S&W M&P .357 sig & long term reliability

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shipwreck2

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I have done a lot of research this last week on the .357sig as I purchased the ammo thinking it would work in my revolver. In summary it looks as if it is the best round for penetrating metal/wood but similar to a +p+ 9 when it comes to ballistics gel. I have a local store that sells fmj for a good price and I can find decently priced sd rounds so ammo is no longer a concern.

The only concern I have is the longevity of the gun and that comes primarily from this article: North Carolina Highway Patrol Ditches 2k S&W M&P .357 SIGs | The Truth About Guns

What interest me most about this gun is it seems to be a good high capacity auto that could be used for sd and even woods carry with the right round.

I have a few questions:

For those of you that have the M&P sig how would you respond to the above article in reference to long term durability?

Is the sig sauer a better long term option being that it is all metal?

Really what I would like to know is for those that own this gun looking back would you buy it again?
 
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The .357 SIG runs at really high pressures and is hard on ANY pistol chambered for it, whether it is the M&P, the SIG Sauer, or another brand. I cannot imagine that any .357 SIG ammo is cheaper than 9mm ammo. My vote is to simply sell the ammo you bought and get a 9mm.
 
I like the 357 sig ammo prices are higher, and the right ammo gives you closer to 357 mag ballistics than 9mm +P+. The 357 sig is running standard pressure ( in a weapon designed for it ) and achieving greater energy then an over pressure 9mm in a gun that was not designed to handle that pressure. So you will see "failure" in the 9 before the 357 sig. The 357 sig 125 gr has about 100 lbs more energy and 50-75 fps vs a 9mm +P+ 115 according to the current speer website. While pressures are about the same from a different source. I look at the 9mm as a good round to shoot 158 gr subsonics through a can for plinking. I would never recommend it for self - defense when 38 spl, 357 sig or mag, 40 s&W, 10 mm, 45 acp, 45 colt,44 spl 41& 44 mag exist. It has two things: ammo is cheaper, recoil is light. I have gotten 357 sig barrels for my Sigma F 40, M & P 40, Glock 22. Your recoil tolerance, your current weapons, your budget should help you make the decision. If the question was to buy a new gun then 357 sig. Be Safe,
 
Can you clarify something for me? Why is 38 special recommended over 9mm? I don't see how it's muzzle energy/velocity make better for self defense.

Very close in diameter in regards to the bullet.
38 maximum pressure for a standard load is 17,000PSI. Standard +P loading would be around 20,000PSI.
Common weights for the round will vary from about 110 to 158 Grains


The maximum pressure for a standard load is 35,000PSI. Standard +P loading would be around 38,500PSI.
Common weights for the round will vary from about 115 to 147 Grains

38 spl, 357 sig or mag, 9mm, 40 s&W, 10 mm, 45 acp, 45 colt,44 spl 41& 44 mag will all get the job done.

I'm just saying you are some what under-estimating the round while saying a weaker one is better. I absolutely do believe it's all shot placement in the end, all hand gun calibers suck (unless it's a high powered magnum load) Not trying to turn this into a caliber war. Make your hits count, and use what is best for you.
 
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Why is 38 special recommended over 9mm? I don't see how it's muzzle energy/velocity make better for self defense.
Click to expand...
While some people worship at the altar of muzzle energy, decades of actual shootings show this is not the prime consideration. Penetration, which is more related to momentum, is needed to get into the vitals and the heavier .38 bullets do matter.

Momentum is weight X speed.
Energy is weight X speed X speed. So a little reduction in speed is a LARGE reduction in energy. Published energy figures from factory test barrels do not relate well to short-barrel carry guns.
 
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Any good quality service ammo should display ample penetration, expansion, and weight retention, regardless of caliber. The difference between service caliber pistol rounds of modern design is too small to measure in terms of performance on assailants. The 9mm is perfectly well suited for service use, and the difference in cost between the rounds might be the best reason to go 9mm. More ammo for the same price is more training.

I have a .357Sig mini-glock (the G33). The juice ain't worth the squeeze, almost certainly. Unpleasant to shoot, expensive, and can be hard to find. However, dead nuts reliable, unlike my G26, and I have never heard of an agency that had the ammo I carry being unhappy with the performance in shootings. It's a serious gun, for serious purposes. If I want to have fun, I dig out my K38.
 
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Doug M. said:
Any good quality service ammo should display ample penetration, expansion, and weight retention, regardless of caliber. The difference between service caliber pistol rounds of modern design is too small to measure in terms of performance on assailants. The 9mm is perfectly well suited for service use, and the difference in cost between the rounds might be the best reason to go 9mm. More ammo for the same price is more training.

I have a .357Sig mini-glock (the G33). The juice ain't worth the squeeze, almost certainly. Unpleasant to shoot, expensive, and can be hard to find. However, dead nuts reliable, unlike my G26, and I have never heard of an agency that had the ammo I carry being unhappy with the performance in shootings. It's a serious gun, for serious purposes. If I want to have fun, I dig out my K38.
Click to expand...

Therein lies the pleasures of hand loading. The sig is a serious round and perhaps not as pleasurable to shoot as a .22 or a 9mm or a 38 special...but the same can be said of the .357 mag and the 44 mag (barrel size is key, of course) and there are plenty of happy owners of those calibers...the 40 isn't much better. If I didn't have a 9mm I would certainly get that before a 357sig but I will testify that the sig sure is fun to load and shoot! I rarely load any caliber to the max and the sig is quite nice at a medium load and very accurate. JMHO:)
 
Thanks for the input. I already have a 9mm and I am not concerned about a pleasure shooting gun or the cost of ammo as I can get sig at .33 per round and that’s good enough for me. I thought the sig would be a good multipurpose semi auto that could be used for sd and a better woods gun than a 9, 40 or 45 with less recoil than the 10mm.

Maybe I should just look at the 10mm:) I’m not a big glock fan though-only because of the grips.

Thanks for you input
 
I have an M&P .357 and can tell you its a hoot to shoot! Recoil is snappy, and no it won't keep up with my SIG P229. BUT it does have. 15 rnds on board, is accurate, flat out too 100 yds, has more pop on the recur ing end than anything else save 10mm, .41 and .44 Magnum.
.357 Mag beats it with heavier bullets though.

Just a little food for thought here, if you do get the aforementioned M&P you may want to change the recoil spring every 3,000 rounds instead of every 5,000. And if it does break, Smith will fix it through the warrantee unless its ha load ammo. And monitor various areas for abnormal wear.
Vigilance at the loading and cleaning bench, makes for longevity at the shootin bench.
Dale
 
If I were going to get a pistol for woods use, and sought maximum flexibility, the Glock 20 is hard to beat. A full house 10 is stout, and you have 13+1 as I recall. One can also use other barrels to shoot .40 and .357 Sig.
 
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