Based upon what you've read/heard/know: 357 sig or 45acp the better stopper?

[Buckeye 50]

I know shot placement trumps everything else, but just in your opinion based upon what you THINK, would pick one over the other as a better "stopper" if needed?


I have a slight bias for the 45acp based primarily upon size of bullet, but would like other opinions.


Thanks,


Pat

[The_Shadow]

Well it apples to oranges with the 45ACP Being Heavy and Slow and the 357SIG being Lighter and Faster...

Depending on the bullet composition and design they can be equal to a point...Where the 10mm fills in on this is it can bring heavy and fast to the equation. 

I like the 45ACP 185 -230 JHP's for very close quarters but the 357Sig can also play well with the 124 -147 JHP's.

[my_old_glock]

... but just in your opinion based upon what you THINK, would pick one over the other as a better "stopper" if needed?


I have a slight bias for the 45acp based primarily upon size of bullet, but would like other opinions.

Thanks,

Pat

I will give the 357SIG an edge over the 45ACP as a better stopper, but I have no proof.

I have never shot a 357SIG, so I don't know if I can handle the recoil.

I have come to the conclusion that, for ME, a 357 Magnum (revolver) is only good for special circumstances: Like hunting when I can take careful aim at the target. I see no use for a 357 Magnum for home/work/city self defense. Bears and other animals do not know if a person has a gun, so they won't seek cover when running towards you. They also don't have a gun to shoot back, so a quick follow-up is not as important as with a human. Because the 357SIG is suppose to replicate a 357Magnum, I see no reason to get a 357SIG.

For a heavy hitter, I would rather use a 10mm or 45 Super than a 357SIG. For personal defense around home/work/city I would rather have a 9mm.



.

[sqlbullet]

I shot a 357 sig Glock.  It was very much a handful.  I find my Glock 29 far easier to manage, and imagine I would similarly shoot a Glock 30 better.

As far as which is a better stopper, I can't say.  But I can say I am far more likely to hit the target with the 45 ACP, at least in the platform I fired.

[pacapcop]

Those Sig rounds are flying. .45 is fine for defense work. Especially dense crowded areas.

[4949shooter]

I think a lot depends on the .45 load selection. There are many mediocre loads in .45, but he older 230 grain Hydrashok load did well in police shootings, and the newer HST appears to very extremely promising, especially in the + P load. The Remington 185 grain +p Golden Sabre and 230 grain Golden Sabre also have good records on the street.

Edit: One large LE agency I know of is having very good success with the 230 grain Gold Dot. 

There isn't a whole lot of data on the .357 Sig (after all the Secret Service doesn't shoot many people), but from the ballistics of it I think any prominent defense load will do the job.

Then there is the 10mm...

[Rojo27]

Both are outstanding IMHO.  Have both and depending on circumstances comfortable with either on or handy as both are proven fight stoppers; yet each platform has pros and cons.  Hard to empirically and definitively say which is better.

However, in the night stand drawer GunVault beside my bed, resides a 45acp 1911 in condition 1; with magazine full of 230gr HST in it and another magazine of 230gr pdx1 beside it.  Guess that reasonably represents my ultimate subcounious choice when a second chance or option might not be available.

Hard to go wrong with projectiles that open up as big as quarters and consistently dive deep enough to get to the boiler room in most cases IMO. 

Strong affinity for the 10mm too which is why it's carried in the truck most days.

[Raggedyman]

They're both just pistols and pistols suck at stopping. There is little substantive difference in the ability of various pistol cartridges to incapacitate. If you're choosing what pistol to purchase, skip them both and get a 9mm.

[redbaron007]

I'm a fan of the 357sig...I carry it most of the time. My personal opinion and usage gives the edge to the 357sig.

[dakota1911]

If I thought my 45ACP couldn't do it then I would go to 10mm.  Already have the hardware to do it.