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For the handguns, I haven't been able to come up with any SA loads that can beat Golden Sabers for reduced muzzle flash, or any revolver loads that can beat Gold Dot Short Barrel .357s for performance from the 2". (Reduced flash is kind of a lost cause there.)

Now, for the rifles, since the 30-06 and 7.62x54 are both bolt action, they're last-ditch options in a HD scenario anyway, and I don't worry about what they're loaded with. (Usually some heavy BTSP for disassembling coyotes at long range, but I don't expect it to matter much if it has to be used from ~5yds.) The .243 is my wife's go-to gun for shelter-in-place HD, and I doubt any GJ is going to indict a 5'2" asthmatic woman for shooting an intruder in the bedroom with handloads. It's usually wearing a 10-rd mag of 5 100gr BTSP and 5 85gr FMJ loaded to near SAAMI maximums, and she is comfortable with the recoil of both. In all these cases, though, the reloads are there because it's cheaper and I can get *very* consistent performance from them for the primary uses, (varmints at 50-250yds) rather than their suitability for HD - all these guns are powerful enough that even the cheapest FMJ expands or breaks up in soft tissue (tested w/expired cream cheese) at close range, and makes an unholy mess doing it. (cheese travels 25-40yds in all directions...big fun, and the small furry critters love it)

Now, where reloads *really* make sense for HD/SD is in the shotguns; I don't have a shotshell reloader at the moment, but I'm considering it just for that. I'd like to have the first round up in each gun be the heaviest load of #4 buck it can take (3.5" for the HD and 3" for the one I usually toss in the car) for maximum pellet count and minimum overpenetration, while maintaining a pellet size large enough to be effective. I've only rarely seen #4 buck loads available, and then only in 2.75". For that matter, I wouldn't mind having some 3" #12 loads for taking out wasp nests in the trees, either.