I have read " I never fire 44 spl's " in my 44 mag gun . I wonder how much 38 special ammunition has been fired out of 357 magnum revolvers ? I have often thought I wanted a 44 spl Smith , preferable a 24 in 4" barrel . But at the end of the day I will always find my self reaching for either my Smith 29 , 4" barrel or my Smith 25 ( 45Colt) 4" barrel . So I have decided I don't really need another gun . I just prefer to shoot more the guns that I have . I have shot 44 spl's out of my 29 or I loaded just a nice fairly mild 44 magnum load in my 29 using 700X powder . When I compare 44 spl to 45 Colt , I'm on the " other side " as I choose my Smith 25 in 45 Colt . This post is not about " which is better " ? Just my preference . Regards, Paul