At least in a modern handgun, ala the S & W 624, you can get the .44 special up to sub-magnum loads, as I would describe them. Elmer Keith's ultimate .44 Special load was a 250 grain bullet at 1200 fps, which he acheived using heavy loads of Hercules (now Alliant Powders) #2400 (up to and maybe over 16 grains). This same reference (The Book of the .44, I don't know the author off the top of my head) also described this as abuse to S & W revolvers of the 1930's era with which Keith was experimenting. These experiments were of course the inspiration for the .44 Magnum.

Well, I own a 4" Model 624 that was made in the 1980s. I have run loads up to 8.5 grains of Unique with 240 grain bullets through this gun, and let me tell you, those loads go off with considerable recoil and muzzle blast! They are accurate once one gets used to them, but my father, who does my reloading (I know, gotta learn!), found that some of the cases had split! They were admittedly hard to eject from the cylinder...but this makes a good bear load, and I have seen them in some of my fly-fishing spots.

I also have a 6" Model 629 which is Magna-Ported, and it is a lot of fun to shoot. But after about 40 rounds or so, I get tired of the "hand-cannon" effect, and the .44 Special is not quite so harsh, but still very effective.