I don’t reload, although I ought to start. If I do, then handloads giving a 240 grain bullet at 950 fps ought to make a very good defensive load for my Model 29. 44 specials tend to be more anemic than a 45 ACP, and 44 mag loads tend to be...well, overkill.
And no, I will NOT worry about what the DA thinks of handloads. If my guilt or innocence comes down to that, then I shouldn’t have fired in the first place. I don’t care if it is a 22, if you aren’t willing to accept killing the other person, don’t shoot him!
Heck, with a 240/250 grain bullet at 950 fps, I ought to have sample rounds for the police left in the gun. It shouldn’t take too many rounds like that to convince a person he attacked the wrong household that night!
You could benefit from reloading. Lee has a Challenger Anniversary kit that will get you started. The only thing missing is the die set.
It is very easy and safe to do. I wish I had started doing it decades before I took the plunge.