Have you shot the pistol much? I bought my wife a Charter Arms Pink Lady which is similar to the LCR (12 oz. weight) and recoil is somewhat vicious even with standard loads using bullets from 148 to 162 grs.. I can only imagine what it'd be like with +P's, but intend to find out soon.
Quoted:
If the LCR is like a S&W J frame the Fixed sights are zero in using 158gr POA/POI (148gr is darn close )
For range fun shooting the simple 38spl 148gr WC is my all time favorite next would be the 38spl 158gr SWC or 158 SWC HP
( I get a single ragged hole shooting 5rds at 21feet using the 148gr wc.)
For SD theres
Standard Pressure 38spl 148gr WC wich wont expand but will cut . almost no recoil
Then you got the 38spl +P AMMO
WIin Ranger Bonded 130gr
Speer Gold Dot 135gr
Corbon 110 DPX or copies
Now I wish Federal would make a 147gr HST in 38spl+P so I can have the same POA/POI
I agree with the wadcutters suggestion for practice. They're normally very accurate and easy to shoot. I don't think I'd use them for self defense in a 2" barrel because velocity is likely to be in the 600-650 fps range.
I personally don't trust expanding bullets in short barrels regardless of how they performed in gelatin, but that's just a personal thing. If they do happen to expand, penetration will be reduced due to the large frontal area of the bullet. If prior to penetration a light expanding bullets comes in contact with something like a heavy coat, something in a pocket like a cell phone, a button, a bone (i.e.- rib, sternum)...almost anything....this will likely change how the bullets performs and decrease penetration. So if I have to pick, I'll penetratiob over expansion 100% of the time, but like I said, it's a personal thing.
The lightest SD bullet I load for my wifes 2" 38 Spec. is a hand-cast 150 gr. SWCHP, but if I don't have any of those handy, a standard 158 gr. SWC. Right now it's loaded with some of my cast 162 gr. SWCHP's: