To me, using a firearm in self-defense is most certainly "last resort". If an assailant is out of comfortable snubbie range, I'm gonna be running away, not shooting. I have no faith in bullet expansion in handguns, period. Maybe they will, maybe they won't. If they do, maybe your round has enough energy to provide adequate penetration by the expanded bullet, and maybe it doesn't. My personal defense rounds are loaded with lead semi-wadcutters, except one which uses a jsp. I could care less about expansion, just want to make (ideally) two holes in what I'm shooting at.