Accuracy should factor into whether you shorten your factory barrel or fit an aftermarket. In addition, slug your barrel, checking for tight spots and loose spots. Check for a compression ring in bore where frame shoulders barrel. The production barrel is every bit in individual, perhaps more so than, say, a barrel by Shilen, Douglas, or PacNor. Should you settle on a 5-1/2 inch barrel, by all means install the stainless version (from the KS411N Silver Hornpipe) of the .357 Maximum ejector assembly. The Maximum ejector completely clears spent cases, a most practical advantage.
David Bradshaw