I'm an avid .44mag shooter, my favorite handgun cartridge!

In my experience, a 4.5-5.5" barrel in a 40-45oz revolver is about the lowest recoiling .44mag out there. The shorter the barrel, the lighter the piece, so the heavier the recoil. However, the LONGER the barrel, the more efficient the powder burn, i.e. more power, and more recoil. So it's a double edged sword, less barrel is less weight, but less barrel is less power, so you have to find that sweet spot.

Porting definitely helps, but it also makes the muzzle blast much worse, so the "apparent recoil" might not change much. If you're shooting without ear protection, a ported .44mag will leave you with permanent hearing damage VERY quickly, potentially in a matter of ONE CYLINDER.