I am assuming you are looking not to conceal carry this revolver, looking more as a range, hiking, automobile carry (truck gun) or home defense.
The longer the barrel, the longer the sighting radius and the better your aiming control (maybe the accuracy Nazis will let me get by with "aiming control" as opposed to accuracy).
The standard of nearly all police departments, Highway Patrol, and sheriffs departments for many years when revolvers were open carried was 4" even when they changed models.
If you are thinking conceal carry, then I would opt for a lighter framed revolver and a shorter barrel.
I've know deer hunters who have taken deer with 4" barrels and it will work for that quite well. However, were I looking for a revolver primarily for hunting, I would look for 5 1/2" minimum length.
Were I buying my first revolver, I would buy a 4" first and foremost unless I wanted one for primarily concealed carry and then it would be a lighter framed snub nose.
A 4" barrel makes for good utilization of the burn rate of nearly all powders, whereas with a snubby, the slower burn rate of some powders does not utilize near all the energy otherwise available. You will see a few companies advertise short barrel ammo, it just has a faster burning powder.
I own revolvers with barrel lengths of 2", 3", 4" and 5 1/2" and at 5 yards, they all seem to have pretty comparable scores on a target. As you move out to 10 yards and beyond, the shorter barrel lengths and scores start having a larger difference and it becomes very evident.
I know it was a lucky shot, but I once killed a prairie dog at 70 yards with a 4" .38 special, also had 30 year younger eyes and steadier hands!
Welcome to the forum from Lubbock, TX.