357Sig Vs 40SW... Opinions?

[Jamesm760]

I was finally able to obtain a Glock 32 barrel for the Glock 23. I haven't shot any 357sig yet becuase it's still on the way. To the people that have shot both before, what is the difference between 40 & 357? Is it as snappy as 40? is it a slower or faster muzzle flip? Based off of balistics the 357 has better stopping power than the 40, would you guys agree? What would you carry between the two?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Brace]

.40 isn't a dead cartridge so I'd go with that.

 

[Jamesm760]

.40 isn't a dead cartridge so I'd go with that.

Yes 40 is easier to obtain than 357sig, but would you prefer 357sig over 40 if not for that reason alone?

 

[Sorcice]

Is 357 sig a high pressure round? I know 40 is. If not I'd practice with 40 and swap barrels to 357 sig for EDC.

 

[markush]

I have a .357 Sig barrel for my FS M&P .40 and I've shot one after another to compare. The main thing I notice between them is that the .357 Sig report is slightly louder and sharper. I would say the Sig is very slightly more snappy then the .40 out of my Full Size M&P. But then it could simply be that my brain is perceiving this sharper report as being more "snappy" then the .40. In any case if you do notice a difference it will be very slight.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Speaking of 357, I was in Ed's Gun Shop yesterday and had a very very hard time walking away from a Ruger 357. It had the sweetest action I have felt on a Ruger. But alas I am more interested in finding a 44 special. I may have to get a Ruger and have the action reworked. I am not fond of the Ruger's out of the box action.

 

[Redbaron007]

I have had a .40 (G23) and didn't care for the muzzle flip. I shot the 357sig (G32) and felt better shooting it. To me, the difference is the 357sig has more push back, but less flip; whereas the .40 has more muzzle flip and push back.

I like the 357sig better. Ammo isn't really a problem if you know where to look to buy it, you can get it priced pretty good. The last place to buy is in Walmart/BPS/Cabelas at $.52/shot for practice ammo. I can buy practice ammo for $.33/shot.

Some people don't care for the 357sig; some do. It is a personal choice.

Good Luck!

 

[Jamesm760]

I have had a .40 (G23) and didn't care for the muzzle flip. I shot the 357sig (G32) and felt better shooting it. To me, the difference is the 357sig has more push back, but less flip; whereas the .40 has more muzzle flip and push back.

I like the 357sig better. Ammo isn't really a problem if you know where to look to buy it, you can get it priced pretty good. The last place to buy is in Walmart/BPS/Cabelas at $.52/shot for practice ammo. I can buy practice ammo for $.33/shot.

Some people don't care for the 357sig; some do. It is a personal choice.

Good Luck!

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Cbenjamin]

I have the SA XD .357 sig and absolutely love it compared to the SA XD 40 and other 40 caliber pistols I have shot. For me it is the sweet spot between 9mm and 40.

Ammo has been hard to find. Typically Cabelas has a box of 20 rounds in stock of Buffalo Bore. Was lucky at my last range visit they had some Winchester PDX1 Defender ammo so I picked some up but it's rare to find good ammo in stock for 357 sig.

 

[Freedom1Man]

If you have the money to buy .357sig then use it.

I have fired it and it's kinda like a .357 mag that is a semi-auto without the special frame for holding .357 mag in a semi-auto.

 

[Redbaron007]

If you have the money to buy .357sig then use it.

I have fired it and it's kinda like a .357 mag that is a semi-auto without the special frame for holding .357 mag in a semi-auto.

Just FYI, I bought 100 rounds of 9mm Blazer Brass, out the door at Academy, for $.305/shot. The similar quality in a 357sig OTD is $.33/shot; unless you buy it at the big box shops; then it is about $.55+/shot.

OP....FWIW......my 20 year old daughter, 19 year old daughter and 17 year old son love to shoot my G32 over my 9mm. (G26).

 

[Jamesm760]

Just FYI, I bought 100 rounds of 9mm Blazer Brass, out the door at Academy, for $.305/shot. The similar quality in a 357sig OTD is $.33/shot; unless you buy it at the big box shops; then it is about $.55+/shot.

OP....FWIW......my 20 year old daughter, 19 year old daughter and 17 year old son love to shoot my G32 over my 9mm. (G26).

That's interesting... I am paying .35 on a good deal for 40S&W target ammo. .33 sounds cheaper to me, I think I might need to call academy and gander mtn to see how much they have it for.


THANK YOU ALL FOR THE INPUT!

 

[davidmcbeth]

Not this argument again...like 9mm v. .45

You'll get the .40 .. although the .357 is better ...

 

[Jamesm760]

Not this argument again...like 9mm v. .45

You'll get the .40 .. although the .357 is better ...

this is a not a "9MM V. the 45" argument... I don't think it's even an argument. LOL

There is also nothing to get, i already have a 40 and just got the 357 barrel I have been long searching for, so believe me when I say, I will be carrying 357sig over the 40. Until I get my Kel-Tec sub 2k 40S&W... then I will go back to 40 because of the same magazine/caliber advantage ... now to begin the search for a decently priced Sub 2k... =/

 

[Redbaron007]

Not this argument again...like 9mm v. .45

You'll get the .40 .. although the .357 is better ...

Not sure anyone is trying to promote which one is better (except trolls), just what are some differences.

 

[45acpForMe]

I have a Sig P226 in 40S&W and went out and got a 357sig barrel for it. I did that just for some ammo diversity such that I could shoot what was available (and just to try it).

