I hope the following, posted on another forum will assist your search for more effective .38 spl ammo.
Went to the local indoor range today to test out the newly purchased Buffalo Bore 158 gr. +P lead GC SWC hollow point.
I used the two snubby J frame revolvers that I carry regularly, S&W 640, stainless steel .38spl & S&W 637 airweight aluminum alloy .38 spl.
They were noticably highly energetic, to be nice about it. In the SS 640, the recoil was stout, controllable but stout. In the aluminum 637, they were downright unpleasant to the point of being painful. Still they were controllable, just not pleasant. Noticable muzzle blast but NO flash was noticed.
These rounds were FAR more powerful than other +P ammo I have tried, to the point that there is no comparison between them. Winchester +p 158 gr SWC HP (FBI load) is a pale sister to the BB rounds. I shot both side by side to prove to myself the point.
In the 640, they printed right to point of aim using the CT laser @ 30 ft.
In the 637, they were slightly above point of aim @ 30 ft. (637 is regulated for 125 gr +p)
Of course, the real bottom line is that if they were unpleasant on the giving end, they will be far more unpleasant on the receiving end. Soft lead hollow point SWC bullets and about as much energy as you can stuff into a .38 spl.
When I finished the BB ammo, it was actually a pleasure to pick up the Kimber SS compact .45 with full power ammo!