I have no issue with carrying a five shot "snubbie." I also don't feel under gunned carrying it.
But my five shot snubbie has a big hole in the barrel.
All jokes aside, I just returned home after qualifying with the 296. It was painful. I carried a 342ti loaded with .38 +P ammo for years and I told everyone that that gun was 364 days of pleasure and one day of pain (qualification day). Unfortunately the recoil with the 296 was much more painful. After 60 rounds I had blood dripping from the web of my right hand. Luckily I qualified as I could not have fired another round.