What’s the best .357 Sig Pistol? Given how hard .357 cartridges are to come by these days, the preceding question isn’t something a lot of people tend to ask. So to answer the question, I’d say it’s the Sig PP26 Legion. After all, .357 rounds were made by Sig Sauer for Sig Sauer products, and this is the best one of the lot that accepts said ammo.
With that said, I reveal a few of the best pistols, .357 Sig caliber rounds have ever seen, so stick around to learn all about them!
Table of Contents
What is a .357 Sig Pistol?
As mentioned above, firearm manufacturer Sig Sauer developed the .357 Sig cartridges for pistols like its P226. These 21.6mm bullet casings have a muzzle velocity ranging between 1400 and 1475 feet per second and muzzle energy between 580 and 620 feet. In other words, they’re pretty powerful rounds.
Specific guns like the aforementioned Sig P226 can fire .357 rounds without sustaining too much damage to their barrel.
The Case for .357 Sig Pistols
There are a couple of reasons why you’d want to get a .357 Sig pistol. I discuss a few of them in the section below.
Unrivaled Penetration
Sig .357 rounds offer exceptional penetration, so it makes sense to get a firearm that can handle them. Thanks to factors like barrel length and composition, you can fire powerful projectiles with stunning ballistics your mother would be proud of.
Used By Law Enforcement
Law enforcement agencies like the police and the secret service have used guns that shoot .357 Sig rounds. Given the nature of their work, these agencies require weapons that are powerful, reliable, have a manageable carry weight, and come with functional components (like a slide release or trigger guard) that keep misfires (or friendly fire) to a minimum.
In other words, you can think of it this way: if the firearms are good enough for law enforcement, it’s an excellent indicator of the weapon’s quality and reliability.
Highly Customizable
Some .357 firearms like the Sig Sauer P320 (discussed below) offer an incredibly customizable shooting experience through a modular design. You can easily swap out components, like the grips, to suit your hand size or replace factory parts with aftermarket ones.
The 3 Best .357 Sig Pistols in 2022
The pistols below are among the best .357 Sig firearms you can get right now. Let’s dive into the rundown to learn about their specs, pros, and cons, and also to learn what makes them a great choice.
1. Sig Sauer P226 Legion – Best Overall
The Sig Sauer P226 Legion offers accuracy and reliability in a beautiful frame, making it my top pick among the Sig .357 pistols on this list. It features an aluminum alloy frame, fiberglass stock, and steel guide rod that make it an extremely durable firearm. Despite all of that metal, the gun is lightweight, weighing 2.2 oz.
This gun is extremely accurate, and we have its Electro-Optics X-Ray sights to thank for its ability to deliver projectiles to their targets with ease. Moreover, the sights provide a clear sight picture no matter the time of day. Unlike the pitiable sights you get with similarly-sized firearms, the P226 Legion’s day and night sights contrast nicely.
Moreover, the PP26 Legion is a dream to shoot. It features a G10 grip that makes the gun fit like a glove in your hand and a well-placed safety you can engage easily using your firing hand. Also, its trigger, which weighs roughly 4 pounds, has a short reset and clean break, allowing for rapid firing.
You get three 15-round mags with the P226 Legion. Loading and reloading this pistol is a simple enough matter, thanks to its spring-loaded system. Additionally, the gun’s other components (like its decocking lever) are extremely low-profile to prevent them from snagging on clothing. In a sense, this gun could work for concealed carry despite being a full-sized weapon.
The 226 Legion has an overall length of 8 inches and is 5.5 inches tall and 1.5-1.7 inches wide, depending on the gun’s caliber. On that note, you can get this pistol in a 9mm luger or .40 S&W, in addition to a .357 Sig. Also, this pistol excels at recoil management. Its front-end weight and beavertail help to keep recoil to a minimum.
If there were one criticism I had about this pistol, it would be its finish. While eye-catching and appealing, the finish is prone to scratches when drawn and re-holstered. Otherwise, the Sig P226 Legion is a solid .357 Sig firearm worth purchasing.
2. Sig Sauer P320 – Runner-Up
In a rundown of .357 Sig pistols, it should come as no surprise to anyone that such a list would feature more than one Sig Sauer weapon. However, the Sig Sauer P320 has more than enough going for it to justify its inclusion on this list and runner-up position.
First, the P320 is incredibly accurate. This weapon features Sig Sauer’s Siglite Night Sights, which provide a crystal clear sight picture during the day and at night. You have the option of choosing between the said sights or 3-dot sights that come as standard with the shooter. Alternatively, you can use the gun’s Picatinny rail to install other sighting accessories.
Second, the P320 features an amazingly modular frame with interchangeable grips in three sizes (small, medium, or large). You can get a comfortable grip on this handgun no matter your hand size. Additionally, its ergonomically designed slide is easy to rack, though the lack of grooving may present some difficulty when there’s moisture present.
Third, the P320 is reliable and built to last. Most of its components (the barrel, slide, etc.) are made of either carbon or stainless steel, making it extremely durable and resistant to weathering caused by environmental factors. Moreover, you shouldn’t experience any issues with feeding or misfires, even after passing hundreds of rounds through the gun’s chamber.
