prison . He served about 4 yrs and was pardoned by the new gov .
The new legislature quickly adopted new laws preventing prosecution like that again . Az had some real stupid law on the books back then and others suffered as well . But like I just said , that has all been changed . In fact in Az , you do not need a permit to conceal carry nor open carry, both perfectly legal . Open carry is very common in grocery stores , banks , restaurants etc there . I should know as I lived there for many many years and I open carried a 357 .

Exactly. It's a one trick pony. If a person wants a pony to do that trick, 357 SIG is the answer.

People will argue that this round or that round is more versatile and so on, and they're totally correct. But those other rounds don't do what the 357 SIG does without at least some compromise or trade off. Most notably, pushing the 9MM into +P+ territory. It can be done but the firearm probably wasn't designed to handle the pressure, slide speed and so on without accelerated wear and tear.

357 SIG - when you need a sledge hammer, a ball peen just isn't the same thing.

Of course it all depends on your own case, that shooting at that time in that court in that jurisdiction, but everyday there are 'firsts' in criminal and civil cases. Do as you wish, but I'm not going to be a guinea pig or a lab rat. I'm betting there has been a previous case using handloads that has sent a fellow to jail or bankruptcy, but even if not, I'm not going to be the first.

Any issue that can be taken away from a lawyer, any hill taken away that doesn't have to be climbed in court, that's a good thing. Since there is nothing, not one thing, that can be gained performance wise by loading a .357 Sig by hand over buying good rounds over the counter, I see no point in it except to make it an issue that has to be dealt with in court if a shooting occurs.

However, that's a decision everyone has the freedom to make.
Take care!

Probably the same shooting situation I was referring to. Could well have involved AZ, not CO, but I was pretty sure it was a .40 S&W rather than 10mm. But it's been a long time and my memory fails me on details a lot.

I love the round. I find it very accurate, and very controllable. Especially compared to the 357 magnum it emulates. I have had an XD, M&P, P320 and my favorite is the P239. I haven't really had any issues hand loading the cartridge. Self defense ammo prices are close enough to the other popular cartridges that it's kind of a wash. If you buy practice ammo in bulk, it's not too badly priced.

I had a P-229 in .357 Sig for several years. It was the most accurate pistol I have ever used. Several friends and family also shot it, and also remarked on the accuracy. I was offered way more than I had paid for it (got it used for an incredible price) and stupidly sold it. Wish I hadn't done that.

Why don't I just buy another? Mostly because of the only flaw with the .357 Sig cartridge, the price. It's not a easy cartridge to reload, it can be tough to find factory ammo at times, and the cost is pretty stiff. Still, I suspect I will get another at some point. I understand Sig offers one of their 1911's in .357 Sig now, that might be fun.

A number of agencies besides Texas DPS use .357 Sig sidearms. Delaware State Police, Federal Air Marshal's, and Pennsylvania Game Commision among them.

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Wheel guns are real guns.

No but I absentmindedly did the opposite. IE fire forming 357 sig cases in a 40 S&W barrel. Surprisingly, the 357 Sig rounds fired and cycled the action (although a little slow.) Got 3-4 rounds off before I figured it out. Made a pretty convincing 40 S&W case too.
More evidence that complexity and age should be inversely proportional.

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Dave

I personally don't see any advantage of it over the 9 or 40. Yes the 9 moves slower but is more than suitable for self defense. It also recoils less, has higher capacity, and significantly cheaper ammunition. Handguns in this caliber are also higher demand and hold better resale value.

The 40 is a larger, slower bullet which I would personally prefer over the faster, lighter bullet. Heavier bullet will penetrate farther, expand wider, and have a better chance of retaining weight. Handguns in 40 also can be found quite reasonably priced especially if they are police surplus.

