Is a 357 good in a semi automatic hand gun?

Answer 1

The answer is that it depends.

I am only aware of two semi-automatic pistols chambered in .357 Magnum that are manufactured in any appreciable quantity.

The first is the Desert Eagle, famous for its laughable uses in movies and video gaming.

The second is the Coonan Model-357.

The Desert Eagle is purely a novelty gun that has few if any practical applications. The gun is ill-tempered, maintenance intensive, unreliable, and very unforgiving to inexperienced shooters.

The Coonan 357 is a well made firearm that can reliably use, and cycle the .357 Magnum round and will give performance roughly equal to a 6" barrel revolver despite its 5" barrel due to a lack of cylinder gap. That said the Coonan is also an expensive firearm, and unless you just really want a semi that shoots .357; there is no job other handguns in different calibers cannot do for considerably less money.

Answer 2

Depends on which .357 round you had in mind. .357 Magnum in a semi auto handgun makes for a rather cumbersome firearm with little practical application. .357 Sig is a more practical handgun cartridge, although you'd always want to go with JHP ammo, as overpenetration is a definite factor with this round.

Answer 3

The 357 SIG is an auto pistol cartridge. The 357 Magnum is a revolver cartridge, and rarely used in an auto pistol.