Fourth and finally, this firearm features a customizable trigger. You can choose between a small bladed, striker, or short-reach trigger, and each one will work as expected. No matter your decision, you can expect a short reset and next to no over-travel.
This compact weapon comes with two 15-round magazines (made of stainless steel), which you can easily drop from the P320’s mag well using its ambidextrous magazine release. With an overall length of 7.2 inches, a height of 5.3 inches, and a 25.8-ounce unloaded weight, the P320 is a concealable weapon.
3. Glock 31 – Most Budget-Friendly
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly .357 Sig firearm with high-velocity, you might want to consider getting the Glock 31. Glock’s reputation for excellence precedes it, and the 31 is among a long list of quality products from this renowned pistol manufacturer.
The Glock 31 is a full-sized gun, with an overall length of 8.03 inches, a 4.49-inch barrel length, and a light unloaded weight of 2 pounds (2 pounds 1 ounce fully loaded). Additionally, this pistol stands 5.47 inches tall and is 1.26 inches wide, making for a full-sized firearm you can conceal if needed.
This Glock model is accurate, thanks to a single-dot front and notched rear sight combo that aids in providing a clear sight picture. While the 31 doesn’t come with decent night sights, you can upgrade the factory sights for night-time-friendly aftermarket alternatives.
Regarding the 31’s reliability, I think this gun is reliable. It feeds well and doesn’t have issues with misfiring or jamming. Of course, a small part of that has to do with the fact that this gun is pretty big in the law enforcement market, meaning it had to perform no matter the scenario.
Additionally, the 31 is a pretty safe pistol. It comes with Glock’s Safe Action System, spring a trigger safety, firing pin safety, and drop safety. Put another way, the 31 won’t fire any of the 15 rounds its magazine can hold unless you pull the trigger.
It feels good to handle and shoot the Glock 31. The pistol has a great trigger with a clean break and quick reset, while its grip is nice and comfortable thanks to interchangeable backstraps in small, medium, and large. Moreover, I think the 31 keeps recoil to a minimum, though you will still feel a kick.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a .357 Sig Pistol
What should you aim for when choosing a .357 Sig pistol? Let’s check out the considerations you should have at the top of your mind when shopping for one of these pistols.
Ergonomics
The .357 Sig bullets are high-velocity rounds, and that can translate to a fair bit of recoil when shot from a little gun. As such, you’ll want a pistol that provides a firm grip, so you don’t experience too much bucking when firing Sig Sauer .357 bullets from it.
A lot of guns come with textured grips that keep sweat and moisture off to prevent the gun from slipping out of your palms. Additionally, excellent ergonomics make the gun easier to draw from a holster and, if it’s a pocket pistol, snag-free. So, make sure to choose a gun with the all of the above qualities.
Build Quality
Chamber pressure can wear down a gun’s barrel, and the higher the pressure, the quicker the wear and tear. Sig Sauer’s .357 bullets have a chamber pressure measuring over 40,000 psi. For comparison, Smith & Wesson’s .40 rounds have a chamber pressure of 35,000 psi, while 9mm rounds are lower at 33,000 psi.
With the above in mind, you’ll be better off choosing a gun that has a high-quality build. That way, you can slow the decline .357 Sig bullets cause to your gun’s barrel.
Dimensions and Weight
How much weight you place on this consideration will depend on your hand size, so large-handed shooters should pay extra attention. A semi-automatic pistol’s overall length and height can affect how comfortable it is to fire.
While a .357 Sig handgun’s length affects how easily you can operate its controls (i.e., racking the slide, engaging the safety, etc.), its height will affect your grip. A shorter height means less real estate to grab hold of, which can be jarring when the gun has a lot of recoil.
Reliability
Another important consideration to keep in mind when choosing a .357 Sg weapon is its reliability. No one wants a gun that breaks down frequently and suffers from feeding issues. Considering that .357 Sig rounds damage handguns, this consideration is doubly important.
Also, even if you don’t intend to use your .357 weapon in a self-defense scenario (due to expensive and hard-to-find rounds), it’s still a good idea to be ready should the situation present itself.
Price
I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating that .357 Sig cartridges aren’t easy to come by, and if you’re lucky to find some, they won’t be cheap. What that entails is that owning one of these guns will be expensive in the long term since the rounds are scarce.
As such, it isn’t worth spending an astronomical amount of money on a gun whose bullets are no longer being produced. So, consider the gun’s price when picking up one of these pistols.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a .357 Sig pistol, the ones mentioned in the above list are the best you can get. My recommendation remains Sig Sauer’s P226, a handgun that offers excellent accuracy, a generous magazine capacity, and reliability thanks to a high-quality frame. Sig Sauer made .357 bullets for its guns, and they pack a punch when fired from this gun.
Also, the P226 is a worthy purchase if you want a .357 Sig pistol with minimal recoil. It’s a pleasure shooting the P226, and the credit for that goes to the gun’s ergonomic grip design and weight on its front end.