Energy Comparison: 357 Mag and 357 Sig 357 Magnum often comes with larger projectiles, which would give it an advantage for muzzle energy. 357 SIG. The larger Magnum cartridge has lower speeds but a muzzle energy of 539 foot-pounds, while the . 357 SIG, a faster cartridge, has only 506 foot-pounds of muzzle energy.

Glock pistols are known for functioning flawlessly, and our Model 31 wasn’t an exception. The pistol readily digested all of the . 357 Sig ammunition we fed it. In fact, it was the only handgun in this test that was 100-percent reliable.

Nine-millimeter and . 38 Special proved ineffective at stopping the robbers, while . 357 Magnum was a revolver cartridge that limited the user’s carrying capacity to six rounds at a time. Law enforcement wanted a powerful round that could be carried in large quantities.

Law Enforcement: 357 Sig chambered guns because the ballistics are fantastic. 357 Sig is dying. The known number of issuing agencies, however, is not known. But, it seems as if the main argument as to why they seem to be in decline in an official capacity is not because of a lack of effectiveness, but because .

357 SIG remains a very capable self-defense choice. Indeed, several law enforcement agencies continue to use the cartridge to this day in SIG P229 or Glock 31 handguns with a great deal of success.

357 Sig cartridge is a niche cartridge, with a special cache, because it delivers near . 357 Magnum ballistics in a shorter package. People who shoot it know they are shooting something special, so they are often willing to pay the premium for the premium cartridge.

Especially when shooting hard cast or other non-expanding bullets, hunters can rely on a . 357 Magnum. This cartridge’s deep penetration is more than capable of stopping a charging bear with good shot placement. 357 Magnum, like the Ruger GP100, can be a very effective bear-defense gun.

357 Sig is a great round, and if you wanted more power than 9mm, but without having to carry a larger-frame pistol like is necessary with 10mm or a revolver as is the case with . 357 Magnum, it’s definitely a great choice. The question of course is whether it’s really worth it in the end.

357 SIG cartridge was patterned in part after its predecessors— It had a similar case length as 10mm and a bullet diameter equivalent to 9mm. As the name suggests, the . 357 SIG cartridge was designed to have similar ballistics to the . 357 Magnum cartridge, which would make it more powerful than 9mm and .

357 Sig is a flatter shooting cartridge than the . 40 S&W. 357 Sig has more accuracy at longer ranges. It also retains energy at those longer ranges so it hits harder at 100 yards than the 9mm does at the muzzle.

You’d think that muzzle energy would be a good indicator, but the . 357 Sig has more energy. The consensus here is that the . 40 has more recoil.

Here the 357 SIG has an advantage. Its standard 125 grain bullet has a muzzle velocity of approximately 1,400 fps. The 357 SIG’s faster muzzle velocity flattens its bullet’s trajectory, making it more accurate over greater distances.

In tests, the . 357 SIG outperformed the 9mm, . 40 S&W and the . 45 ACP in higher percentage success rates in one-shot stops, fatal shots, accuracy, and less number of rounds used to stop an assailant.

The . 40 S&W is a perfectly viable self-defense round. But, if you shoot a lot and want to shoot better for less money, or if you’re considering using a handgun for personal or home defense, pick up a 9mm handgun and get shooting. You’ll save time and money, without compromising defensive performance.