I don't think in the real world anyone's concerned with polynomial fit and curves but actually accounts from police departments and highway patrol encounters and what happened and how quickly. The 357 has proven itself over the decades...what, since 1935? It all seems to me to be about velocity. The 125 gr bullet is not a very heavy bullet compared to the 45 Colt or ACP cartridge with a 230 or 255 gr bullet but is moving at quite a bit higher velocity(1350+fps) whereas the ACP might break 850 or so. Consider the 300 Weatherby. There's no doubt it's a deadly cartridge as many can attest who have hunted with it all over the world. Conversely, I doubt you would get the same results from a 30-30 that shoots a similar weight bullet. That little 125 gr bullet traveling as fast as it does disrupts a lot of tissue and damage is extreme.

As for sheer power and tremendous wound potential and the proverbial "one shot stopper" as a defense round, I vote for the 357 Magnum. Having said all that, I wouldn't want to fire one indoors. That's why I keep a 4506 with 200 gr Corbon hollow points under my pillow.