If you know the gun and know how to properly load it to leave loaded and have proper fitting caps it is almost as reliable as a modern gun. The only problems you might have is a cap getting stuck in the safety slot in the hammer. That can be filled in so it would be a non issue. The other is a fragment of cap falling into the innards locking it up. Some people claim to have a lot of those. I never had one lock a gun up. The first shot will be as reliable as anything else and for a defense gun that is the one that counts. A .36 ball in front of 25 grains of powder is nothing to sneeze at. Or you could use a conical for more penetration.
If a .36 navy was all I had I would definitely use it and not feel under gunned.
If a .36 navy was all I had I would definitely use it and not feel under gunned.