Mr. Maloney, I believe Hydra-Shok bullets have always had a good reputation. My wife carries a lightweight .38 and we keep her loaded up with 110 gr bullets. With the reduced velocity in that caliber I wouldn't go heavier unless shooting +P or +P+ loads. I have no doubt that if you empty a cylinder full of 110 grain Hydra-Shoks into the bad guy's chest his ticket will have been punched.
I don't want to agonize over bullet weight but if you have to shoot somebody, low recoil will let you put two of those rounds in the chest. An additional shot to the teeth will help. I'm not kidding.
Return to battery is very important, particularly if using something at close range that is often not a one-shot stopper. I carry a .357 which is setup somewhat like a comp gun with a ported barrel with compensator. That keeps the muzzle down but there is a trade-off. In a dark house with that amount of flash it would take a few seconds for the eyes to re-adjust and the noise would be downright brutal. That's a price I am willing to pay for knowing that I have plenty of gun for the job.
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