I sort of like the three inch barrel on .38/.357 revolvers.  Two inch or short has always struck me as too much cartridge for too short a barrel with a lot of energy dissipated in flash and noise.  The sight radius on a two inch makes it a really close up gun.

I learned to shoot center fire handguns with a police issue 4 inch barrel .38.  Thought they were incredibly accurate and easy to shoot.  As an expeienced shooter I never found snubbies to be fun guns to practice with.  They certainly have never been my idea of a gun to use when introducing someone to shooting.

Yet too often we have men coming to our table at gun shows asking about .38 snubbies for their wives.  The first thing we ask is:  “Is she an experienced shooter?”

Too often the answer is no…  Picking a snubbie or tiny blowback .380 as a first gun for someone new to shooting is the best way to wind up with someone who will hate shooting and remain afraid of the tool they are supposed to use for self defense.

Three inches seems to be a magic length.  Small enough to conceal yet long enough for easy handling.  Long enough barrel for the powder to burn, long enough sight radius for reasonable accuracy out to 10-15 yards.  Hence the popularity of the Springfield XDS series and the Smith & Wesson M & P Shield.

Three inches is a good compromise on barrel length for a revolver too.

From Gun Nuts Media:  Ruger Expands the Popular Line of Lightweight Compact Revolvers with the Addition of the LCRx with 3-inch barrel

by Caleb
November 24, 2014

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) announces the introduction of the LCRx™ with a 3-inch barrel, the newest variation of the revolutionary Lightweight Compact Revolver (LCR®). Chambered in .38 Special +P, this LCRx features an exposed hammer that allows it to be fired in either double-action or single-action mode.
“The newest LCRx is the perfect revolver for backpacking, concealed carry, home defense, or just plinking,” said Chris Killoy, Ruger President and Chief Operating Officer. “The 3-inch barrel, adjustable sight and modest weight create a great all-around gun.”

This latest addition to the LCR line maintains all the features of the original LCR, including a uniquely engineered double-action trigger pull and patented Ruger friction-reducing cam fire control system. The double-action trigger pull force on the LCR builds gradually and peaks later in the trigger stroke, resulting in better control and a trigger pull that feels much lighter than it actually is. The LCRx also incorporates crisp single-action functionality for precise shooting.

The LCRx rear sight is fully adjustable for both windage and elevation, and the full-length Hogue® Tamer™ Grip without finger grooves makes for comfortable shooting. The LCR chambered in .38 Special +P has three main components: a polymer fire control housing, an aerospace grade aluminum monolithic frame, and an extensively fluted stainless steel cylinder. When it was originally introduced, the Ruger LCR revolver was one of the most significant new revolver designs in over a century, and it has since been awarded three patents.

In addition to the recently introduced 9mm model, the Ruger LCR is available in .38 Spl +P, .357 Mag., .22 WMR and .22 LR double-action-only models. The exposed hammer LCRx is available in .38 Spl +P. All LCR models feature replaceable ramp front sights with white bar and some models feature a laser-sighting system from Crimson Trace®.

Follow the link (http://www.gunnuts.net/2014/11/24/ruger-introduces-lcrx-with-3-inch-barrel/) and read the comments.  Really interesting  Especially the one suggesting making it in .327 Federal