357SIG Accuracy & Velocity Tests

Last updated: 23 March 2000

     Ammo was tested at the NRA Headquarters' indoor range using a Beretta 96G Elite with a Beretta 9mm barrel which has been custom fitted and rechambered by gunsmith Tim Bacus.  Shooting was done from the bench at a range of twenty-five yards.  Five five-shot groups were measured from outer edge to outer edge, and then the bullet diameter (0.355") was subtracted.  Group sizes were then rounded to the nearest hundredth of an inch.  Velocity was measured over ten rounds with a 4.9" barrel.

     Group sizes which are hotlinks can be followed for a pic of that group.  Note that handwritten sizes in the pictures do not have the 0.355" subtraction already factored in.

Ammo Accuracy Velocity (fps)
average best worst avg high low ES SD
CCI-Speer 125gr Blazer TMJ 1.85" 0.99" 2.77" 1395 1415 1372 43 12.28
Federal 125gr FMJ 1.65" 0.86" 2.30" 1461 1507 1431 76 24.92
Remington 125gr JHP 1.77" 1.43" 2.14" 1400 1425 1376 49 18.35
Speer 125gr Gold Dot 1.71" 1.55" 1.95" 1475 1497 1458 39 11.72
Triton 125gr Hi-Vel Rainier
[see note, below]
??? ??? ???          
Triton 125gr Hi-Vel Hornady 1.62" 1.10" 2.11"          
Winchester 125gr FMJ 2.03" 1.14" 2.45" 1431 1460 1410 50 17.06
Overall Average: 1.72"
[does not include Triton 125gr Hi-Vel Rainier]

JHP Avg: 1.70"
[does not include Triton 125gr Hi-Vel Rainier]

FMJ Avg: 1.75""

     Triton 125gr "Hi-Vel" JHP

Triton has produced two different loads in their 125gr "Hi-Vel" 357SIG offering.  The first used the Rainier bullet, while the second newer version uses a custom Hornady bullet.  We were unable to test the Triton 125gr Hi-Vel JHP Rainier because it would not reliably hit the 15" x 18" target from a benchrest at 25yds.  One target had twenty shots fired at the center, with a total of one hit on the paper.  Next, five shots were fired at the target off-hand at a range of 15yds ... all five shots struck the target in a group which had to be measured with a yardstick!  The result: 13.5" give or take a few hundredths of an inch.  For more details, read our review.

 

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