Posted: 9/12/2005 6:16:49 PM EDT
| i am looking at getting a glock 31.i was wondering what you guy thought of them and personal experiance with this caliber.i looked around diffrent places and everyone has a diffrent view but i figure you guys may know a bit more about it.one guy told me the ammo is going to be hard to get in the future because it is not a popular caliber.someone else told me the recoil was horrible and to much to be consistant on target.i am a 6 foot tall 235 pound carpenter so i am not a office punk with no arm strength but the guy still insisted it was too much.please let me know what you think .thanks. |
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I have a Glock 32. No big kick, cycles quickly, shoots very flat, accurate, etc. I will be buying another. The Texas DPS and Dallas PD like theirs, which is where I first got onto it. Good luck with your info search. Ammo is available at $9 or $10 for practice. Go to http://glockmeister.com/357sig.shtml http://www.glocktalk.com/ http://www.glocktalk.com/forumdisplay.php?s=ca4671c13c7550c0731a100ebb32dfd9&forumid=36 http://www.handguninfo.com/Archive/www.Pete-357.com/ Departments using it include: * Federal level (the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Marshals Service) * Alameda County * Delaware State Police (First to adopt the 357 SIG) * Dallas, Texas Police * Federal Air Marshals * 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 * United States Secret Service * Virginia State Police * Etc |
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Add OK Highway patrol and Stillwater, OK PD to the list of users of .357 sig. Recoil is very mild, less than a .40 (we tested 22's next to the 31's). .357 sig is a great caliber. Glocks are a natural platform for them. Whoever gave you the gloom and doom is full of fecal matter. The 31 is our issue pistol, and they are great. Never been happier with an issue pistol. Get the 9mm if you need the 2 extra rounds and want less velocity for a given bullet weight (I don't). |
+1 Thanks to the guy who took the time to list all the departments who use the .357, but, seriously, come on! We're talking handguns here! No one handgun round is going to be "head and shoulders" above another; plus .357 is WAY more expensive to shoot than 9mm, if you shoot with enough frequency to get proficient. A good 9mm +P round will do anything a .357 will do, with proper shot placement the key regardless of the round selected...FWIW |
| I had a G32 but sold it for a G17. The 357 loads I used (124gr gold dots) chronoed 1340fps. In the G17 I use Corbon 125gr chronoed at 1250. I do not put faith in factory velocities because they are usually not accurate. My velocities are chronographed. I felt the 9mm was a fair trade at less than 100 fps. The practice ammo is cheaper and the gun is generally more pleasant to shoot. 357 sig, IMO is not what its cracked up to be, the muzzle blast, report and recoil do not justify a very limited if only perceived increase in power. If you want more than a 9mm then go with a 40 or 45, otherwise 9 is fine. |
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Wow, Jim. I have a comped 32C shooting the 125 grain gold dots that gets about 1390. Maybe there have been some issues with consistency in their loadings or maybe they changed something. FWIW, if I had to buy my own ammo, I'd go with a 9mm +p+ in 124 grain. And on the earlier comment about slightly heavier bullet, I was comparing the velocity of the .357 125gr load (a little over 1400 in my 31) to your standard 124gr 9mm. I know they have heavier (147) bullets, but they are relatively slow in this company. I carry a 9mm as a BUG, and shoot fed 115gr +p+'s in it, and don't feel at all like I am at a disadvantage. Again, this is all secondary to shot placement, but the little extra horsepower in the .357 is popular in my area (closer to the .357 mag than the 9mm, and people like that around here). To me, both are viable, and 2 rounds in such large mags really isn't an issue (if you get that low on ammo, you are in trouble). On the whole issue, six of one . . . . |
| I own a Glock 32 and absolutely love it. Bought it when the round was just becoming popular and it has since boomed. I don't think we will ever see the day that the round dies due to popularity problems. As far as how effective it is... it will do everything better than the .40 S&W until you get up into the 180gr. weight and then it matches the .40 or loses out so marginally that you can't say one or the other is a concise winner. I have shot the G19 (same size as my G32) next to mine and found the recoil to be a bit more but not bad at all and I am 6'4" at 170lbs. It is my main CCW weapon and will not be replaced for some time to come unless the magic bullet finally arrives on the market! |
Buy a G22 and order a Sig Barrel 40S&W is cheaper by 1/2 thus you will practice more and it is more difficult to handle thus when shooting Sig your fundamentals will be better. I have a federal 6' ported on my G22. No failures and handles like a 9mm. Loud as a motherfucker though and ported barrels give a nice flame burst lights up a dark room.. |
9mm 115gr +P+ is a shit load. I would have taken the 357 too if those were my only choices. |
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First: I don't have a horse in this race. Second: the 357sig will server you well. Third: 9mm bashers ck out this link, compares the 147 9mm to the 125 357Sig. Coppied from the Win LE catalogue. glocktalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=417202 . FB |
| In my Glock 31 I'm getting on average 1400fps from factory black box .357SIG 125gr GoldDots. 1450fps averages with GoldDots from the 50 round gold colored boxed Air Marshall loads. I'd love to see what these would do compared to any 127gr and under 9mm loads. Comparing 147gr 9mm to 125gr .357SIG is apples to oranges. The .357SIG in 125gr loads does what it was designed to do and does it well. I'm also going to order some of the Double Tap ammo .357SIG Gold Dot loads that they claim go 1525fps out of a 4.5" barrel. |
