I would love to hear your stories, I think, g'nad...
I hope you don't always have to use four FMJ bullets before they give you one that will take the guy down.
I should ask you about bullets that are probably available that are better than what I have in my handguns... My home gun is a S&W .357. It has .357 158 grain(?) semi-jacketed hollowpoints (I think that is the right description) in it. (and a +P load, which means less to me than it might to you. My friend who made them sold that load to police departments as a business.)
My carry gun is a S&W Airweight .38, 5 shots. It has basically the same semi-jacketed hollowpoint in it in .38.
The other question I have, is how long should I carry bullets in the gun? - These may be a couple years old now. I have fired a lot of practice rounds through both, but then put these same bullets back in, because I only have a few of them. Should they be replace simply because of their age?
I never keep the rounds for my CCW more than a year... that may be overly pessimistic of me, but I figure, if I need,
I need it...my CCW is a ParaOrdnance P-12.45... I carry a mix of Glaser Safety Slugs (awesome) and Remington Golden Sabres...
Good choice in handguns, ma'am
In .38, I'd invest in CorBon .38 Spl+P+/110gr JHP ... and or Glaser .38 Spl+P/80gr
In .357, the 158grSJHP are solid performers... that's what Mrs. g uses... along with glasers...
One piece of advice on the .357... take it to an abandoned shack or cabin at night, and touch off a round... get you acquainted with the concusion and blinding effect of a .357 in a closed space at nite... but use hearing protection... no need to go deaf needlessly...