Personally, I think you are better off sticking with your 9mm and .40S&W. Here's a FBI testing of Winchester Ranger Talons and an explaination of what the testing means:
All testing is done in accordance with the standardized FBI protocols. The bare gel test involves 10% ballistic gel calibrated to mimic human muscle tissue. The other tests involve placing various materials in front of the bare gel to demonstrate what it would be like to shoot someone through such materials. After the bullet punches through these barriers it may become damaged /deformed or plugged with material(wood/cloth) which will reduce its expansion capabilities. When a hollow point expands it acts like a parachute reducing penetration. If it is damaged or plugged it may not expand very well which results in deeper penetration with less expansion. The FBI has done continued testing of ammunition for two decades and they take into account the results of actual street shootings and how that ammunition behaved against an actual person and/or barrier. With that knowledge, they still recommend that you use ammunition that achieves a minimum penetration depth of 12” in bare gel. They also conclude that good penetration is always more important than expansion, but as long as 12” of penetration can be maintained every bit of expansion improves terminal damage effects.
FBI Test Protocol:
Bare Gelatin = covered with T-shirt, Shot at 10ft
Denim = 4 layers shot at 10ft
Heavy Clothing = shot at 10ft
Steel = 2 pieces of 20 gauge, shot at 10ft
Wallboard = 2 pieces of 1/2" gypsum board, shot at 10ft
Plywood = 1 piece of 3/4" AA fir plywood, shot at 10ft
Automobile Glass = 1 piece of 1/4" laminated safety glass set at a 45 degree angle with an offset of 15 degrees, shot at 10ft
.380 95gr(1000fps): (Penetration/Expansion)
Bare Gel: 7.65”/.65”
Through Denim: 7.95”/.64”
Through Heavy Cloth: 7.85”/.64”
Through Wallboard: 15”/.36”
Through Plywood: 15.5”/.36”
Through Steel: 9.3”/.36”
Through Auto Glass: 4.5”/NA
9mm+P 124gr(1180fps): (Penetration/Expansion)
Bare Gel: 12.2”/.70”
Through Denim: 13.9”/.67”
Through Heavy Cloth: 13.3”/.68”
Through Wallboard: 14”/.66”
Through Plywood: 13.1”/.65”
Through Steel: 18.9”/.40”
Through Auto Glass: 10.6”/.48”
9mm+P+ 127gr(1250fps): (Penetration/Expansion)
Bare Gel: 12.3”/.64”
Through Denim: 12.2”/.68”
Through Heavy Cloth: 12.2”/.68”
Through Wallboard: 12.1”/.66”
Through Plywood: 12”/.68”
Through Steel: 20.5”/.40”
Through Auto Glass: 9.4”/.48”
9mm 147gr(990fps): (Penetration/Expansion)
Bare Gel: 13.9”/.65”
Through Denim: 14.5”/.66”
Through Heavy Cloth: 14”/.66”
Through Wallboard: 15”/.67”
Through Plywood: 14.8”/.62”
Through Steel: 17”/.45”
Through Auto Glass: 10.8”/.52”
.357sig 125gr(1350fps): (Penetration/Expansion)
Bare Gel: 10.9”/.63”
Through Denim: 12.1”/.66”
Through Heavy Cloth: 10.7”/.69”
Through Wallboard: 15.4”/.48”
Through Plywood: 12.2”/.66”
Through Steel: 23.4”/.41”
Through Auto Glass: 10.3”/.49”
.40S&W 165gr(1140fps): (Penetration/Expansion)
Bare Gel: 12.7”/.61”
Through Denim: 13.2”/.70”
Through Heavy Cloth: 14.3”/.68”
Through Wallboard: 11.4”/.69”
Through Plywood: 13.1”/.71”
Through Steel: 20.4”/.48”
Through Auto Glass: 11.3”/.61”
.40S&W 180gr(990fps): (Penetration/Expansion)
Bare Gel: 13.8”/.60”
Through Denim: 14.3”/.70”
Through Heavy Cloth: 13.4”/.64”
Through Wallboard: 13.1”/.66”
Through Plywood: 15.1”/.64”
Through Steel: 17”/.52”
Through Auto Glass: 12”/.61”
When it comes to what damage a bullet actually inflicts onto something, there is no measurable advantage in using the .357sig other than greater penetration through steel. The heavier bullet weights in 9mm actually perform better than the .357sig and the .40S&W is an overall improvement on the 9mm and .357sig.
