I am trying do decide which to get, a .357 sig, or a .45 help me decide please?

Question

The weapon will be a SA-XDM

I am trying to decide which caliber will give me better performance and long term reliability. I want someone who comes into my house with malicious intent to know who they are s******g with.

Answer 1

I had a Glock 32 (in 357SIG) for concealed carry and home defense for 2 years and I absolutly loved it.  I like the bottleneck case b/c out of maybe 3500 rounds I put through it, I only had 2 jams (worn recoil spring). When me and my friends shot an abandoned car in the desert only rifle rounds and my 357sig passed through the windshield. 9mm, .40 and .45 didn't penetrate.

The only downside was the muzzle blast. Gold Dot wasn't as bad but Double Tap and Hornady kinda reminded me of how a 10mm blueish muzzle blast is like. and it's way louder than most pistol rounds.

Answer 2

You are asking which is the better caliber for home defense?  If so then go with the .45 acp.  The .357 Sig is incredibly LOUD and may or not be as good as the .357 Magnum which is currently the best man-stopper known.

H

Answer 3

As long as you plan to keep the gun in the house I would say a 45, but if you plan to carrie and use in the house I would go with a nice S&W .357.

Answer 4

As a NRA Instructor for Home Defense, and a State os California, Bureau if Security and Investigative Services Instructor, please lt me have an opportunity to help you maybe rethink your decision.

First, when students come to me with this type of question I like to have them think about this type of situation very clearly, instead of letting Hollywood dictate your coolness.

Both cartridges that you have picked are really good choices.  Though they are good choices for a duty weapon that would be carried by a Police Officer or Armed Security Officer.

For defense in the home I would have you pick neither of these choices.  But opt for a better solution in a .357 Magnum Revolver.

Now before you start thinking about "Awwh, that old wheel gun", lets talk about a few things here.

First, a revolver is the simplest and most reliable system in a handgun period.  Whether the revolver is made by Colt, Taurus, Smith & Wesson or Ruger, they all work about the same way, and require very little in an emergency to work well every time.

There are 6 to 8 reliable shots on every cylinder on the weapon, no safety, magazine disconnector or any other de-cocking devices to deal with.

Ok, so now down to the business end of this issue.

In your home the gunfight is going to take place in areas that are less than 21 feet in length from where ever you stand.  A person who is intent on doing you or your family harm will be within striking distance in 3 tenths of a second.  

If your semi-automatic pistol fails to fire on the first round, are you going to have enough time to tap the bottom of the magazine to ensure that it was properly seated in the first place, pull the slide to eject and chamber the next cartridge, take aim and fire at this person who is going to harm you, all while talking on the phone to the 911 Dispatcher who is trying to get information from you about the assailant in your home.

Think about this for a minute.  You only have 2 hands, a revolver only requires one hand to operate should the first round fail to fire.  You simply pull the trigger again.  Unless there is something mechanically wrong with that handgun, the next round indexed to the firing position is going to make that fool very sorry he stepped into your home.

In my expereince with my Law Enforcement collegues, they find that most people tend to not keep a round in the chamber or the loaded magazine in the weapon when it is not being used, or is being stored in a hand safe next to their bed.  However, the opposite is commonly observed with a revolver is being used for the home defense wepon of choice.  And... these are normally folks who have had formal training in an NRA Home Defense Program, (not necessarily mine).

The bottom line is this.  The semi-automatic pistol requires two hands for operation.  If there is a malfunction you are going to use both hands to clear the malfunction.  If there is a squib load in either pistol you are totally screwed anyway.  However, in a fail to fire situation, the revolver has the edge, in its ease of use and how that round is cleared for the incoming cartridge.

In any gunfight the average amount of rounds fired is normally 3 rounds.  If you are in a gunfight that requires more than the firearm's capacity, you are simply in the wrong war.

In my home I keep a Ruger GP-100 4-inch .357 Magnum loaded with 125 Grain Cor-Bon Hollow Points.  These have a velocity of 1950 Feet per second, and have a documented kill ratio of 99.9% First Shot Stop by the FBI Statistics Charts.  There is no other cartridge that has that ratio.  Not even the .45 ACP.  

This is the same pistol I carry when I am working on the Construction Sites for my Partner's Security Company.  On the Federal Conract, (DHS), I carry a Glock-22 in .40 S&W with 135 Grain Remington Golden Sabers.  In either case, these are pistols that I am trusting my life with.  And... honestly, I trust the Revolver more than my semi-automatics in every situation.  Only because of its sheer reliability factor.

