Sounds like you're mixing efficiency with absolute performance.

While my .357 hunting handloads produce the higest speed from a short .357 revolver compared to lighter loads, they do it at the expense of considerable blast and an impressive fireball.

Although slower in speed than my master-blaster handload, the Speer Short barrel .357 Gold Dot is much more efficient and shooter-friendly.
The Speer .38+P 135gr Gold Dot, at the cost of another 150fps, is much easier to control in a stubby. I use them in my model 442.

__________________
Science plus Art