Your mistake is in thinking its a "cheap defense". I have covered his chest with so much metal and caked so much blood to his neck that enough is there for a more than significant defense. But I am more than ready to show you exactly what you aren't paying attention to.

As for the rifle, it has no precedence here. All that power is directed to a pinpoint impact zone before mushrooming outwards. Whereas your sword has its impact point spread wider than a bullet. Leaving more area to catch. But you will see this soon enough.

So what I am going to do is work up a post with my intricately cheap defense. From there you can choose to take it for what it is or we can continue this debate.