If you are really set on 357, I would recommend purchasing a handgun in 40 and then buying a corresponding conversion barrel in 357 sig so you have two handguns in one

After
completing his residency at Navy Hospital Oakland in 1989 while on active military duty, he studied
at the Army Wound Ballistic Research Laboratory at the Letterman Army Institute of Research and
became one of the first members of the International Wound Ballistic Association. Since then, he

has been tasked with performing military, law enforcement, and privately funded independent
wound ballistic testing and analysis. He remains a Navy Reserve officer and has recently served

on the Joint Service Wound Ballistic IPT, as well as being a consultant to the Joint FBI-USMC
munitions testing program and the TSWG MURG program. He is frequently asked to provide wound

ballistic technical assistance to numerous U.S. and allied SOF units and organizations. In addition,
he is a technical advisor to the Association of Firearms and Toolmark Examiners, as well as to a
variety of Federal, State, and municipal law enforcement agencies.


Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

I had a 357sig M&P. $20 for practice ammo made me trade it off real quick

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Great. Sounds impressive. But if he's saying that the 357 Sig is an ineffective round because of some arbitrary testing standard, then I disagree vehemently. The real-world experience I have been privy to has shown me that it is a very, very effective round. And if an "expert" disagrees with the truth of its street performance, then the problem lies with that expert, not the round.

"If you are really set on 357, I would recommend purchasing a handgun in 40 and then buying a corresponding conversion barrel in 357 sig so you have two handguns in one."

I like having the ability to interchange multiple calibers on the same frame. All the better if it's not too difficult nor too expensive to do so.

I've been away from my computer for the last three days, and I've come back to find that you guys have provided some great info about the .357 SIG round -- just what I would expect from my fellow S&W Forum members. The most salient advice (mentioned by several of you) was to do a drop-in .357 SIG barrel. This caused me to have a major "Duh!" moment. (Insert palm slap to the forehead icon here). I already own a SIG P320 (9mm), and the P320 is designed to allow changes of calibers. (I knew that, I swear! ) All I need to do is get a SIG caliber exchange kit, and for about 1/3 the cost of a new P226/229, or about half the cost of a new P320, I can have a "new" .357 SIG P320. So that's what I'm going to do. And since I have a birthday soon, Mrs. swsig couldn't possibly object to such a money-saving idea for a birthday present, could she?

Thanks for all of your sage advice, and wish me luck!

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What, me worry?

Last I checked, those kits were about $399. You can get a Sig SP2340 or SP2022 for around $450 in that same caliber if you look, so for nearly the same price you actually could have a second pistol, and a pretty neat one, too. Just a thought.

Crud! Busted! The forum police are out on the prowl!

Now, that's cute!

I didn't mention that I still have my unused 20% discount coupon for SIG parts that I got when I bought the P320. If SIG allows me to use that, my cost for the exchange kit drops to $320. If I can't use it, your suggestion is an excellent Plan B.

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What, me worry?

Here is one real life example of .357 SIG grouping consistency and a comparison to .40 in the same gun ...

I have a .40 S&W M&P Pro Core 4.25" barrel with a red dot sight and Apex flat faced trigger. I had to work through 5-6 defensive ammos to find 2 that I could get sub 3", 5 shot groups at 25 yards off a bag rest. Best ever was 2.1" with group averages running 2.1-3.1". And no FMJ grouped less than 3".

I picked up a .357 SIG S&W OEM barrel for this gun. Got some Speer Lawman 125 gr FMJ's and Gold Dot 125 JHP's because that is what SGA had less expensive. And found I shot a 1.6" group with the Lawman and avg. of 2 x 5 shot groups just under 2" with the Gold Dots the first time out. No work at all to achieve good precision. It was also a pleasure to shoot in this full size gun ... a lot less snappy than .40, which is not bad recoil itself in this gun.

I carry a Glock model 32, compact version, in 357 Sig as my primary off duty sidearm for several years now.

I am very satisfied with the performance and dependability.

Ammunition is expensive, but I have confidence in the round.

That being said, I have no experience other than on the range, and the rounds consistently go where they are pointed.

I hope you find this helpful.

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I am a sheep dog!
1601 (ret)