.357 SIG
Loud, flashy, and expensive to feed — a genuinely capable cartridge that lost the institutional argument to cheap, improved 9mm.
Family
Handgun
Introduced
1994
Origin
SIG Sauer and Federal, USA/Switzerland
History
SIG and Federal necked the .40 S&W case down to 9mm in 1994, chasing .357 Magnum-style performance from a service auto. The US Secret Service, Federal Air Marshals, and Texas DPS became flagship users. Barrier performance won it fans, but ammo cost and the 9mm renaissance have pushed nearly all agencies off it.
What it's used for
Iconic platforms
SIG P226, P229, and P239, Glock 31/32, and .357 SIG conversion barrels for .40-frame pistols.
Common load types
FMJ flat point and jacketed hollow point duty loads.
Reference only — not loading data, not ballistics advice, and KitID links to no ammunition sellers. Know your local law before you buy anything that goes bang.