I think it will be around a while - its still selling. Kinda like the 10mm. But, the rounds will cost more, and many people I have seen who own them have complained about the recoil. Also, have U gone and priced the ammo? U may be surprised.

Honestly, I'd get a 9mm. Shot placement is what is important. I switched to all 9mms a while back because the ammo is just slightly over $5 a box. I can afford to shoot 200 rounds every other week.

FBI uses them I believe so it will probably be around a while. I like shooting mine out of a USP-c but that is one big hunk of metal for CCW.

I'm not a fan. I had a Glock in .357 Sig that really knocked your socks off when you shot it. I dropped in a different recoil spring and guide rod that helped things out a bit, but I still didn't like it much.

I'm much happier about a .40 caliber. I think you would be as well. However, I have friends that swear by their .357 Sigs (Model 229). I think the heavier gun would eat up the recoil a bit more, so I'd pick a steel gun if I was dead-set on .357.

The .357 seems to be sticking around pretty well. The .40 is still probably more popular, and I think with good reason. The .357 Sig is pretty much a necked-down .40 caliber, and when you neck cartridges down, the pressure and recoil go up.

My advice is worth exactly what you paid for it......

I like them (357sig) but if your planning on going to the range a lot, it will cost you. Go with a 9.

If you want a packing gun I would stay with the 9mm or .40cal models in the manufacture of your choice. Everybody makes them in steel and plastic. IMHO I think the .357sig is just starting to die out like the 10mm. Gun shops around here are selling about 20 to 1. There for a while they sold like hot cakes but now they are turning up at gun shows used. Good luck in what ever you get.

If I understand correctly...the .357 sig is a 9mm bullet type in a necked-down .40 case that drives it at 1400 fps + with good ammo...HP's literally explode into big holes. Mine is an H&K (heavy), but I actually like the shooting characteristics and am more accurate with it than the .40 out of the same frame, but that's just me.

Implementation
The SIG-Sauer P229 in .357 SIG is currently the standard issue firearm carried by agents of the United States Secret Service, Virginia State Police, and various other local and state departments. In most cases, it has replaced 10 mm/.40 S&W and 9 mm "Para" loads. In 1995, the Texas Department of Public Safety became the first government agency to implement the .357 SIG

Wikipedia kicks butt...

Platforms

Firearms being or having been produced for the 357 SIG cartridge number many. Here are a few in production as of the year 2005:

Glock 31 (Full-Size)
Glock 32 (Compact)
Glock 33 (Sub-Compact)
SIG P226/P226R DAK (Full-Size)
SIG P229 (Compact)
SIG P239 (Sub-Compact)
SIG SP2340 (Polymer Compact)
SIG SP2022 (Polymer Compact)
Springfield Armory XD 4 in (102 mm) "Service" (Compact)
Springfield Armory XD 5 in (127 mm) "Tactical" (Full-Size)
Heckler & Koch USP Compact (Compact)
Heckler & Koch P2000 (Compact)
Heckler & Koch P2000SK (Sub-Compact)
STEYR M357 A-1 (Full-Size, Polymer with reinforced Steel frame)
Smith & Wesson M&P (Full-Size)
Walther P99 (Full-Size) (note: Walther never produced the P99 in the 357 sig. However, via a replacement barrel, the 40 cal version could be easily converted)
Kel-tec P-40 (with aftermarket barrel)
Vector Arms HK style carbines, pistols, and rifles (referred to as SP98 and SP98k in its pistol variant)
The manufacture of carbine/bullpup type rifles in this caliber is an often-discussed concept that has yet to be addressed by major manufacturers. To date, the only manufacturer offering .357SIG carbines and rifles is Vector Arms, with its selection of HK style weapons.

I like the .357 sig and hopefully one day Ill own a gun that can fire it. I ALMOST got a replacement barrel for my HK, but I ended up just getting rid of it instead.

The 357 SIG out of my SIG 229 is quite controllable.

Originally Posted by Buckeye

FBI uses them I believe so it will probably be around a while. I like shooting mine out of a USP-c but that is one big hunk of metal for CCW.

The Secret Service issues them also (Sig P229). Ditto on the price of ammo, it's pretty expensive stuff. Nevertheless, I don't have a pistol in that caliber, and I want one. Someday.....

