taurus .357 magnum snubby...seeking defense ammo recommendations

[Gary A]

There is a larger philosophical question is .38/.375 enough gun for todays drug crazed, steroid enhanced, armor plated criminals?

Blacksmoke, although I'm quoting you my intent is not to challenge you on this but merely to wonder what areas of the country is overrun with these guys. I live in SW Illinois, near East St. Louis which is generally considered to be the center of our "doughnut" and is high-crime, low-income, severely blighted, and generally a place many avoid when possible. I simply neither see nor hear about these mega-criminals. More common are 18-20 year old guys, well under 200 pounds, usually wearing hoodies instead of Kevlar, who knock over a quick-stop with pretty mundane armament. This is not to say they aren't dangerous but their unstoppability shouldn't be overstated either. I'm sure the fellows you describe exist but I wonder how extensively. There hasn't been a home invasion by 300 pound, drug-crazed, berserk behemoths around here as far back as I can remember.