I wrote a while ago that I was done with .357 Magnum for carry, based on how it felt in my 4" M19-3. I may have to take that back.
I had some leftover .357 ammo from back when I was shooting IDPA ESR - uncoated 158-grain RNLs over enough Unique to make ~1100 fps from a 4" barrel. At that level of pressure, Unique actually burns pretty cleanly. A few days ago, I decided to use some of it to give my M28-2 some exercise. I ran 50 rounds through the 28 and...and...it wasn't that bad. I ran a cylinderful of my carry ammo - R-P 158-grain SJHPs - and that wasn't bad either. Today I went to the range with my 681-2 to finish the last 61 rounds of that load, and that wasn't bad either.
Both days, I shot a couple of iterations of the Five Yard Roundup. I had never really shot these two guns back-to-back on the same course of fire. I did okay with the 28 but noticed how high the front sight went in recoil. I did better with the 681 because the muzzle didn't rise as much. Of course, this is a "DUH!"-level discovery; that's one of the reasons S&W came out with that underlug. I set a new PR for full-power .357 on that drill - 95. At the end of the range session, I shot a cylinderful of my .38 practice ammo, 158-grain plated RNs at ~830 fps, and the front sight barely budged.
My N frames will probably be semi-ceremonial carry guns, but the 681 might get carried on a more regular basis.