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Common uses: Self-Defense, Tactical
| Type | pistol (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 125gr Federal American Eagle FMJ |
| Muzzle velocity | 1350 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 506 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.165 |
| Case length | 21.9 mm |
| Overall length | 28.8 mm |
| SAAMI max pressure | 40000 PSI |
| Common twist rate | 1:16" |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1350 | 506 | -1.5 |
| 50 | 1203 | 401 | 0.2 |
| 100 | 1092 | 331 | -4.2 |
| 150 | 1013 | 285 | -15.9 |
The listed uses do not identify an explicit big-game hunting role, so deer- and elk-sized energy references aren't shown. Evaluate the named load using its available source data and any displayed trajectory, then verify the result for the listed target, competition, defensive, tactical, or duty context.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own firearm.
The .357 SIG earned a reputation as a hard-hitting, flat-shooting service cartridge that reliably reproduces the punch of a .357 Magnum in a semi-automatic platform. Its high velocity gives it strong penetration, excellent feeding reliability from the bottleneck case shape, and a notable ability to defeat intermediate barriers such as auto glass and light cover, which drove its appeal to law enforcement. The tradeoffs are sharp recoil and muzzle blast, louder report, and ammunition that is more expensive and less widely available than 9mm or .40 S&W. As a result its use has narrowed over the years, but it retains a devoted following among shooters who value its ballistics for personal defense and duty carry. Many pistols chambered for it share a platform with .40 S&W, allowing a simple barrel swap between the two.
Introduced in 1994, the .357 SIG was developed by SIG Sauer in partnership with Federal to give semi-automatic pistols the terminal performance of a 125-grain .357 Magnum revolver load while offering greater magazine capacity. It was created by necking down the .40 S&W case to accept 0.355-inch (9mm) bullets, producing a distinctive bottlenecked pistol cartridge. The round was adopted by a number of U.S. law enforcement and federal agencies, including elements of state police forces and federal protective services, and remains best known for its association with duty-carry pistols.
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