First choice for most people I'd say is one of the litewt. aluminum frame or polymer frame 357 snubbies (Ruger LCR/S&W Bodyguard 357/Taurus/etc.) - more shot is a good thing in my mind. That'd put you down into the 13-15 oz range with 5 pretty potent shots before a reload, which is just a speed loader away. Fits on your pocket, but a good holster is better.
Want more? The poly Judge is just 23 oz! With 410/45 Colt performance. A used S&W 329PD in 44 mag can be picked up for $500-700 if you shop - only 30 oz with 44 mag performance......on both ends. The other Judges and the S&W Governor fall in this weight range too w/410/45 LC - the Gov. offers cheap 45 ACP capability too, with the ability to speed load with moon clips or third moon clips.
Actually, I was just reading up on "custom" reloading shot loads the other nite in an effort to maximize my 44's for snakes, yet providing SD and bear protection at the same time in a lite wt. package. Guys for decades have been taking other caliber brass, reforming to full cylinder length, and loading with snake shot for optimal pattern and killing power. Ex. - take a 303 British brass, turn the rim down just a hair with drill and a file, cut to cylinder length and trim, load with a fireforming load, food container styrofoam wad, and shot to the top of the brass with a glued in foam wad cover, and you have a pretty large load of shot exiting your 44 mag at low pressures. 12 shot seems to be best for snakes vs larger shots - get enuf velocity to fully penetrate a snake head w/ optimal patterns, and call it good enuf. Many variations on the basic idea. Subsequent loadings may require necking the brass to fit the narrowed cylinder bore ends - a 40 S&W/10mm or 41 mag die will do this nicely. 357 MAX brass will go cyl. length in a 357 Mag. Similar loads were developed by the CIA for survival situations for pilots and such in Vietnam in 45 ACP using cut down 7.62 NATO/308 Win brass - I just spent a whole nite perusing the net on this the other nite - can ya tell!??!?! LOL! Snake shot capsules are much easier, but apparently some have issues with them feeding in autos - never tried it myself.
Sounds to me like the snubbies are what you want.
Want more? The poly Judge is just 23 oz! With 410/45 Colt performance. A used S&W 329PD in 44 mag can be picked up for $500-700 if you shop - only 30 oz with 44 mag performance......on both ends. The other Judges and the S&W Governor fall in this weight range too w/410/45 LC - the Gov. offers cheap 45 ACP capability too, with the ability to speed load with moon clips or third moon clips.
Actually, I was just reading up on "custom" reloading shot loads the other nite in an effort to maximize my 44's for snakes, yet providing SD and bear protection at the same time in a lite wt. package. Guys for decades have been taking other caliber brass, reforming to full cylinder length, and loading with snake shot for optimal pattern and killing power. Ex. - take a 303 British brass, turn the rim down just a hair with drill and a file, cut to cylinder length and trim, load with a fireforming load, food container styrofoam wad, and shot to the top of the brass with a glued in foam wad cover, and you have a pretty large load of shot exiting your 44 mag at low pressures. 12 shot seems to be best for snakes vs larger shots - get enuf velocity to fully penetrate a snake head w/ optimal patterns, and call it good enuf. Many variations on the basic idea. Subsequent loadings may require necking the brass to fit the narrowed cylinder bore ends - a 40 S&W/10mm or 41 mag die will do this nicely. 357 MAX brass will go cyl. length in a 357 Mag. Similar loads were developed by the CIA for survival situations for pilots and such in Vietnam in 45 ACP using cut down 7.62 NATO/308 Win brass - I just spent a whole nite perusing the net on this the other nite - can ya tell!??!?! LOL! Snake shot capsules are much easier, but apparently some have issues with them feeding in autos - never tried it myself.
Sounds to me like the snubbies are what you want.