.357 SIG (9x22mm)

.357 SIG

The .357 SIG cartridge was developed during the mid-1990’s as a joint effort between SIG SAUER (US) and the US-based Federal Cartridge Company. SIG SAUER in America was previously known as the SIGARMS company until 2007.

This cartridge was obviously intended primarily for the US market. Its main purpose was to provide American law enforcement officers with a cartridge similar in ballistics (and especially penetration) to the famous .357 Magnum revolver round. It still needed to be suitable though, for use in conventional semi-automatic pistols.

This cartridge has been very successful so far, being officially adopted by several major US law enforcement agencies including the Texas DPS and the US Secret Service. Several companies make pistols for this cartridge, including SIG SAUER, Beretta and Glock. It is worth nothing that the latter company marks its pistols chambered for this cartridge as “.357”, without any mention of the trademark of its major rival.

Technical Description:

The .357 SIG cartridge case is based on the earlier .40 S&W cartridge, having a similar case head and body diameter. As well, it has similar overall length. This is for the obvious reasons of ease of conversion of available pistols from .40 S&W to .357 SIG by changing the barrel and return spring.

The case design, however, is different, as the .357 SIG uses a rimless bottlenecked case with reinforced webbing (the base part of the cartridge), necessary because of the higher working pressures. The standard loading is a jacketed hollowpoint bullet.

Designation

Manufacturer

Bullet weight, g

Muzzle velocity, m/s

Muzzle energy, J

Comments

JHP

Cor-Bon, USA

7,45

457

778

JHP

Federal, USA

8,1

411

684

JHP

Cor-Bon, USA

8,1

434

763

JHP

Hornady, USA

9,5

374

663