.356 TSW

by
posted on April 29, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
wiley-clapp.jpg (1)

At the peak of the Action Shooting furor in the 80s and 90s, Smith & Wesson introduced a new automatic pistol cartridge. It was a competition-based cartridge called the .356 TSW (for Team Smith & Wesson).

After a fairly promising introduction, the round lasted a year or two and quietly faded into obscurity. Intended for a series of Performance Center raceguns, the TSW was essentially an extra-hot 9 mm that was going fast enough to make major.

Configured with a case slightly longer than the 9 mm Parabellum, but the same overall length, the TSW worked very well in the high-capacity competitive pistols for which it was designed. When they begin to tinker with the rules that established major and minor cartridge, there was no need for a special cartridge and it died.

Latest

Gotw Wilson Combat Nula Model 20 1
Gotw Wilson Combat Nula Model 20 1

Gun Of The Week: Wilson Combat NULA Model 20

In our latest "Gun Of The Week" segment, we’re taking a closer look at Wilson Combat’s NULA Model 20, a lightweight, bolt-action hunting rifle that incorporates innovations first pioneered by the “rifle wizard of West Virginia."

The Armed Citizen® Jan. 2, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: DoubleTap Ammunition SnakeShot Defense

Combining a payload of shot with a light-for-caliber bullet, DoubleTap Ammunition's new SnakeShot Defense load provides a do-it-all cartridge designed to function reliably in semi-automatic actions.

ERGO Grips Walks To Help End Alzheimer's

ERGO Grips joined thousands of walkers nationwide this fall for the annual Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer's. Team ERGO walked in loving memory of company founder Stephen Hines and his wife, Barbara, both of whom battled dementia in their later years.

Ruger Introduces Harrier AR-15 Rifles

Sturm, Ruger & Co. announced the launch of Ruger Harrier rifles, a completely re-engineered line of modern sporting rifles that represents the company's latest evolution in AR-pattern firearms.

I Have This Old Gun: Westley Richards "Monkey Tail" Carbine

In the mid-19th century, Westley Richards, a British firm, developed a breechloading cavalry carbine that, due to its unique mechanism, earned the name "Monkey Tail" carbine.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.