When it comes to street shootings, here's an explaination of how the parent of the .357sig(the .357magnum) gained the "manstopper" reputation......and most importantly, why it is no longer relevant today:
"The .357magnum earned its “manstopper” reputation in the early days of hollow point design which was from about the late 1960s to the late 1980s. During that time period ammunition manufactures tested their hollow point designs in water tanks. Water does not compress. So, when a hollow point bullet impacts a hydraulic substance the water that is constantly being fed into nose of the bullet as it penetrates must escape at the weakest point of resistance. That weakest point is along the sides of the hollow point. So, the hydraulic force opens up the hollow point and causes the mushrooming effect. The problem with the water tank testing is that human tissue is not 100% water. So, the hydraulic forces involved in shooting a person are weaker than that of a water tank. This problem was very evident with lower velocity loads such as heavier bullet weights in 9mm, .38spl, .357mag, and .45acp. The poor engineering behind these early hollow points made for unreliable performance unless you cranked up the velocity of the bullets and used lighter bullet weights(this of course led shallow penetration characteristics with the 9mm and directly to the deaths of two FBI agents in 1986). In this time, the .357magnum was the ideal cartridge because it had the velocity to open up these poorly designed early hollow points and still have deep penetration.
In the 1987 FBI Wound Ballistics Workshop various calibers and ammunition types were tested and this problem was exposed to the ammunition industry. Since then, ammunition manufacturers started testing their hollow point designs in ballistic gel which more accurately mimics the density, elasticity, consistency, and water percentage of human tissue. With a more accurate model to standardize their ammunition by, calibers like the .357magnum and .357sig simply offer no measurable advantage over calibers like the .40S&W and .45acp which enter the body bigger, penetrate to ideal depths, and expand to larger diameters with consistent reliability in actual shootings. Also, the 9mm is capable of damaging more tissue and penetrating commonly encountered barriers better than the .357sig due to its ability to use longer, heavier bullet weights such as the 147gr bullet. The .357magnum can be loaded with much heavier bullets like the 158gr and 180gr, so it offers better capabilities over the 9mm should you wish to hunt or shoot through barriers.
The law enforcement trend in the 1970s was to move towards the .357magnum because it seemed to do better in the field over the 9mm, .38spl, and .45acp. As I mentioned above, it performed MUCH more reliably with early hollow points and actually expanded to a diameter greater than that of any of the other calibers. So, it damaged more “stuff”. There was none of the mythical energy dump, or other assumed effects to the body that were a result of impact energy, pressure wave, or neurological shock. With the technological advances in bullet designs in the last 20years, things have changed. The law enforcement trend of today focuses on the big three calibers which are the 9mm, .40S&W, and the .45acp…….very distant is the .357magnum and its auto clone the .357sig. Not only that, but the trend in ammunition use favors heavier bullet weights which penetrate more deeply and reliably than the light and fast, high kinetic energy bullets. Equipment trend is a direct result of measurable and observable results."
Lastly, one of the most factual, and conclusive statements you ever hear on handgun wounding ballistics:
"Kinetic energy does not wound. Temporary cavity does not wound. The much discussed "shock" of bullet impact is a fable and "knock down" power is a myth. The critical element is penetration. The bullet must pass through the large, blood bearing organs and be of sufficient diameter to promote rapid bleeding. Penetration less than 12 inches is too little, and, in the words of two of the participants in the 1987 Wound Ballistics Workshop, "too little penetration will get you killed." Given desirable and reliable penetration, the only way to increase bullet effectiveness is to increase the severity of the wound by increasing the size of hole made by the bullet. Any bullet which will not penetrate through vital organs from less than optimal angles is not acceptable. Of those that will penetrate, the edge is always with the bigger bullet." -Agent Urey Patrick of the FBI