Originally Posted by kansas_plainsman

The 357 SIG out of my SIG 229 is quite controllable.

Agreed. I have the same setup and don't find the recoil at all offensive. It's a great, hard hitting, flat shooting cartridge. I carry it frequently.

Ok, so it's still alive and kicking correct; ammo is costly has a bit of recoil. Does anyone forsee the round fadding away in the next 15yrs? How does recoil compare to .45 acp? Will reloading cut the cost down? Some calibers are just cheaper to buy that's why I ask. Would it be a good CCW or better left to a service size frame? The .357 is basically a 9mm round on steroids, so when a auto pistol is designed to deliver .357 mag ballistics shouldn't one expect to get some very noticable recoil, the .357 mag is no sloch or am I missing something?

Seems to be an interesting round. Not sure if it's necessary but it obviously has some following. Oh by the way, "fait"????? Did I miss something?

Charlie, thanks for pointing out the miss spell of "Fate" my question to the forum is the .357 sig dropping of the radar screen as a fad round and is it a smart choice for a CCW?

Just messin' with ya'. I'm definately no grammar policia! I've never shot the .357 Sig but I don't think I'd be to worried about it 'cause I shoot 10mm and it can't have any more "snap" or recoil that a 10. I think it would be a good round to shoot and gun to own just 'cause whatever you're shootin' in could be easily converted to .40 cal. or even 9mm. Kinda' of a two (or three) in one gun. I think we've all decided you need to go ahead and get one. And...........the 10mm is not "starting to die out", it is currently having a resurgence and becomming more popular.

Originally Posted by 7mmlover

Charlie, thanks for pointing out the miss spell of "Fate" my question to the forum is the .357 sig dropping of the radar screen as a fad round and is it a smart choice for a CCW?

I noticed it right away, but chose not to say anything

Our department just changed from the Sig Pro 2340 in 357 Sig to the Sig P226 in .357 Sig and I donot see us going to the .45 or back to the 9mm +p+ in the future. I feel very comfortable with the 357 Sig. and think that it is the best round available without exception. The 9mm and 45 are cheaper to use and the 10mm is a great round but for what needs to be done by the police, the 357 Sig is the best available. We are very pleased with the P226 Sigs.

From my posting on Sigforum:

Buy the guns and never look back. I haven't! Here are factory loads ( some factory reloads I've shot ):

1.) American Eagle - 125g - FMJ F
**2.) CCI Speer Blazer - 125g - TMJ F
3.) CCI Speer Lawman -125g - TMJ F
4.) CCI Speer Gold Dot - 125g - GDHP F
5.) Collins Cartridge Co. - 125g - FMJ F
6.) Corbon - 115g - JHP F
7.) Corbon - 125g - JHP F
8.) Corbon DPX- 125g - DPX
9.) Corbon Pow'R Ball - 100gr - PB
**10.) Corbon BeeSafe - 91g - BS
11.) CNC Cartridge - 124g - FMJ F
12.) CNC Cartridge - 124g - JHP F
13.) CNC Cartridge - 102g golden sabre - JHP F
14.) DFA - 85g - Nylon ( lead free )
15.) Double Tap - 125g - JHP F
16.) Double Tap - 125g - FMJ
17.) Double Tap - 115g - JHP
18.) Double Tap - 147g - JHP
19.) Federal - 125g - FMJ F
20.) Federal - 125g - JHP F
**21.) Federal - 150g - JHP F
22.) Georgia Arms - 125g - FMJ F
23.) Georgia Arms - 125g - GDHP
24.) Hornady - 124g - JHP F
25.) Hornady - 147g - JHP F
26.) Lancer Custom - 125g - FMJ F
27.) Lancer Custom - 125g - XTP
28.) Lancer Custom - 125g - JHP
29.) Maine Cartridge Company - 147g - JHP F
30.) Master Cartridge - 125g - FMJ (RL) F
31.) PMC - 124g - FMJ F
32.) PMC Starfire - 125g - JHP F
33.) Precision Ammunition - 125g - JHP F
**34.) Pro-Load - 125g - JHP F
35.) Reeds's Ammo & Research - 90g - XTP
36.) Reeds's Ammo & Research - 115g - XTP
37.) Reeds's Ammo & Research - 124g - XTP
38.) Reeds's Ammo & Research - 147g - XTP
39.) Reed's Ammun. & Res - 124g - Gold Sabre F
40.) Remington - 125g - JHP F
**41.) Remington Gold Sabre - 125g - BJHP
42.) Sellier& Belliot - 140g - FMJ F
**43.) Triton - 115g - JHP
**44.) Triton - 125g - JHP
**45.) Triton - 135g - JHP F
46.) Ultramax - 125g - FMJ (RL)* F
47.) UMC - 125g - FMJ F
48.) UMC - 125g - JHP F
49.) Wagner Acuswage - 125g - TMJ
50.) Winchester - 125g - FMJ F
51.) Winchester - 125g - JHP F
52.) Winchester Ranger - 125g - SXT

