Just to muddy the water I will throw in my two cents. After carrying a 4" model 14 as a duty weapon for 18 years I believed it to be under powered. When permitted to replace it with a 9mm I did so. I believe it is only marginally better and would have preferred a .45ACP but I find the S&W revolvers to be more consistently reliable. Like a hammer, if you can find it, it will work. I believe the second best to be a .357 mag. although over penetration can be a problem with full house loads in an urban setting.
I reasoned that the Model 60-15 3" would be the hot ticket with Speer short barrel loads and added one to my other 5 .357's. I have large hands and the rosewood stocks beat up my hand. I went to Hogue rubber stocks which helped some but the trigger guard still beat up the first knuckle on my forefinger. I sent it to S&W for porting and they sent it to Magna-port for their Quadra porting (4 ports). This relieved the finger damage but the gun still rotated in my hand more than I liked.
While engaged in solving the world's problems at a local gun shop, I spotted a set of Pachmeier stocks for the model 60 that were long enough for me to get my whole hand, with all four fingers, on the stocks. This combination has proved to be the hot ticket for this kid.
The Speer short barrel 135gr GDHP is advertised to produce 990fps at the muzzle when fired from a 2" vented barrel producing 294 lbs/ft of energy. Fired from my gun that ammo measured 1074fps at 3 yards from the muzzle which I compute to be 345 lbs/ft, very near the realm of the 45ACP. (Before I take a drubbing for putting stock in muzzle energy, I realize, in this instance, it is only for a rough comparison).
As for muzzle flash I have never found it to be a problem. When firing night qualification on the combat range at the LAPD academy, in that canyon on a moonless night, the range master turned the targets away and then turned down the lights. With my night vision gone I could hear the targets turn to face me but could not see the targets. I fixated on the position of the first target before the lights were turned down and prayed for muzzle flash to use as a strobe light to determine where my sights were aligned when each shot was fired. After the first shot it was easy to make minor corrections and go for the gold.
I also have a 629 3" commemorative of 150 years of S&W, which was ported by S&W. I love it and shoot full house .44 Mag's regularly and have never had a problem with muzzle flash. Basically, to each, his or her own so peek and pry, money permitting, of course.
