I picked up a 5" talo 686+ last year and every so often think about a shorter version. The 5" is a good compromise, longer than the 4" but shorter than the 6". Good all around home defense/woods firearm. Mine turned out very well. Obviously if your primary purpose is concealed carry, the shorter barrel is the choice. Home defense, the 5" would work just fine, provide better ballistics, have less muzzle flash, and longer sight radius would help shootability.