The Secret service use this round.
The Sky Marshalls use this round.
& others:
# Alameda County
# Delaware State Police (First to adopt the 357 SIG)
# Dallas, Texas Police
# Federal Protective Services (FPS) Special Agents for General Services Administration (GSA) - P229
# Keizer Police Department, Oregon
# La Porte County Indiana Sheriff's Department
# Laurence County Sheriff's Office, Tennessee
# Las Vegas Metro Police (allowed use of)
# Liberty Twp Police Dept, Ohio
# Maine Aroostook County Sheriff's Office
# Maine Game Wardens (P226)
# Maricopa County [Phoenix] Arizona Sheriff's Office/MCSO
# Montcalm County (Michigan) Sheriff's Office
# New Jersey Division of Fish & Game
# New Mexico State Police
# Niles Police Dept, Ohio
# Northwood Police Dept, ND
# NC Highway Patrol
# NC Wake County Sheriff's Department
# NC Wildlife Enforcement Officers
# Nueces County Sheriff Department, Texas (Sigpro)
# Oakland County Sheriff's Dept, Michigan
# Orange Police Dept, CT (sig pro, SP2340 .357)
# Orlando PD (plainclothes officers)
# Oxford, Mississippi
# Richmond, Virginia
# Rocky Mount Police Dept, Rocky Mount, NC
# Springfield, IL
# Tennessee Highway Patrol
# Union County Sheriff's Office, Marysville, Ohio (Glock 31)
# Texas, DPS United States (GSA) - Office of Inspector General (OIG) Special Agents - P229
# Virginia State Police
# Pennsylvania Game commission

Does it look like it's going away??

Buckeye,

A few more to add to your list - although these are not in production any more, they can still be found once in a while:

Mauser M2
Beretta 8357 Cougar F
Beretta 8357 Cougar D
Steyr M357 ( forerunner of A-1 series )
Taurus PT957
S&W Sigma SW357

Originally Posted by Flashbang

Buckeye,

A few more to add to your list - although these are not in production any more, they can still be found once in a while:

Mauser M2
Beretta 8357 Cougar F
Beretta 8357 Cougar D
Steyr M357 ( forerunner of A-1 series )
Taurus PT957
S&W Sigma SW357

They made a Sigma in .357 Sig huh?

Anyone know anything about this model...reliability?, can a .40 be converted with a drop-in barrel? I was going to get a Sigma in .40...didn't know they had one in .357 Sig.

It's a great round, and I prefer it by far over the .40SW. It'll hang around, but it'll cost a little more. It's worth it though.

I have never shot the round so I cannot really comment on how it shoots. I think that with it's popularity it should be around for a while. I prefer the .45's and I have big hands so I don't mind packing a bigger gun around. How much does .357sig ammo go for? I heard somewhere that it runs around $20 a box.

Got one and it is a love-hate relationship. recoil makes the second shot very slow. But there is NO doubt it will get the job, at hand, done!! It's one of those guns that when you come home from the range and clean it,you say to yourself ,"well, that's enough of that for awhile"! Ant the next time you go you take the recoiling little sh** with you agian! I reload for it so ammo cost is not a player.For long range sessions I down load it to 9MM+P. Sell it? not a chance

Well my new neighbor and I went hunting this weekend and he had the xd sub compact in .40sw, brought a smile to my face because I got to hold one. It was just what I wanted in a CCW. I'll shoot it next weekend and if I like the way it shoots I'll buy it. S&W .40 is more than enough for a CCW. If I'm trying to make a statement with open carry I'll buy a 1911 or the Baby Eagle in .45acp.