YUP, oldjoe and k22fan got it spot on. Some folks refer to it as "dwell time", the time the bullet is in the barrel. Rule of thumb is faster/lighter will shoot lower than heavier/slower out of the same handgun. This is most pronounced with the bigger bores.

My S&W 696 shoots Corbon's 44 S&W Special 165gr Self-Defense JHP ammo 8-10 inches lower than a 240 grain LSWC over 13 grains of 2400 at 25 yards.

Of course, shooting limp wrist-ed will probably exacerbate this.

Personally, I never had a problem with S&W's biting the index finger of my off hand, but I have to admit that the recoil of my 629 mountain gun can be quite severe on the web of my strong hand with 250 grain bear hunting loads! While most of my other revolvers wear wooden grips/stocks, that mountain gun has ugly pacmyer decelerators on it - and I usually shoot it with my leather hunting gloves on too!!