Yep, unless you downsize the frame and cylinder I see no advantage to a 44 special. Some will complain that shooting 44 SPL in a 44 mag makes it hard to load a 44 mag later. True, unless you clean it. But cleaning will never make a 44 spl revolver accept a 44 mag! So in my book the mag is better.

Now a 44 SPL with a correctly downsized frame might be neat, but I have no experience with one.