I didn't mention powder coated lead bullets because I haven't
tried them yet.
They do interest me and I do cast bullets.

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I'm with her

I forget the details but barrier penetration is one area where .357 SIG significantly outperforms 9mm Luger. IOW going through glass, car doors, etc. That could be important - as a plus or as a minus - in different situations.

Years ago a study of police shootings showed that the .357 Magnum produced the highest percentage of “1-shot stops” compared to other handgun cartridges used by police at the time. .357 SIG comes close in a semiauto pistol. 9x23 Winchester duplicates .357 Magnum ballistics and has greater magazine capacity than .40 S&W or 10mm.

The 357 SIG also typically shoots flatter than 9mm, 40 S&W and 45acp...

Cheers!

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Sit Reloader Sentiret

Once you start PC'ing, u you won't go back to lube.

The .357 Sig is just about the most "bulletproof" round as far as having zero feed issues. There was a time when the local PD's left scads of Sig and .40 brass all over the range for us to glean but now it's necessary to
hunt the Starline site which happens to be available now.

A custom commander in .357 Sig is one of three in my carry rotatoin along with two other commanders in .40 and .38 super.

OP, next up? Try a 9x25!

Well, it’s been a few months, and I’m back around to .357 Sig in the reloading rotation. I loaded up a couple hundred of these over 9 grains of Longshot to an OAL of 1.13” and took them to the range yesterday to try out in my Sig P239. Not one hiccup with 63 rounds. My Garmin chrony showed min/max of 1289 and 1443 & avg vel of 1370. Next batch, I’m going to go with 9.2 grains Longshot which is the max load in the Lee manual.

Attached Images

IMG_1782.jpg (125.8 KB, 17 views)

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

I found something interesting and figured that I'd bump the thread because it sort of answers a question that I myself brought up earlier in regards to what was the actual problem with M&P357 pistols being dumped by law enforcement due to unreliability...

North Carolina Highway Patrol Ditches 2k S&W M&P .357 SIGs - The Truth About Guns

According to this article — which is admittedly from a source which I particularly don't have much respect for due to the inflammatory/sensationalist nature of their articles, but I digress — the issues that the North Carolina Highway Patrol had with the M&P357 was failures to eject, but only with certain pistols.

This somewhat confirms my aforementioned suspicion that the issue wasn't serious, could have been the result of limp wristing, and that S&W most likely discontinued the line not because their existed some irreparable flaw or weakness in the design, but rather simply didn't care to continue producing/servicing pistols in a less popular chambering that were being sent to them in perfect working order, citing failures to eject which weren't in fact the fault of the pistol itself.

Personally, this is sufficient evidence to settle any doubts I had left that converting M&P40s to .357 SIG was perfectly safe and reliable.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

In 2008 I was in a Pat Rogers carbine class in NC. There were a couple their troopers in the class. I do not recall any malfunctions and they were very positive about the platform.

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NHI, 10-8.

The NMSP went to 357 SIG after the 45 ACP and were well satisfied except for ammo cost. After a few years, the bean counters won and they've turned to the 9mm with mixed terminal results. Just like in 1990-1992 when they tried 9 before and quickly swapped out new 5906s for new 4506s.

Bob, when I started as a cop it was a "revolver" world. Eventually the 9mm and 45 ACP was approved for off duty carry. Then 9mm and later the 45 ACP was approved for on duty carry.

The 40 S&W was invented in 1990 and 357 Sig in 1994. (45 GAP is really late in 2003) So for me who was advocating for the 45 ACP for 20 years and finally getting it. The 40 and Sig was too late for the party. For cops either the 357 Magnum or the 45 ACP is the perfect choice depending if you are urban or rural. JMHO, Sarge

I think the whole switching of calibers is just people making money in the Law Enforcement Industrial Complex.

I had a M&P compact years ago. I bought a Storm Lake 357 Sig barrel for it on this forum.

I loved it. Remind me of 38 Super.

But alas, due to ammo cost I sold it off.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

We had no failures with 357 125 grain JHPs; the first 3 9mm shootings with sold, mid-torso hits were failures. The Chief listened to the troops; the switch to 4506 resolved the issue. Likewise, when thev4506s were getting aged, the 357 Sigs had no failures. The 9mm reintroduction after 20 years was about ammo cost. Period.

So long as I have a few .38 Super guns, I won't be needing a .357 Sig.

I have run into a store and grabbed boxes of 357 on 3 separate occasions. On one occasions I asked that clerk at a small gun/pawn shop if they had any 357 JHP self-defense ammo during the whole COVID/Floyd era, and had one box left that he threw in a bag.... Needless to say, now I have a bunch of 357 sig ammo and no guns chambered in that caliber, as I really wanted 357 magnum, but I was paying attention.

I think the gun God's were sending me hints. I just need to choose a platform now.

Reloading quite often solves more than one problem...

Personally, I think 357 SIG is the solution when 10mm might be a bit too much!

Cheers!

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Sit Reloader Sentiret

The beauty of .357 SIG is that most .40cal pistols can be converted with nothing more than a drop in barrel. Glocks and M&Ps are the easiest because they use the exact same recoil springs and they're widely available from a number of manufacturers.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.