.357 or .40, which is a bigger caliber?

[hiram_Abiff]

This seems to be a pretty obvious question but.... sometimes there things that arent really that simple.

Want to know which is a bigger caliber a .357 or a .40?

If I will be getting a glock in .357 could I just get a .40 barrel as an upgrade or convert it to such? [oops]

 

[Pilgrim]

the bigger the number, the bigger the caliber ! Is that what you wanted to know or are you talking power of the round?

 

[C-pher]

YOu can if it's a .357 sig. Which is a bottlenecked cartridge. .40 at the base reduced down to a .357 at the neck.

 

[hiram_Abiff]

the bigger the number, the bigger the caliber ! Is that what you wanted to know or are you talking power of the round?

I guess you just answered my question! Thanks.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Since I can't put a neat table in here, I'll give it a shot and hope it's understandable:

.357Mag v. .357Sig v. .40S&W

Base Dia: .440 v. .424 v. .424
Case Lgth: 1.290 v. .865 v. .850
OAL: 1.590 v. 1.140 v. 1.135
Bullet Dia: .358 v. .355 v. .400

Source of above data: Modern Reloading by Richard Lee

Unfortunately this data doesn't tell the whole story. You need to know the max pressure, velocity and fps of energy to make a good determination on which is more powerful or will do the most damage to a living creature. That info isn't in the above-referenced book, so I can't help answer that question.

Edited to add .357 Sig info as well.

 

[hiram_Abiff]

YOu can if it's a .357 sig. Which is a bottlenecked cartridge. .40 at the base reduced down to a .357 at the neck.

That answers my second question as well. Thanks.

But correct me if Im wrong... as per my understanding if the glock that i have is a .357 sig, I can have a .40 as a second barrel, is that correct?

Are there other .357s other than a .357 sig, is that different from a .357 magnum? Thanks C-pher!

 

[hiram_Abiff]

Since I can't put a neat table in here, I'll give it a shot and hope it's understandable:

.357Mag v. .40S&W

Base Dia: .440 v. .424
Case Lgth: 1.290 v. .850
OAL: 1.590 v. 1.135
Bullet Dia: .358 v. .400

Source of above data: Modern Reloading by Richard Lee

Unfortunately this data doesn't tell the whole story. You need to know the max pressure, velocity and fps of energy to make a good determination on which is more powerful or will do the most damage to a living creature. That info isn't in the above-referenced book, so I can't help answer that question.

Thanks.

So, if I will be getting a glock and I want to have a second barrel, what caliber should I be getting, a .357magnum, 357sig or 40? I just want to work on one frame.

 

[SiameseRat]

Hiram- have you ever used Wikipedia? It's a great all purpose encyclopedia. I looked up your question as I didn't have a good answer and got a good explanation there. Here's a link to it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.357_SIG

 

[Len-2A Training]

Hiram,

See my edited reply with the .357Sig info. There is also a .357Remington Maximum listed in my book. Never seen one, doubt that they are still commercially made, but apparently they do exist (or did once long ago).

Semi-autos oftentimes have the capability to switch between .357Sig and .40S&W as the bases and overall lengths are ALMOST the same.

 

[Len-2A Training]

.357Mag is typically Only a revolver cartridge.

Thus semi-autos would normally be .357Sig.

 

[hiram_Abiff]

i though glocks has a .357 magnums.... [oops]

 

[cdkayak]

The only semi-autos I know of in .357 Mag are the Desert Eagle and Coonan. I'm sure there are others though.

As Len said, most semi-autos in .357 are the .357 Sig.

CD

 

[Weerd Beard]

I'm suprised to read that the .357 sig throws a different bullet than the .357 Magnum. I thought the .357 Sig was designed to mimmic the ballistics of the .357 Magnum, but in a cartrige that would fit into most small-frame handguns.

-Weer'd Beard

 

[hiram_Abiff]

The reason I was asking is that I was about to get a glock in .357 and I wanted a .40 too. thanks.

 

[Weerd Beard]

I know somebody who had a Sig Saur in .357 Sig and he told me it would convert over to .40 with just a barrell swap....and maybe a mag.

Ask the dealer, they should know.

I've heard good things about the .357 sig round. Plus a bullet that new that's as common as it is is saying somthing!

Same with the .45 GAP

-Weer'd Beard

 

[C-pher]

From what I understand. No mag swap needed from .40 to .357 Sig. Just a barrel swap. As the base is so close to a .40 round that .357Sig will fit in the .40 magazines.

 

[hiram_Abiff]

From what I understand. No mag swap needed from .40 to .357 Sig. Just a barrel swap. As the base is so close to a .40 round that .357Sig will fit in the .40 magazines.

THAT'S JUST GREAT TO HEAR!

but wait... [oops] isnt this like a .357 revolver that can take a .38 super but not vice versa? You said its .40 to .357, will this be also true from .357 to .40? Sorry for this follow up question as I have read some higher caliber pistols can take a lower caliber barrels but not vice versa. Not so familiar with glock and I can not search the web as our office computers has 'surf control". Some dealers does not know if that would be possible.

When I asked a "stupid" question to a dealer [I didnt realize that was a stupid question] if a glock barrel can be used for my steyr... the reply I got... wanna guess?

you are right, the dealer responded possitively! :x

A Glock to Steyr M9, said both were made in Austria anyway!

