How does barrel length effect the 357 Sig...

happie2shoot · Aug 10, 2017

Railsplitter said:
After having been in several discussions about velocity on this forum I have come to the conclusion that "more people" aren't interested in knowing the benefits of greater speed. I think they are knee deep in guns and ammo for the traditional calibers and have to rationalize their investment in money and time by denying or most often minimizing the effects of velocity. That said I clicked on the Lucky Gunner site and checked out the 357 Magnum tests. I was surprised to see the old school Remington 125 gr JHP round doing very good in these tests compared to all the "modern" rounds. In fact IMHO with all aspects of performance criteria used taken into account including velocity a very strong argument could be make that the Remington 125gr JHP was the best performer!

I'm pretty sure you have seen this data, note the
FPS in the old Fed 125gr 357, it beats the Rem load,
LG did not list it, they are both good loads.

My data does not jive with theirs but I did test it on
the same day, the Fed was always the fastest in
every test I did.

From an old post of mine,

This is what I got,

UW, 9mm, 115GD JHP+P+ AND 147GD JHP+P+

115GR.+P+
p95,,,,,,,,,,G27/LW,,,,,,P85,,,,,,,,,G2O/LW,,,,RBH with 9mm cylinder
3.875'',,,,,,4.060'',,,,,,,,4.5'',,,,,,,,,,,6'',,,,,,,,,,,,,6.5''
1443fps,,,1420fps,,,,,1461fps,,,,,1539fps,,,,1613fps

147+P+
1126fps,,,,1140fps,,,,,1123fps,,,,,1211fps,,,,1224fps

old 125 gr hp remington and federal 357 mag.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, in 4'' Gp-100 and 6.5'' BH

rem,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,1337fps,,,,,,,,,,,,1522fps

fed,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,1488fps,,,,,,,,,,,1619fps

new 124gr UW 357sig with nosler bullets

4.6''LW barrel in a G27 and a 6'' LW barrel in a G20
1526fps no jams,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,1604fps no jams, both
ten shots

Railsplitter · Aug 11, 2017

happie2shoot said:
I'm pretty sure you have seen this data, note the
FPS in the old Fed 125gr 357, it beats the Rem load,
LG did not list it, they are both good loads.

My data does not jive with theirs but I did test it on
the same day, the Fed was always the fastest in
every test I did.

From an old post of mine,

This is what I got,

UW, 9mm, 115GD JHP+P+ AND 147GD JHP+P+

115GR.+P+
p95,,,,,,,,,,G27/LW,,,,,,P85,,,,,,,,,G2O/LW,,,,RBH with 9mm cylinder
3.875'',,,,,,4.060'',,,,,,,,4.5'',,,,,,,,,,,6'',,,,,,,,,,,,,6.5''
1443fps,,,1420fps,,,,,1461fps,,,,,1539fps,,,,1613fps

147+P+
1126fps,,,,1140fps,,,,,1123fps,,,,,1211fps,,,,1224fps

old 125 gr hp remington and federal 357 mag.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, in 4'' Gp-100 and 6.5'' BH

rem,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,1337fps,,,,,,,,,,,,1522fps

fed,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,1488fps,,,,,,,,,,,1619fps

new 124gr UW 357sig with nosler bullets

4.6''LW barrel in a G27 and a 6'' LW barrel in a G20
1526fps no jams,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,1604fps no jams, both
ten shots

Yes I noticed that also. I noticed as well some gel test results and other velocity ratings that looked questionable. I take these Lucky Gunner tests with a grain of salt.

Glock 23 Nutter · Aug 11, 2017

Railsplitter said:
Not sure that is the only reason to have a 357 Sig but you are justified in appreciating the 357 Sig 147 gr XTP in both the Hornady and Underwood varieties. The 147 gr 357 Sig has almost 200 ft/lbs more energy than the 147gr 9mm, 200 fps more velocity than the 180 gr .40 and over 300 fps greater velocity than the 230gr .45 but has THE SAME sectional density as all three. The 147 gr XTP 357 Sig is head and shoulders superior to the other service calibers heavy for caliber loads.

The 9mm Euro will push light (low SD) bullets fast, so will the .40.

But if you want to push heavy (high SD) bullets fast?

A long Bbl'ed 357SIG will do it, as will the 10mm.

LWD makes an inexpensive drop-in 5.3" Bbl. for my G23. (and CDNN had a great price on the Ammo).

Nutter

happie2shoot · Aug 11, 2017

Glock 23 Nutter said:
The 9mm Euro will push light (low SD) bullets fast, so will the .40.

But if you want to push heavy (high SD) bullets fast?

A long Bbl'ed 357SIG will do it, as will the 10mm.

LWD makes an inexpensive drop-in 5.3" Bbl. for my G23. (and CDNN had a great price on the Ammo).

Nutter

I put a LW 40s&w 5.3'' barrel in my g27, it will shoot
a 183gr cast boolit at 1245 fps with LS powder.

The slide works too fast to be reliable.

Barrel length does help more with the max loads
and the lighter loads.

Railsplitter · Aug 12, 2017

happie2shoot said:
I put a LW 40s&w 5.3'' barrel in my g27, it will shoot
a 183gr cast boolit at 1245 fps with LS powder.

The slide works too fast to be reliable.

Barrel length does help more with the max loads
and the lighter loads.

