Barrel lenght and recoil

[Ultrastar]

I'm looking at getting my first centerfire revolver and I was wondering if the would be a difference between a 2" and 4" barrel. The two I'm comparing is the Taurus 617 and the 627. They both are very similar (from the specs I read) with the exception of the barrel. This will be a CCW but I would also like to enjoy shooting it at the range. Thanks

 

[Majic]

With the same ammo the 2 incher will be harder to control over the 4 incher. A 2 inch revolver is not a good learning platform since you are new to revolvers. In .357mag it could be down right unpleasant to shoot at first.
I suggest you start out with the 4 incher and only use .38sp cartridges until you develop the basics of revolver shooting. The longer barrel will aid in sighting and the heavier revolver will soak up more of the recoil. Wait until you know what you are doing before going to a 2 inch .357mag revolver. They are little powerhouses for the uninitiated.

 

[Yooper]

I agree with Majic, the 4' revolver will be easier to hit with while you are learning, the longer sighting plane is an advantage. The real advantage of the .357 cartridge is high velocity and this is minimized with the 2" barrel.