I competed in a centerfire tournament with a Model 629, 4" barrel using PMC 240 gr JHP 44 mag factory ammo. The first target was 25 yards, slow fire, SINGLE HANDED. Ouch. A sickening 25 points. The 2nd target was the same distance, but two-handed. 77 points. The rest of the firing line was jumpy for the remainder of the tournament. Waiting for the big .44 mag to go boom.
My wife doesn't like the big N frame S&W's. Too big for her hand. The 629 nicks skin off the lower joint of her thumb on every shot. I moved her to L frames. She's quite a marksman with a 4" 686+ with 148 gr DEWC ammo (38SPL).
A swig of Guinness to chase the Geritol. Then decide which one tasted better :-)
I'll stick with the 686, loaded with Remington 125 SJHP. My personal all time favorite combo.
If the L and N frame pistols are too big for her, the K frame works like a charm for women.
A lot of smaller handed police officers chose the K frame Smiths for the exact same reason. I've seen the larger frame Smiths literally tear gashes in the web of skin between the thumb and forefinger..ouch.