Putting longer barrels in a gun is a safe easy way to increase ammo velocities and works with all bullet weights. What is gratifying to me is the longer 5.3 and 6 inch barrels in my 357 Sigs gives me true 357 Magnum velocity with the plain Jane ammo offered by the major ammo makers. No extra recoil or blast no heavier recoil spring needed no extra pressure just extra velocity the way nature intended. That being said Underwood is my favorite ammo company!

happie2shoot · Aug 12, 2017

Railsplitter said:
Putting longer barrels in a gun is a safe easy way to increase ammo velocities and works with all bullet weights. What is gratifying to me is the longer 5.3 and 6 inch barrels in my 357 Sigs gives me true 357 Magnum velocity with the plain Jane ammo offered by the major ammo makers. No extra recoil or blast no heavier recoil spring needed no extra pressure just extra velocity the way nature intended. That being said Underwood is my favorite ammo company!

I have six inch barrels for most of my glocks, in the g20/21
I have 9mm, 357sig, 40s&w, 10mm, 45acp/super and 460
Rowland.

My favorite barrel for my g31 is a six inch LW 40s&w barrel,
with factory safe load data it will push a 180gr boolit over 1250 fps.

The 357 sig will do over 1600 fps with UW 125gr ammo in
the six inch.

The people that think that speed does not help probably have
not shot many animals.

Railsplitter · Aug 12, 2017

happie2shoot said:
I have six inch barrels for most of my glocks, in the g20/21
I have 9mm, 357sig, 40s&w, 10mm, 45acp/super and 460
Rowland.

My favorite barrel for my g31 is a six inch LW 40s&w barrel,
with factory safe load data it will push a 180gr boolit over 1250 fps.

The 357 sig will do over 1600 fps with UW 125gr ammo in
the six inch.

The people that think that speed does not help probably have
not shot many animals.

I think a lot of people aren't fully aware of what speed does and just see it as something that affects penetration. Speed not only affects penetration but greatly increases energy and the shock/energy dump of the bullet. Speed is the reason a glorified .22 round can be carried into battle by our armed forces. It's the reason the 357 Magnum is considered the best man stopper and the 38 Special is considered marginal for SD. Speed brings it!

happie2shoot · Aug 12, 2017

Railsplitter said:
I think a lot of people aren't fully aware of what speed does and just see it as something that affects penetration. Speed not only affects penetration but greatly increases energy and the shock/energy dump of the bullet. Speed is the reason a glorified .22 round can be carried into battle by our armed forces. It's the reason the 357 Magnum is considered the best man stopper and the 38 Special is considered marginal for SD. Speed brings it!

''It's the reason the 357 Magnum is considered the best man stopper and the 38 Special is considered marginal for SD.''

Well put.

Railsplitter · Aug 12, 2017

I think gel tests are a big reason why velocity is overlooked. Ammo manufacturers now are designing all their ammo and calibers to perform in the same manner in gel tests. So when 38 Special and 9mm bullets are seen penetrating and expanding in gel much as a 357 Magnum the assumption is made that the weaker rounds are as good as the magnum. Even the little .380 ammo has now been tweaked to expand and penetrate 13 to 14 inches in gel. But that doesn't make them a magnum or a man stopper, it does make them look good and sell better though.

bunk22 · Aug 13, 2017

I only took 40 rounds of Underwood to the range today, along with 20 rounds of Sig Sauer 125gr JHP, 50 rounds of Remington 125gr FMJ and WWB 125gr FMJ. The FMJ and Sig ammo ran like butter, the first box of Underwood ran great but then second box I had two failures....first failures with this gun since buying it. I have 1000+ rounds through it and never a failure. The first failure was a FTE, then a FTF. No idea if I limp wristed though the Sig is heavy, not prone to failure due to limp wristing. Maybe too much for the spring in the gun, two bad rounds, me, etc.

barth · Aug 14, 2017

bunk22 said:
I only took 40 rounds of Underwood to the range today, along with 20 rounds of Sig Sauer 125gr JHP, 50 rounds of Remington 125gr FMJ and WWB 125gr FMJ. The FMJ and Sig ammo ran like butter, the first box of Underwood ran great but then second box I had two failures....first failures with this gun since buying it. I have 1000+ rounds through it and never a failure. The first failure was a FTE, then a FTF. No idea if I limp wristed though the Sig is heavy, not prone to failure due to limp wristing. Maybe too much for the spring in the gun, two bad rounds, me, etc.

You're not mentioning the gun?
My Hk P2000 has run boxes of Underwood 357 125 gr GDHP like butter.
Actually it runs everything like butter - LOL!
It's bombproof.
What are you shooting?

bunk22 · Aug 14, 2017

barth said:
You're not mentioning the gun?
My Hk P2000 has run boxes of Underwood 357 125 gr GDHP like butter.
Actually it runs everything like butter - LOL!
It's bombproof.
What are you shooting?

A Sig 229C, it has yet to have a single malfunction until today. Granted, shoot anything enough, there will be stoppages. Tap, rack, bang but that didn't clear the malfunction. It looked like the casing was a bit bent. I still trust the gun but need to shoot more of this ammo through it.

happie2shoot · Aug 14, 2017

I got a really nice trade in g31, got all the extra barrels for
it, 9mm, 357sig, 40S&W, all threaded and an extra six inch
40 barrel, all LW barrels.

Guess what, took it out to shoot and with cci 125 GC LE, JAM,
F T Feed, bullet got hung up on feed ramp, just for a instant,
them it chambered.

Really pi$$ed me off, the only other barrrel fired so far is the
six inch 40 with a full load with a 183 cast boolit, worked fine.

I only shot around two mags each.

Still looking for the three threaded barrels, in all the moving
I have kinda lost many things.

The GD do have a large open cavity.

How does barrel length effect the 357 Sig...

happie2shoot

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