This is just a personal opinion, but I think if most people put up with the noise and racket of the .357, they'd also put up with the attendant recoil of something larger....now a down loaded, low flash .357 (38 Special?)still has merit.
I think most use their .357's in this manner as opposed to a 125gr. hollow point atop a pile of H110/296, which pretty much is like nails on a chalkboard, on your eardrums.
The 45 Auto is far from obsolete.