Typically 357sig will cost more than 40s&w.

357sig is basically a 40s&w cartridge necked down to a 9mm bullet. So the smaller mass of the bullet propelled by the same (similar) amount of gunpowder in a 40s&w casing will make a 357sig faster than a standard 9mm load (or at least that is my understanding). The muzzle flip, recoil between the two (357,40) is mostly the same but my experience is the 357 may seem a smidgen lighter.

With that said, if you want a 9mm bullet the +P or +P+ ammo should meet/match/exceed the standard 357sig loading. 357sig was created to match the lowest powered 357magnum's performance. So 357 magnum loads can and do go much higher than 357sig. The 40s&w bullet will be larger than the smaller 357sig bullet. So you can go with a 9mm and just carry +p ammo, or go with the 40s&w and get larger holes in what you hit. In my opinion the 357sig doesn't solve any/many problems that can't be solved in other calibers. If 357sig was much cheaper (more popular) than 40s&w or 9mm then it may had made more sense. Since manufacturers produce less of it, the cartridge will always be more expensive like .380 .32acp ammo that costs as much as .45acp even thought they have a lot less lead/powder/brass.

Now some LEA use 357sig and are happy with it. So if you want to follow their lead, have at it. Any caliber 9mm or larger can be a good choice.

 

[Firearms Iinstuctor]

I looked hard at the 357sig when it first came out I decided against it. Expense harder to reload then straight walled pistol cases, harder on guns.

I would have no trouble carrying or using one if someone else was supplying the guns and ammo.

 

[KYGlockster]

I was finally able to obtain a Glock 32 barrel for the Glock 23. I haven't shot any 357sig yet becuase it's still on the way. To the people that have shot both before, what is the difference between 40 & 357? Is it as snappy as 40? is it a slower or faster muzzle flip? Based off of balistics the 357 has better stopping power than the 40, would you guys agree? What would you carry between the two?

Thanks for your help!

I prefer the .357. I have two Glock 23s, on in RTF2 and one GEN4, and I use the Glock 32 barrel in both of them. I prefer the Lone-Wolf barrel in .357 instead of the factory Glock barrel because it is more accurate in my opinion.

The .357 certainly has a much louder report and brighter muzzle-flash than the .40 does. It seems to be a little more snappy on the recoil, but not enough to really make a difference.

One problem you will find is that the .357 will actually hit lower than the .40 will in the Glock 23. On factory guns, the Glock 32 has a taller rear sight than the 23 to compensate. You will have to learn where to hold in order to hit the ten ring. It isn't a difference that will prohibit you from being able to accurately fire your gun, but it is a difference.

 

[KYGlockster]

I have a Sig P226 in 40S&W and went out and got a 357sig barrel for it. I did that just for some ammo diversity such that I could shoot what was available (and just to try it).

Typically 357sig will cost more than 40s&w.

357sig is basically a 40s&w cartridge necked down to a 9mm bullet. So the smaller mass of the bullet propelled by the same (similar) amount of gunpowder in a 40s&w casing will make a 357sig faster than a standard 9mm load (or at least that is my understanding). The muzzle flip, recoil between the two (357,40) is mostly the same but my experience is the 357 may seem a smidgen lighter.

With that said, if you want a 9mm bullet the +P or +P+ ammo should meet/match/exceed the standard 357sig loading. 357sig was created to match the lowest powered 357magnum's performance. So 357 magnum loads can and do go much higher than 357sig. The 40s&w bullet will be larger than the smaller 357sig bullet. So you can go with a 9mm and just carry +p ammo, or go with the 40s&w and get larger holes in what you hit. In my opinion the 357sig doesn't solve any/many problems that can't be solved in other calibers. If 357sig was much cheaper (more popular) than 40s&w or 9mm then it may had made more sense. Since manufacturers produce less of it, the cartridge will always be more expensive like .380 .32acp ammo that costs as much as .45acp even thought they have a lot less lead/powder/brass.

Now some LEA use 357sig and are happy with it. So if you want to follow their lead, have at it. Any caliber 9mm or larger can be a good choice.

The 9mm +P+ is still over 100 FPS lower than the factory .357 loads. You can get loads from Underwood that use the 125 grain Gold Dot bullet at 1,600 FPS from a Glock 32. At these speeds you are nearly over 400 FPS faster than the +P+.

 

[45acpForMe]

The 9mm +P+ is still over 100 FPS lower than the factory .357 loads. You can get loads from Underwood that use the 125 grain Gold Dot bullet at 1,600 FPS from a Glock 32. At these speeds you are nearly over 400 FPS faster than the +P+.

While I am sure there are lots of variances in speed, depending on the barrel length, here is one that is 9mm +p+ around 1524ft/sec out of a real gun ( Walther P88-4 inch barrel) vs advertised speed.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=303

In an apples to apples comparison to 357sig this version has 1301ft/sec out of a (SIG P229, 4 inch barrel).

So you can find a load that you like (and your gun likes) and do the testing. It just seems to me that +p+ is just as good (or better) than many 356sig loads so a 9mm handgun with cheaper 9mm practice ammo makes more sense to me than buying a 357sig and practicing with expensive 357sig. In my case and the OP a 40s&w gun with a conversion barrel may make more sense than a gun that is only in 357sig.

Then again you can get 40 S&W in +P (1300ft/sec) so anything is possible. https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=115

Shoot what you shoot well and leave the caliber worries to those that miss.