I hope I have at least given you some food for thought.  By the way, if you do select a Ruger GP-100, I really strongly recommend that you swap out their crappy stock grips and get a set of Hogue's for it.  It make a DEFINATE improvement on the sidearm.

Good Luck and Happy Shooting!

Answer 5

Get a .45.  It hits hard, makes a bigger hole, and there are a lot of excellent firearms out there chambered in this classic cartridge.  The John Browning 1911 design is dead reliable, proven in war and in law enforcement for decades.  It's a classic for one reason: it works.  And it has been around long enough that the ammo is common, available, and less expensive than the .357 Sig.

I like Kimbers, but Colt, Sig-Sauer, Para Ordinance, Smith & Wesson, Springfield, and Taurus also make excellent firearms.  Find the one that fits you and inspires confidence, and then practice, practice, practice.  

Answer 6

I'd go with the .45  I have relied on it for years. It has never let me down.

Answer 7

the springfield armory XDM only comes in a .40 caliber round, if you want a SA go for the XD they r still a h**l of a gun, my dad and uncle both own them and love them, the only thing they just dont like is there long triger pull.  

Answer 8

If I am not mistaking the Springfield Armory XDM only comes in .40 caliber. At least that is what the website says.

As for choosing between the two calibers, I prefer the .45 acp. Much more available and a little cheaper.

http://www.the-m-factor.com/specs.html

http://www.springfield-armory.com/xd.php

SA XD owner,

Answer 9

Well as long as you can get a barrel to convert that Sig to a 40 when you decide the 357 sig ammo is just way too costly to shoot you should be ok. Personally I have a 45, the ammo is cheaper, more guns and accessories out there and frankly it is tried proven and true for what you want it for.

Answer 10

Either caliber is tailor made for any trespasser with bad intentions, since the .357SIG(really a juiced up 9mm) is a screamer out of the barrel @ 1275 fps and the classic manstopper, the .45ACP flies on average @ 800 fps, but expands at nearly .75 of an inch with the right hollow-points!

I feel relieved that crooks will have one less house to plunder!  

Answer 11

OK, well you stated you wanted something for 'home protection' but you didn't mention the make up of your household. Are there others involved ? Are there children involved ? You have to take into account that any shots fired have the potential of hitting someone they weren't intended to. Whether it's by accidental discharge or by going thru a wall, etc. DON'T get me wrong - I am NOT an anti-gun pansy, just want you to think of things you may not have thought of. So... having said THAT I would agree w/the .45. And the comment about the 1911 was dead-on. BUT.....if you don't want someone walking out of your house after they broke in have you considered a shotgun instead ??? Barrels can be cut down to minimum legal length and stock can be cut down to be more manageable. If destruction ISN'T an issue then go w/12 ga w/slugs or 00 shot.

Just another suggestion that others hadn't brought up.......

While you're considering ammo, you might look into Glaser Safety Slugs too......

Answer 12

Neither one of those.* Your best choice is the tried, true, tested, and proven to be a no nonsense man stopper, the 357 Magnum.* Use 125 grain jacketed hollow point for self-defense ammo.* You can also shoot 38 caliber ammo in the 357 Magnum.* You get two (2*) handguns for the price of one.* Its foolish to consider any other caliber, except for a 12 gauge pump shotgun using number 4 bird shot.*

Answer 13

The .45 is harder to control, but the .357 offers much in that regard and it's sleaker.  Yes, and much cheaper ammo.  Plus a Sig is the best by far.

Answer 14

45.  period.  357 sig is a fad and will likely go away, or at least become so expensive you wont want to shoot it ever.

Answer 15

Lol a .455 inch hole on the entrance would. about a 4 inch hole in the exit wound. Go with the .45

Answer 16

Two different philosophies to handgun ammunition:  light and fast vs. big and slow.

The light and fast crowd rely on hydrostatic shock and bullet expansion to create a big hole and a sudden dump of kinetic energy to create a knockout punch effect.  Velocity and bullet design are critical.

The big and slow folks are content with making a big hole, every time.  The problem with hallow points is that they can fail to expand.  The .45 advocates don't need to worry about this problem because they will always create a .455 inch diameter hole.

So you have a choice.