Lindcott Armory Pistol · SAAMI
.357 SIG
High-performance bottleneck pistol cartridge.
- Caliber
- 0.355″ · 9.017 mm
- Introduced
- 1994
- Case
- Rimless
- Parent
- .40 S&W
- Primary use
- Self Defense
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1994
- Type
- Pistol
- Origin
- Switzerland/USA
- Inventor
- SIG Sauer / Federal
- Manufacturer
- SIG Sauer
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Common
- Case capacity
- 16.6 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:16
- Primer
- Small Pistol
- Case type
- Rimless
- Max pressure
- 40,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 50 yd
- Recoil
- 8–12 ft·lb
Ballistics
- By real loads
- 1,350–1,520 fps · 256 loads
- Parent case
- .40 S&W
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Performance
Buy links open .357 SIG ammunition at Rivertown Munitions.
Terminal ballistics
98 FBI-protocol gel tests on record (Wallboard, Bare Gelatin, Heavy Clothing, Denim, Plywood, Auto Glass) — 62 passed the 12–18″ penetration window.
- Median penetration
- 14.8″ (bare gel)
- Median expansion
- 0.600″
- Protocol pass rate
- 62/98
Published FBI-protocol results (bare gel + barriers), not Lindcott testing. Pass = 12–18″ penetration with reliable expansion.
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
CIP TDCC · verified| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 9.02 | 0.355 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 9.68 | 0.381 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 10.77 | 0.424 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 18° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 10.77 | 0.424 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 10.77 | 0.424 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.40 | 0.055 | ✓ |
| Neck length | 3.81 | 0.150 | ≈ |
| Case length | 21.97 | 0.865 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 28.96 | 1.140 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .357 SIG is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 256 active loads across 41 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 256 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty Defense | CIVIL DEFENSE | 50 | Monolithic HP | 2,200 | 537 | — |
| Liberty Defense | Halo Point | 50 | HP | 2,000 | 444 | — |
| Lehigh Defense | Xtreme Penetrator | 80 | XP | 1,800 | 575 | — |
| Underwood | Xtreme Defender | 90 | Lehigh XD | 1,700 | 577 | — |
| Inceptor | ARX | 76 | ARX | 1,600 | 432 | — |
| Federal | American Eagle | 115 | JHP | 1,520 | 590 | — |
| Federal | Federal Premium HST | 115 | HST JHP | 1,520 | 590 | — |
| Federal | Federal Premium Hydra-Shok | 115 | Hydra-Shok JHP | 1,520 | 590 | — |
| Federal | Syntech | 115 | TSJ | 1,520 | 590 | — |
| Winchester | USA White Box | 115 | JHP | 1,520 | 590 | — |
| Winchester | PDX1 Defender | 115 | PDX1 Bonded | 1,520 | 590 | — |
| Winchester | Silvertip | 115 | Silvertip HP | 1,520 | 590 | — |
| Hornady | Critical Defense | 115 | FTX JHP | 1,520 | 590 | — |
| Hornady | Critical Duty | 115 | FlexLock JHP | 1,520 | 590 | — |
| Hornady | American Gunner | 115 | XTP JHP | 1,520 | 590 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Suitable powders
4 reloading powders listed for .357 SIG, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Firearms chambered in .357 SIG
12 models in the database chamber .357 SIG. Browse all →
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Developed 1994 by SIG and Federal to duplicate .357 Magnum 125gr performance in semi-auto. Adopted by several federal agencies and state troopers. Reliability benefits from bottleneck design.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .357 SIG use?
- .357 SIG typically uses a 1:16 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .357 SIG?
- .357 SIG uses a 0.355″ (9.017 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .357 SIG still in production?
- .357 SIG is active; typical availability is common.
- What is .357 SIG used for?
- .357 SIG is primarily used for self defense.
- What is .357 SIG based on?
- .357 SIG is derived from the .40 S&W case.
- What are the best powders for .357 SIG?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .357 SIG include WAP, Vihtavuori 3N37, Alliant Power Pistol, Vihtavuori 3N38.
Sources & provenance
- StandardSAAMI — SAAMI cartridge & chamber drawing — .357 SIGarchived
- StandardC.I.P. — C.I.P. TDCC — Tables of Dimensions of Cartridges and Chambers
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 256 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured; terminal-ballistics figures are published FBI-protocol results. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →