I also have a mid size revolver chambered in 38 as part of my home defense plan. I load it with buffalo bores standard pressure low recoil low flash 158 gn hollow cavity SWC.
I have ballistics tested the rounds and they don't flay apart and expand like your average hollow point but the cavity does widen and expand as it penetrates. And it penetrates like crazy, which I prefer. 18+ inches of penetration. That's hard to find in a hollow point 38 load.
Any reason why or who restored the gun and just what was done to it?given a fully restored Charter Arms Police Bulldog .38