What price range?The Taurus model 85 and Charter Arms make affordable 2" snubs for under $400.Smith and Wesson also has a good selection of small pistol's.I have a SW model 66 and a 386pd and have had no problem's with them.I paid $500 for the 66 and $600 for the 386pd.
If it's going to be for ccw, then a bobbed hammer or concealed hammer is usually considered a better choice.
I really like the S&W 642. It's a small framed (j) concealed hammer 38 with the aluminum frame, like the S&W 442. It's light enough for pocket carry. If you want something with more heft, then you can go with a steel framed S&W. And if you want it heavier still you can go with Ruger's SP101. Probably the steel j-frame and the SP101 are best for waist or jacket pocket carry.
how about the new Ruger ---might be a little wait ---and the last two new Rugers --SR9 and LCP have had a post production recall -----I bought and have had recalled and gotten back one of each---
IMO get what you can afford. almost any new snubby will do the job the test of time will lead you down another road , but for the time being a rossi or a taurus will work they are a pretty decent revolver and the taurus has a lifetime warranty allthough the turn around time suffers quite a bit.
Myself I would hate be confronted with a situation of a bad guy and no defense because I had to wait to get a higher priced handgun, so get what you can save a bit more cash then take the slight loss of reselling your lesser priced handgun and get what you want. the slight loss may not even be a factor in todays panic priced handguns you may even come out on top. there are many instances of used guns selling for more than new cost, proof is in the texas gun trader ads. Not Knocking tgt at all it is the best gun site I have found for free.
good luck on your quest. and remember bullets are not discriminant.
The 2 1/4 " SP101 by Ruger is a little on the heftier side weight-wise but when you fire it with 38+P or 357 it doesn't feel like its going to rip your hand off like some of the airweight ccw revolvers... Ruger has also started making a hammerless model although the models with a hammer make it where firing in SA you have a feather trigger and amazing accuracy... That's my two cents...
I've looked at those airweights by S&W and Taurus but I wouldn't think of carrying +P in them... I'd shop around for the most ruthless looking 38 JHP's that I could find to load that baby up with those...