I had been agonizing a little over whether to look for a 357 Mag in pistol or carbine...definitely a caliber that shines in both. Then I realized...I can have a 357 Mag carbine and a 38 Special in pistol length!!! :)
Since I really didn't want to be bummed about recoil, the 357 in a short barrel wasn't really appealing to me as much as it used to. When I remembered that...duh...38 Special is the perfect pistol length round for plinking and target work in the Contender!
I've got a deal working to get a Van Horn 357 Carbine barrel and I talked to Troy today and got on the books for a 38 Match chambered 8' or 10" barrel. I'm a little tempted to have it threaded just in case I ever get around to working with a suppressor but one way or another, it'll be a dandy!! :)
I may still find a way to check out the Legend and the Blackout but for now I'm feeling pretty well set, though I'll have to wait quite a little while for the 38 to show up.