We take a quick look at .356 TSW, aka .356 Team Smith & Wesson, one weird step-cousin of a cartridge
The .356 TSW centerfire pistol cartridge was designed by Smith & Wesson in 1994 as an IPSC round. The .356 TSW fit into a 9mm magazine, and Smith & Wesson convinced Federal to load it and submit it for SAAMI-spec approval, where it saw promise as a Limited-class competition round.
However, because of a rules change, USPSA didn’t approve it for that class, and there were other rounds that were better choices for Open guns. Smith & Wesson scrapped the project, effectively killing the cartridge. Federal case heads and the box were marked “356 TSW.” The load was a 147-grain FMJ Match product number GM356SW.
The TSW is simply a slightly longer 9mm case (9×21.5mm), and it uses ordinary 9mm bullets for reloading purposes. To meet IPSC’s major power factor back then, the TSW had to send a 124-grain 9mm bullet at about 1,450 fps. A .356 TSW performs on par with hot 9×21 IPSC loads or full-house .357 Sig loads, but it has an advantage over the .357 Sig.
The Sig cartridge is a bottleneck round, a .40 S&W case necked down to 9mm. The .356 TSW is a straight-walled 9mm casing, thus more .356 rounds can fit into a magazine. The .356 TSW was mainly chambered in 150 Smith & Wesson Model 3566 Performance Center .356 TSW pistols.
Loading Data and Factory Ballistics
Bullet (GRAINS/TYPE) |
POWDER | GRAINS | VELOCITY | ENERGY | SOURCE |
147 Federal Match FMJ | FL | FL | 1,220 | 486 | Federal GM356SW |
124 Winchester FMJ | VV3N37 | 9.1 | 1,446 | 576 | IPSC Loads List 2001 |
Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt of Gun Digest’s Cartridge’s Of The World.
Raise Your Ammo IQ:
Next Step: Get your FREE Printable Target Pack
Enhance your shooting precision with our 62 MOA Targets, perfect for rifles and handguns. Crafted in collaboration with Storm Tactical for accuracy and versatility.
Subscribe to the Gun Digest email newsletter and get your downloadable target pack sent straight to your inbox. Stay updated with the latest firearms info in the industry.