They must be kidding me! [evil]

So I rather asked these questions here, as I am getting a more honest and accurate response.

 

[dwarven1]

There is also a .357Remington Maximum listed in my book. Never seen one, doubt that they are still commercially made, but apparently they do exist (or did once long ago).

IIRC, the .357 Maximum was built on a Blackhawk frame, I think. Don't know if anything's still chambered for it, though.

 

[Pilgrim]

have read some higher caliber pistols can take a lower caliber barrels but not vice versa.

A .38 and a .357magnum are not different calibers. They are both the same diameter - so close anyway that it's negligible. The difference is in the case length and the powder charge. A .357magnum is basically a longer more powerful .38, requiring a longer chamber. Therefore, a .38 will fit into a .357 longer chamber but the .357magnum will not fit in the.38 shorter chamber. But they are the same caliber. The .38 came first and I think the reason they are called different names (caliber designator) is that one is measured using the full diameter of the barrel (.38 inches) and the other is measured to the inside of the grooves of the barrel (.357). It was a marketing thing when the .357 mag was introduced.

Not so with a .357sig or magnum and a .40 . They are different size in diameter and the .40 will require a bigger hole (barrel) to go thru. But the .357 is way too small for the .40 barrel.

 

[hiram_Abiff]

have read some higher caliber pistols can take a lower caliber barrels but not vice versa.

A .38 and a .357magnum are not different calibers. They are both the same diameter - so close anyway that it's negligible. The difference is in the case length and the powder charge. A .357magnum is basically a longer more powerful .38, requiring a longer chamber. Therefore, a .38 will fit into a .357 longer chamber but the .357magnum will not fit in the.38 shorter chamber. But they are the same caliber. The .38 came first and I think the reason they are called different names (caliber designator) is that one is measured using the full diameter of the barrel (.38 inches) and the other is measured to the inside of the grooves of the barrel (.357). It was a marketing thing when the .357 mag was introduced.

Not so with a .357sig or magnum and a .40 . They are different size in diameter and the .40 will require a bigger hole (barrel) to go thru. But the .357 is way too small for the .40 barrel.

So to convert a glock .357 to a .40sig one needs to change the barrel AND the slide, as .357 barrel is much smaller in diameter?

 

[Cross-X]

So to convert a glock .357 to a .40sig one needs to change the barrel AND the slide, as .357 barrel is much smaller in diameter?

No, not at all, just the barrel.

 

[hiram_Abiff]

So to convert a glock .357 to a .40sig one needs to change the barrel AND the slide, as .357 barrel is much smaller in diameter?

No, not at all, just the barrel.

HEP HEP.... HURRAY!

 

[Pilgrim]

have read some higher caliber pistols can take a lower caliber barrels but not vice versa.

A .38 and a .357magnum are not different calibers. They are both the same diameter - so close anyway that it's negligible. The difference is in the case length and the powder charge. A .357magnum is basically a longer more powerful .38, requiring a longer chamber. Therefore, a .38 will fit into a .357 longer chamber but the .357magnum will not fit in the.38 shorter chamber. But they are the same caliber. The .38 came first and I think the reason they are called different names (caliber designator) is that one is measured using the full diameter of the barrel (.38 inches) and the other is measured to the inside of the grooves of the barrel (.357). It was a marketing thing when the .357 mag was introduced.

Not so with a .357sig or magnum and a .40 . They are different size in diameter and the .40 will require a bigger hole (barrel) to go thru. But the .357 is way too small for the .40 barrel.

So to convert a glock .357 to a .40sig one needs to change the barrel AND the slide, as .357 barrel is much smaller in diameter?

Not necessarily. It depends on the outside diameter of the barrel. You could have the same outside but different barrel bore sizes, so different barrels could still fit in the same slide.

I don't know about the interchangeablility of the Glock parts, I'm just letting you know the mechanics of the different sizes.

 

[Cross-X]

Who you gonna trust, a pilgrim or a lawyer?

Choices, choices, choices.

Trust me.

 

[Pilgrim]

Who you gonna trust, a pilgrim or a lawyer?

Choices, choices, choices.

Trust me.

Didja ever know a Pilgrim that lied?


On the other hand.......

(nothing personal)

 

[hiram_Abiff]

I am a traveler myself.... [lol]

 

[Pilgrim]

'knowingly, willingly, or unlawfully, wrong cheat or defraud.."

 

[dwarven1]

Ah, but Cross-X has not been to the East.

 

[hiram_Abiff]

aha... the 3 Js! Will not surrender the word!

 

[Republic of Mass]

Regarding the SIG's and barrel changes.
In both the 229 and 239, .40S&W and .357sig use the same frame gun
To convert a 239, you need to swap both the barrel and the mags. That being said, it is possible to use .357 rnds in a .40 mag, but not the other way around. I figured that out when I couldnt load both mags, Four Seasons accidently gave me a .357 mag.

To convert a 229 between 357 and .40, You must change the barrel. The 10-round mags are good for both calibers, whereas the 12 rounders are calliber-specific... again, posible to feed 357 in a 40 mag, not the other way around.

It is not possible to convert them to 9mm (with factory parts), and not .45. Sig's deticated .40's are the 245 and 220