Assuming that you can shoot the short barreled .45 ACP well, at say even 7 yards then you should be able to handle the recoil of a short barreled .357 Magnum. I would get one of the short barreled K frame .357's because you can shoot either .357 or a .38 Special +P from it. As far as one shot stops, its like someone telling you to buy a deer rifle in a certain caliber because he dropped a deer in its tracks with it. I have shot deer with 16 gauge slugs before and had them collapse on the spot and run off, neither were hit any hit any worse, one had a hole through both lungs and the offside shoulder was busted and it ran 50 yards, the other dropped with a hit in the spine and a blown up right lung. Both died and were equally well hit. To try and buy a caliber because one shot put some guy down instantly doesn't mean if you needed it the guy you happen to shoot is going down any faster. It's like the stock market, past results don't guarantee future outcomes. That being said, I am a huge fan of the .357 Magnum but I have no problem with a .38 Special +P. My advice to you is to use whatever one you shoot the best. As Bill Jordan once said, "Speed's fine but accuracy is final!"

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