If you have a pistol that was designed for military and police applications, such as the 24/7 or Model 92, you should feel comfortable shooting a few magazines worth of the +P+ ammo at the range, and using it for your carry ammo. Personally, I can't afford to shoot the stuff more than that anyway!
Others are right to dissuade you from using the hot stuff in compact pistols. Outside of the wear and tear on the gun, there is the flash to think of. I do not perceive abnormally great muzzle flash when I shoot it out of a 4" barrel (H&K P7M8), but I think if you go down from there it will get pretty bright.
Availability will depend on your local gun store. Mine offers up the Ranger SXT +P+ like it was WWB. And good for them for doing it. As has been stated here, Winchester puts the "police only" warning on the box and discourages the sale to civilians only as a CYA. I might boycott them for doing it, if they didn't have the best stinkin' 9mm SD ammo around(IMHO).
I know that there are other rounds that come very close to the performance levels of the SXT +P+. If I ever can't get the Rangers, I will simply switch to one of the other excellent hot loads and won't lose much sleep over it. However, if I
can get the exact ammo that has been repeatedly shown on the street to provide best-for-caliber performance, I will snap it up in a heartbeat.
Owing to the nature of a defensive shooting situation, I will like as not be unable to "get there firstest." I would like then, at the very least and within reason, to have "the mostest."*
*I will credit Nathan Bedford Forrest for the root quote I mangled there, even though I used the more popular but erroneous version.
