That’s right, the venerable 1911 platform has been updated by Sig to include a chambering in .357 Sig. Long time readers will know that in the past I have scoffed at this idea, but after thinking about it for a while, I’m not going to lie – I kind of want one. From Sig’s press release:
“With a year of celebrating the legacy of the 1911 under our belt, we felt it was time to introduce modern-day ballistics to the venerable pistol,” said Jeff Creamer, SIG SAUER Director of Product Management. “The .357SIG turns the old war horse into a race-ready thoroughbred.”
Initially, four models of SIG SAUER 1911s will be offered in .357SIG, two 5″ full-size guns and two 4.2″ carry models. Following their .45 Auto counterparts, these 1911s feature match-grade barrels, hammers and sears. Skeletonized triggers and hammers reduce lock time and offer enhanced accuracy.
The only single-stack production 1911s chambered in .357SIG, these SIG SAUER pistols offer 9+1 capacity in the battlefield proven single-action only platform.
- The 1911 TACOPs is a full-sized traditional slide 1911, with an all-Nitron® finish; Ergo® XT grips, ambidextrous safety and low-profile night sights.
- The 1911 Reverse Two-Tone features a natural stainless frame and a Nitron-finished slide.
The new .357 Sig 1911s will be available “shortly” from what I understand, and will carry an MSRP similar to their .45 ACP models. Of course, most of you are scratching your head and thinking “this is great and all, but why does Caleb want one?”
It’s actually pretty simple. The new 1911 in .357 Sig has a capacity from the factory of 9+1, which I’ve said in the past is my favorite magazine capacity for ESP shooters. Plus, the gun already has the right extractor for .40 S&W, so it should be a simple swap to put a .40 S&W barrel in the gun and use it for USPSA Single Stack division scoring major. But the simple truth is that I’ve always had a fascination for oddball cartridges, like the .38 Super for example. The .357 Sig is in many ways my generation’s .38 Super. It delivers excellent terminal ballistics, some people swear by it, but by and large it hasn’t really caught on.
A quick check of Hodgdon’s data tables shows several .357 Sig loads that are minor power factor, which means with a little reloading time and dedication you could easily set this up for an excellent ESP or Single Stack Minor gun. You know, honestly if I wasn’t in Glocks all year, I’d actually think about doing this.
Is this to compete with Coonan?
Coonan is chambered for .357 Magnum. That long rimmed cartridge also necessitates a larger frame/grip.
Right, I know that. But the .357 Sig was designed to duplicate the ballistics of the .357 Magnum. So, in a way, this could be viewed as Sig offering something that, until now, only Coonan had.
I stated that poorly but I think my meaning is clear. Maybe?
Ah, understood.
I think it’ll duplicate the 125gr loading. .357 Mag is still superior if you go with the heavier bullets.
But then, when you can get 10 rounds compared to six (or maybe eight for the folks who like to strap on the an uber-manly N-Frame)…
I have a Para P16-40 LDA and have long wished they offered a .357sig replacement barrel. My everyday carry is a sig P2340 in .357 sig, so i’m already in love with the cartridge.
Feedback I’ve heard is that 357SIG neck wear is atrocious, given the pressures, and that reloading isn’t really much of an option. It _can_ be done, but you have to be far more mindful than straight-walled cartridges. I’ll stay with .40S&W. I can make major or minor with cartridge.
I agree to a certain extent. If you like to reload your brass 7, 8, 9+ times… .357 SIG probably not the cartridge for that.
After maybe several loadings, from my experience, the case is usually either too short and/or the ability of that short neck to hold the bullet from setback becomes too degraded.
Treat it more like a small rifle cartridge and it can be done safely.
There are definitely some added precautions above that of a typical straight wall pistol cartridge – flaring of the mouth should be kept to the absolute minimum needed for bullet insertion, bullet setback testing should be done regularly especially with older brass, and a certain powder can curtail the fear of catastrophic bullet setback.
I have an M&P357 and it’s a fun gun to shoot. If nothing else, using this cartridge in an 1911 would be something different and something cool, imho.
I can’t argue with you, Tam, because I don’t reload 357SIG, but I’ll end by saying that (IMHO) that cartridge requires way too much case fiddling/inspection to merit reloading it (vs cost of factory loads).
I sometimes shoot 357SIG from my Glock 35 (Lone Wolf barrel) and it’s fun, but I find far more cons then pros when considering it for competition shooting. Far be it from me, though, to stomp on Caleb’s emotional attachments. That guy can outshoot me blindfolded :-)
I understand why SIG did this as it’s their cartridge. And I do love it. But it makes more sense in a double stack. 9×23 125 grain can get 1,450 fps and one more round in a single stack mag.
I know most factory .357 SIG is a 125 rated at 1,350 fps but Cor Bon, Double Tap and others can easily get 1,450. Speer under rates their 125 (1,350) because it chronoes 1,518 fps from a SIG 229S. I feel the .357 SIG and 9×23 offer similar ballistics but again, it makes more sense in a single stack. And you can also switch to 9mm and .38 Super with barrel changes.
Then again in a 1911 you can have a .40 S&W, .357 SIG, 10mm and 9×25 in one gun,
Eh, why not? .357 SIG is the .38 Super of this era. They’re both finicky and expensive, even if you reload.
Sorry for the snarkiness, but I’ve never been a fan. .357 SIG is an answer to an unasked question. Like .400 Corbon.
… or 45 GAP :-)
At least 38 super gives you capacity in line with it’s bullet diameter. If you’re willing to load your own with crappy brass life, you can duplicate 357 SIG ballistics in 9×19.
That’s if you are willing to go beyond SAAMI specs into +P+ territory and even then, haven’t seen 124 gr. loadings above 1300fps.
I think the question was, “can we make a round that emulates the 125 grain .357 mag defensive loads out of a 4″ barrel revolver but have it fit in 9mm/.40 S&W sized pistols?”
And with the hotter stepping loads, again 125 at 1,450 fps it does.
And not for nothing the 125 grain .357 mag has an incredible track record of dropping bad guys.
As others have commented why use 357Sig almost imposible to reload and less capacity instead of the 9×23 that has the strongest case in the industry and can push a 125gr past 1600 fps….Not to mention higher capacity.
But 9×23 necessitates a larger frame due to the longer case…
I disagree about being “almost impossible” to reload.
As for being expensive, getting once fired brass from states where the cartridge serves as a duty round (ex., Tennessee) isn’t too bad. I can get a 1000qty bag for about $32.
Fact of the matter is this is an outstanding caliber which is going into another proven platform. I’ve had a lot of experience with this caliber, and it’s now the only one I and my family and friends use for SD! Don’t get me wrong- the 9mm, 40S&W, and 45 ACP are just fine. But the 357 SIG does it’s job incredibly well, especially when intermediate barriers are standing in the way! On this platform with a 5 in barrel the 357 SIG in some of the hotter loads, like BB, or DT will be an absolute smoker! Personally, I could absolutely see using it in a comp due to it’s ultra flat shooting characteristics, but for the cost, and design, it maybe better suited for SD.
Either way, I will be getting this gun, and it will join the ranks with my other flawlessly functioning and deadly accurate SIG’s!
So now why doesn’t GLOCK go ahead and make a 1911 in .45GAP? :-)