I'm not about to diss one man's opinion over another's but we're cutting some fine hairs here. The Smith 69 is based on an L frame which is the same size (or so near as to make no difference) as the GP100 frame. To call either one big and clunky is just someone trying to get back at me for an old perceived slight.

To tell the truth I would have been real happy with a 4" half lug GP100 .44 - as long as it doesn't have a full lug. But to my mind a 5" barrel is just right in a field type revolver, a little more eye relief but not a burden to carry in a decent holster. Lots of folks love their 3" .44 Spl Ruger and that's cool with me, I just like a bit longer barrel. I carried a 6" L-frame 586 for many years in a good Safariland holster and it wasn't a burden at all so this 5" model that weighs 7 ounces less (almost a half pound) certainly isn't going to be either.

Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery.
Hit the target, all else is twaddle!