"Try to find a Ruger Single Six 375 with a 9mm cylinder too. That way you can experiment with 38, 38+p, 9mm and 357."
It's actually a Blackhawk, no offense intended. Coincidentally, I took mine to the range a couple of weeks ago, and my friend brought his 357 LCR.
I must not have shot them back-to-back before, so I was surprised that the 9mm had noticeably more recoil than the 38 special (both were cheap storebought range ammo). Both calibers were fairly mild in a 6.5" Blackhawk, of course. My friend noticed the recoil difference right away, too. They shot to pretty much the same POA, though. I have no clue about their speed or energy. They both poked holes in paper just fine.
The 357 comparison was fun. Out of the LCR it was controllable by both of us and we could both get reasonable "combat accuracy": a palm-sized group quickly fired from seven yards. I wouldn't call the recoil brutal. I definitely felt it, but it didn't hurt. Still, a few cylinders was plenty enough for me. Both of us are "old guys" and revolver guys. Beginners might enjoy it a lot less. 357 was NBD in the Blackhawk. It obviously had more recoil than the 38 or 9mm, but still NBD. At the short range of seven yards either of us could shoot a group where the holes were all touching or almost touching, but that's kind of a silly distance for a long-barreled heavy revolver with real sights.
To repeat what others have said, in my largish revolvers, 44 special, 45acp, and "normal" 45 colt all feel the same to me. In my little Charter Arms snubbies, the 44 special and 45acp are noticeably more spicy, but not annoying. Each one feels about the same as the other.
44 magnum is a whole different ballgame. I shot a cylinder full through a smaller revolver
once, and am not interested in doing that again. In my large revolvers (N-frame, SBH, SRH) it has a lot of muzzle rise and some "flash". It doesn't hurt with a big heavy revolver and grips that fit you correctly, but the recoil is amusing. My friend and I might whoop a little sometimes, and my FiL had a (very) rare smile on his face the first time he tried it. I've never shot "hot" 45 colt rounds, but I've heard they can be loaded to "around or nearly" 44 magnum levels if you're using a Blackhawk or Redhawk or something else that's very sturdy.
If there's no pictures it didn't happen:
This Blackhawk didn't come with a 9mm cylinder, but I found one on Ebay and it fits. (I've heard that this is not always the case.) It was made in 1973 or so, and was shot a lot before I bought it. It still shoots just fine. It doubtless will outlast me.
If you want to shoot 44 magnum comfortably, this is a pretty good choice. I got a 9.5" Super Redhawk used for cheap because the LGS couldn't sell it. It's huge.