I went the first 20 years of backpacking with a Ruger Blackhawk in 357 Mag. Then I found a double-barrelled 45LC/.410 Leinad and carried that for a few trips. Ugh! I kept bird shot in one barrel and 000 Buck in the other. I never had to fire either piece for anything but recreational plinking, so I really can't say one was better than the other. However, the Leinad cured me of ever wanting another .45LC/.410 combination gun. It fired the birdshot into a 10 ft pattern at 10 feet. Even light 45 LC were painful. Therefore you can say it saved me the stupidity of buying a Taurus Judge or its ilk. I'd say that was enough.
I now own a Ruger LCR in 357 Mag and carry it daily. When I hike, it's with me, and I really could not ask for anything more. I am either carrying that, the 357 Mag Blackhawk or a Marlin 1894 in 357 Mag. My main concern is coyote and the odd feral cat.
