I get tired of the caliber wars on the internet. Shoot what you like!
Anyhoo...the 357 Sig seems to take its unfair share of criticism. It was originally designed to duplicate the performance of the police favorite 357magnum 125gr load. Unarguably, an effective round.
Oversimplified (and slightly incorrect), it is a 40S&W necked down to accept a 9mm bullet. The extra case room gives it increased case capacity (velocity) and the bottle-neck increases feeding and reliability -- although I have seen contradictory info on whether or not it 357Sig actually headspaces on the case mouth or neck.
Here are some of the arguments you hear against the 357Sig:
1. It doesn't do anything that a 9mm can't do.
Then why does everyone seem to need +P and +P+?
2. 9mm +P and +P+ can do the same thing.
Similar, but not exact. Make sure your pistol is +P rated, you shoot +P+ at your own risk, there are very few rated for it.
3. 357Sig ammo is expensive and hard to get
This is somewhat true, at least compared to standard 9mm and 40. However, shot much of that +P+ ammo? Not cheap or easy to find.
4. 357Sig is not a 357magnum.
Well, true. It does not have the flexibility of the magnum (bullet weight ranges). However, it does closely replicate the 125gr and 147gr (vs 158gr) ballistics. Now it is true that the upper range of 357magnum does blow 357Sig out of the water. But, remember the focus was 125gr bullets.
5. 357Sig is dying out!
LOL! People have been saying that about 10mm and 41magnum for years and years. Yet, I can readily find several brands on the shelves. There are quite a few law enforcement agencies (including State Patrols) that have standardized it. I don't think it is going anywhere for a while.
Early on, I read a law enforcement agency's review of the 357Sig (I want to say Henrico, but I forget). They wanted to duplicate their previous 357magnum performance. They tested 9mm, 40S&W, 357Sig, and 45ACP. I don't think 45GAP was out at this point.
It concluded that for barrier penetration (especially windshield) the 357 Sig 125gr performed the best. It was followed by 40S&W 155gr.
A few years after adoption they evaluated the wound ballistics from actual shootings. They found that the 357Sig actually did not reproduce the 357magnum 125gr. They had VERY different wound patterns. However, the end result (dead assailant) was the same.
But, I can tell you that a 3" 357Sig pistol (like a sub-compact Glock) is a lot more pleasant to shoot than a 2" J-frame revolver with full power 357 magnum loads! And at least in my hands, that results in better accuracy. I haven't clocked any loads but I suspect the 357Sig is more efficient velocity-wise also.
An additional advantage is that you can easily (depending on pistol brand) purchase a 40S&W barrel for your 357Sig and have two calibers in one! (usually mags are the same).
Shoot it. If you like it, then that is good enough for me. Better? Well, that depends on perspective. A Glock 32 is much more manageable and has more capacity than a S&W 686, but I wouldn't necessarily trade mine in for one. But that's just me. I am thinking about a 357Sig barrel for my Glock 23 though :)
