I have loaded that same bullet in .38 Special +P equivalent loads. Accuracy is acceptable for the first cylinder full at 50 feet. For the second cylinder full, the acceptable accuracy ends at 30 feet. For the third cylinder full, the acceptable accuracy ends at 10 feet. By acceptable I mean minute-of-silo target. Leading is pretty bad, as it's a typical swaged bullet: very soft.

You didn't say what cases you were using for your load, but 5 grains of Unique is a +P load in .38 Special and in my experience the accuracy is not very good. In a .357 case that same powder charge is a mid-range load and accuracy is improved, but terminal effect is nothing particularly impressive over a regular SWC.

From the standpoint of terminal ballistics, that particular Hornady bullet does not expand well at all at any velocity consistent with even passable accuracy. It acts like a soft shouldered SWC. I wouldn't want to get hit with it, but it's not the nearly equivalent in terminal effect of the Remington .38 Special +P 158 grain LSWCHP factory load.

In years past there were better 158 LHP bullets available to handloaders from various makers for defensive purposes, but they are no longer around. After many years experimenting with home-made 158 LHP loads using commercially available bullets, right now the best choice is that Remington factory load.

In handholds for defensive purposes in .38/.357, jacketed bullets are currently your best choice. If you are looking for low-recoiling alternative and expansion is not a consideration, the 148 HBWC loaded conventionally will do the job.