Hammerless revolvers are perfect for a purse, though. You can empty the gun without breaking concealment.
Might give a look to a Ruger LCR. IMO one of those in .38 is about as perfect a purse gun as it gets. S&W bodyguard .38 is another option.
The LCR is a great carry revolver, and the trigger is very good. I'd recommend getting the .357 model versus the .38 model, though...it's only 3 oz heavier, which doesn't significantly increase felt carry weight (IMO) but does help slightly in recoil, and it gives you the option to shoot both types of ammo. It's a lot better gun than the BodyGuard .38 (I've owned both.)
Well, if you want "very small", the Pico qualifies. I held one at the NRA Annual Meeting and immediately crossed it off my buy list. It was just too small for my hands.This is intended to be a very small mouse-gun, to keep in her purse.
I don't own one but I've put about 200 rounds through one. I considered it easy and enjoyable to shoot. Of course, I was shooting target wadcutters.Personally I would stay from the Bodyguard in 38SPL, the revolver one. It is so light (13oz) that neither my wife nor I enjoyed shooting that thing. Sold it off rather quickly.
The idea of the snubby wasn't my issue. That particular gun was just so light that it hurt to shoot.
So if you don't want it to hurt to shoot, pour in less energy to begin with. The standard wadcutter load out of a snubby, no matter how light, is downright fun to shoot.That energy has to be absorbed somewhere.