Since there is no magic bullet and all JHPs are compromises between reliable expansion and deep enough penetration, it all comes back to a personal choice.
Some rounds in .357 Magnum are noted for their reliable expansion in jello. These would be the easy opening 125gr. offerings by several manufacturers and the 145 gr. Silvertips.
Others, as noted, are designed to hang together at higher velocities and have more controlled expansion, which by controlled they mean it will likely expand but it may not depending on the velocity achieved. These rounds are not designed with snubbies in mind
The easy openers have to confront the issue that they may not reliably penetrate deeply enough to be truly effective, especially against a medium tougher than bare gelatin. The controlled openers face "over penetration" issues and may not expand as dramatically.
Many wheelgunners like the Winchester Silvertip because they see it as splitting the difference. Soft enough to expand, heavier than a 125 to perhaps push deeper into the target.
I prefer the heavies, like the 158gr Gold Dot and the 180 grain Winchester Partition Gold. These rounds are more in the hunting end of the spectrum. It is said that these might not work as well on thinner skinned humans as they do on tougher skinned animals due to the different mix of expansion versus penetration. Maybe.
I view it this way--There is an obesity problem in this nation, much of it carried frontally. One of the most spectacular failures of the .357 Magnum ever recorded involved the 145gr Winchester Silvertip.
Trooper Coates fired four 145 grain Winchester Silvertip .357 Magnum bullets directly into his assailant's heavy abdomen, achieving solid hits with each. These particular bullets penetrate deeper than 125 grain JHPs, however none ruptured any vital cardiovascular structures. During the initial ground struggle, Coates was shot twice, but his vest protected him. After fighting off his attacker, Coates quickly climbed to his feet and emptied his revolver. At that particular moment the assailant was still lying on the ground. The combination of the assailant's obesity and the unusual angle at which the bullets entered his body worked to the disadvantage of Trooper Coates.
Firearms Tactical's Take on the Trooper Coates Shooting
For those that don't know, the Trooper was tragically killed by a single .22 round that slipped by his vest through the arm hole.
Most of the people I will encounter at the 45th parallel also wear lots of clothing, some of it, like parkas, are much thicker than four layers of denim. I will gamble on penetration over expansion. If I get both, great! If I only get one, I'd rather the target be perhaps drilled very deeply or through and throughed rather than perhaps not deeply enough. The one thing Trooper Coates needed from his SD ammo was penetration. Too much is better than not enough in the vast, vast, vast, majority of likely self-defense encounters.
Of course, firing the heavies is easier in a 4" to 6" revolver than in a snub. YMMV.
. I only drop down to 125grain bullets in 2" barrel .357's or 38 spls (and in .38s I like 158LSWXHP or 127-135 grain 'new generation ' bullets).