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Generally short barrel pistols need a lighter bullet to increase the chances of the hollowpoint expanding. This is because, all things being equal, the heavier the bullet, the faster it has to go to expand to its full potential.

Modern bullet manufacturers serrate the jacket partially to help it more reliably expand. You will really see this with the Remington Golden Saber design. On others it's not as apparent.

My personal preference in a snubby would be the Speer Gold Dot 135 gr. as it's a reputable company and they designed it for snubbys. I wouldn't hesitate to carry any of the major hollow points in my snubby if that was all I could get.

I initially bought my wife a SW 642 snubby for her first gun and she couldn't stand to shoot it because it was too light for the caliber. I sold it and bought a Taurus Titanium that came ported which helped reduce the recoil. If you like the gun, I would consider having it ported if it's unpleasant to shoot. Shoot it first though, maybe the recoil won't be a problem for you. Practice will be critical with a smaller lighter gun than something Larger as it takes more effort to master a gun that is smaller/lighter for it's caliber.

Remember what you learned in your CHL class with respect to injuring an innocent third party while defending yourself. With practice you'll increase your chances of hitting the bad guy with every round while missing innocent bystanders. However, if even one round hits someone you don't intend to hit, then it's Game Over Man.....

I sometimes carry my little snubby and can hit with it, but I realize it's limitations and mine. Whenever I can, I carry a larger frame gun and use the snubby as a backup.

Something to think about. Enjoy...
-ss