Everyone should have a .44 Magnum at least once in their life. They are accurate and using ammo loaded to .44 special specs, they are pleasant to shoot.
Years ago I wanted a .44 mag so bad I could taste it. After a ton of research via reading magazine articles (this was in the days before Al Gore invented the internet), I bought a Ruger Super Blackhawk. I hated the way that gun punished my hand with full power factory loads and sold it after a mere 50 rounds. I used the money that I got back out of it and bought a Model 29 S&W with a 4" barrel.
It was like night and day as far as felt recoil. The same loads that hurt me in the Ruger were quite manageable in the Smith. I have a Ruger New Model Blackhawk in .357 and even with the stoutest loads it doesn't punish me like that SBH did.
I don't believe that anyone would argue that the shape and width of the grips have everything to do with how recoil is felt by the shooter. I have smaller hands, yet the factory S&W target grips feel the best for me even though they are rather large. Unless it is being shot out of a small revolver, the .357 round is very manageable out of most of the guns that are chambered for it.
Both of my .44 Mags are Smiths, the old Model 29 and a newer 629-4 Classic DX. The 29 still has the factory targets on it and the 629 has the factory Hogue rubber grips. Even though the 629 is much heaver, the 29 is more pleasant to shoot using the same loads.
The .44's
Notice the difference in the rear profiles. The 29 is much wider and, IMO, distributes the recoil better.
In my modest collection I have a Python, a S&W M66, a Ruger GP100, and the NM Blackhawk and they are all relatively pleasant to shoot .357's through even though the grips are different from each other. I do find the the single action type grip seems to produce the most felt recoil.
The .357's.
