I like the strong side straight drop holster. You should look into kydex. One I like to add is the Ed Brown cylinder latch. Since I shoot IDPA with my wheelgun, I do not have one. An action job is a great idea and I like to bob the hammer.
Some folks like to chamfer the cylinders and work on the forcing cone.
The Double Action revolver is a viable and effective self defense arm. In order to use the DA revolver effectively, training and some good equipment are needed.