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Third: 9mm bashers ck out this link, compares the 147 9mm to the 125 357Sig. Coppied from the Win LE catalogue. glocktalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=417202 . Looks like we should all steer clear of the Win Ranger .357SIG ammo. Every other test I can find shows the 125 gr. .357 driving from 14 - 20 inches in bare and clothed gelatin. Also, the thread above mentions the practice and price of ammo as pros for the 9mm. If you buy the +P+ rounds that they are touting as equal or better than the .357 then you exceed the price of .357 ammo and ruin your nice 9mm faster than the .357 pistol. If you are going to practice with the round you carry then the argument is good for nothing. .357SIG has come down in price to the $9 mark if you look around so you can practice with cheaper FMJ ammo that is already at, or very close to, the +P mark that carry rounds are loaded for. Take a look at the testing you can find online and from magazine articles that give real world experience with rounds on the street and you will also find that the .357 does a better job with penetration and one shot stops. To wrap this up I feel very well protected carrying my Glock 32 with CorBon 125 gr. JHP ammo and don't think that there is a 9mm Luger round available that can match up to it in lab tests or street tests. The 9mm is an excellent round and I own pistols chambered for it and use it depending on the application There are many tests out there. Just a few of the sites I looked at with a quick Google search: www.firearmstactical.com/ammo_data/357sig.htm www.handguninfo.com/Archive/www.Pete-357.com/9mm.357.compare.htm www.handguninfo.com/Archive/www.Pete-357.com/40.357.compare.htm www.gunweek.com/2002/feature0210.html |
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I have a Glock 31. My advice is to practice alot and save a ton of $$$ for your ammo bill. Other than that...have fun. Be sure to stay away from the E series type serial numbers to avoid potential rail problems or locking block peening the slide. The newer ones dont get gouges into the slide from the firing of the gun itself. P.S. stay away from reclassified ammo from Speer Lawman stuff. I fired a few boxes and the 2nd to last round partially ejected from the chamber as half the casing broke off. Alot of people have sworn by that ammo but I try to stay away from it after my experience. Speer gave me two boxes of gold dots as a replacement for my 4 boxes and I had to ship my gun back to Glock for inspection which set me back a good $50 bucks. I use Georgia Arms Canned Heat and have no problems with them. |
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My G31 was stolen so I replaced it with a G32, which has become my most often carried handgun. I have lots of others and will always love the 1911, but the Glocks are damned hard to beat for a tool that works right out of the box. I would get the G31 and add a .40 barrel...which is what i did with mine (in fact i still have the extra barrel). I think you will find ammo prices about the same if you buy in bulk via the 'net, but there will definitely not be as good a selection at retail outlets as with the .40. Frankly, I much prefer the 125gr. JHP .357Sig cartridge to either the 9mm or the .40, but placement is, as always, most important. |
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I like my nine just fine but it is NOT a .357 sig! I have a G33, I trust it's performance the recoil is a tad brisk but the bullet is long gone before you react and the muzzle flip is not that of a S&W.40. For a very inherently accurate, nearly impossible to f.t.f. powerful round. Go with what the feds use! Ammo price is high on this round for a reason you know! 
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I have not got my G32 yet but it will be on the way soon. I have a G31 and will be getting a barrel for my G35 in 357sig as well. I love everything about this caliber. I use Double Tap 125gr right now and have tested speeds between 1550-1585fps with this load from a 4.5" Glock 31 barrel. This load will absolutely average at the least as well as what it is advertised at its 1525fps. I average over 1550fps with both boxes I tested and no 9mm can do that. I think if this round was called the 9mm sig Mag it would have blown up. Double Tap had to push the load back for awhile but they have an 115gr and 147gr Gold Dot load that is on its way for the 357sig that will be very impressive. I would, from my testing, guess the 115gr will get close to running 1600-1675fps from a Glock 31 easy. The Gold Dot used will stand up as well. If the folks that use the 147gr 9mm at between 900-1000fps like it because of it's magic penetration capabilities then they should love the same bullet running at between 1300-1400fps. As far as cost, if you shop you can find practice ammo at a reasonable price. This is really not a issue that can be listed in making a caliber better because everyone has different cash flows. I might be able to afford more 357sig ammo than someone can afford 9mm ammo for practice. Not saying I can but that comment would end that as a reason in making the 9mm better because of cost. If you like the 9mm great, if you like the Sig great. The sig is far more powerful if you like looking at it this way. I know most will disregard impact as nothing and having no effect on the target but I like it and see it testing calibers side by side into 35lb gel blocks. Saying that the impact of a bullet does nothing in terms of effect on what it hits is like saying that the term impact does not exist. Sorry, I will keep my warm and fuzzes and pour my nice tall glasses of Kool-Aid and be happy knowing that if I do my part this round will do its part. |