RE: .357 and 45 auto
Got barrel?
The reason I ask is because the 357 is a tried and true antipersonnel round if you have enough barrel to take it to the velocity that it needs to do its work. That would be especially true "in the field." I would argue that ball 45 is not as fast a killer out of a 4-5" barrel as the 357 is. But I would not lose sleep over it, either. With autos, you get more ammo capacity.
If you are LE worried about drug gangs, I would go auto.