[Blue Leader]

"Explain about the Sig .357 autoloader. Because I don't understand why they did that."

It's quite simple, it's marketing. Sig wanted a cartridge that could captitalize on the reputation of the venerable .357 mag. It's not a .357 and it's not a magnum but it is a good cartridge.

[sailorforfreedom]

Sorry to disagree, but the 357 SIG cartridge wasn't just a marketing gimmick. It was designed to produce ballistics identical to the 357 magnum revolver cartridge, but in an autoloader. Why? The 357 magnum is the number one man-stopper: it produces 97% "one-shot stops," which is better than even the 45 cal. auto and the 44 magnum revolver.

The 357 SIG accomplishes what it was designed to do. Powder load, bullet weight, and muzzle velocity are almost identical to the 125 grain 357 magnum revolver factory load. They feel the same, too; my S$W 357 magnum and my Glock 357 SIG both have the same feel- recoil, muzzle lift, etc.

One serious advantage of the 357 SIG that wasn't expected is that the necked-down case gives almost perfect cartridge feeding. Jams are almost unheard of, and are far fewer than with the 40 cal. cartridge. But the necked-down cartridge is a disadvantage for hand-loaders, as necking the cases down can be tricky. Another complication is that the bullets are glued into the cartridge, rather than being crimped. So, many recommend against handloading the 357 SIG, but more skilled handloaders still do.

The 357 SIG case is essentially a 40 cal. autoloader case, necked down to accept the 357 bullet. You can convert a Glock from 40 cal. to 357 SIG, or vice-versa, by just replacing the barrel (a two-minute job).

Several years ago, the Texas Rangers switched from their 357 Magnum revolvers to the 45 cal. autopistol. Many officers were unhappy with the change; they complained that the 45 cal. didn't have the "lightning-bolt" effect of the 357 magnum when it hits a perp. So, they switched to the 357 SIG, and reports say they love it! The best of both worlds.

If I were in a jam, I would want to reach for my pocket and find my Glock subcompact chambered in 357 SIG. Nothing else would make me feel as secure.

[cinFLA]

It's not a .357 and it's not a magnum but it is a good cartridge.

I believe it is a .357 nominally 124 g. It's power is within the range of low power .357 loads.

[Shooter 2.5]

You couldn't be more wrong with that.

For some reason, the .357 is on the top of the heap when it comes to "One Shot Stops." That's with different ammunition of the Magic Bullet kind. Someone finally figured out the police needed a semi-automatic with the same stopping power so they copied the ballistics. Muzzle energy with the .357 Magnum factory loads range from 410 to 550. The Sig ranges from 445 to 530.

[Servant of the Nine]

"Explain about the Sig .357 autoloader. Because I don't understand why they did that."

It's quite simple, it's marketing. Sig wanted a cartridge that could captitalize on the reputation of the venerable .357 mag. It's not a .357 and it's not a magnum but it is a good cartridge.

They did that because a lot of police departments are enamoured of the .357 magnum revolver cartridge. The .357 SIG is an automatic pistol cartridge that exactly duplicates the balistics of the .357 magnum police load with 115 grain hollowpoint bullet. It helps them to sell police depts a 14 shot sig semiauto to replace a 6 round Smith & Wesson revolver.

So9