I guess I would actually have to have a life and death encounter to say for sure, which is unlikely. IMO the plastic gun is lighter, and has less bulk (does not hang out the side as much) so it does not get hung up on branches, etc. It is shorter than most wheel guns. It is faster to reload a 10 round magazine in an auto than it is to speed reload 6 rounds in a wheel gun for most people, if you get a chance to reload. The 45 auto also has less muzzle lift on recoil so follow up shots should be faster. If it all came down to having 1 or 2 shots at under 1 yard distance I would definately prefer the 44, but there is a lot more to consider then just that. If that was the case I would want a 12 gauge with 3 1/2 magnum slug loads, which I could carry without an ATC. The ATC just allows something not so bulky to be carried freeing up your hands to do other tasks, at the expense of firepower.