I have a ported 4" 357 mag. There is hardly any flip, but a nice straight push back into the palm.
As for loudness, behind the gun, there isn't that much difference from a normal barrel. The people shooting next to me though usually move over a lane or two.
The muzzle flash is bright and makes a really nice "V" of fire when shooting. Would it blind me in the dark? I have shot it in pretty dark conditions without much issue. I use the gun as a bed side piece.
As for shooting from the hip, I wouldn't really want to. It could be really uncomfortable to one's face, but a revolver ejecting gases from between the forcing cone and the cylinder could make for equally uncomfortable situation if you have a thin shirt on as well.