Mine in .44 has saved me from certainly bring bitten several times. The worst and most likely serious situation was on my mountain bike pulling my 4 year old son in a trailer on a long trail. A crazed white pit bull came boiling out of the reservation right at us.
Alone I might have turned the bike and blew him off, with the trailer I could not escape. At about 15 feet I shot him in the top of the head. Rolled the worthless pos off the side of the road and continued on my way. Can't imagine the kind of struggle that would have come about without the revolver with me.
I called the county sheriff, who said " nothing I can do on reservation property. Thanks for taking care of it for me"
That Sheriff gave me a chuckle. My kinda guy.
