The current 3" 63 and it's immediate predecessor, the 5" 63, bottom & top below, are x8 .22 LR. I added the HiViz to the 5"-er - and all sport '60 Pro' grips from S&W.



The middle revolver above is actually a 4" 651 in .22 WMR - but it looks exactly like a 4" 63, the previous variant of the 63 from some dozen plus years ago. Both are x6 revolvers. You can get an idea of the proportional size of the respective barrel lengths. The 4" 651 has some long lusted for newness that makes it unfair to consider, but of the 3" & 5" I have - and a conceptual 4" 63 which I don't have - the 3" 63 is my favorite. It balances great - and shoots like an extension of my hand. I've had my 4" 617, not shown, a lot longer - and love it - but there are days that it's just more fun to shoot the 3" 63. I also have a 3" 60 Pro - and a S&W holster that shares time between the 60, holstered, and the 3" 63, alongside below:



I have fondled several 317's and shot a both a 317 and a 351. The DA trigger seems more stout than the 63 or 651, perhaps because the revolvers weigh less than half what the shorter 63 weighs. No recoil - even with the 351 - but it, like my 651, was flashy and loud. If you really don't need the lite weight of the 317, I'd get the 3" 63.

Stainz