No one has yet mentioned the real reason for the .38-44 - N-frame pairing: MASS. If it's a given that the higher bullet velocity of the .38-44 is desirable for whatever purpose is to be accomplished (such as penetrating an auto body), that choice comes with a penalty. That penalty is recoil, the consequence of which is loss of control and increased recovery time for follow-up shots, just a law of physics. The only way to overcome that recoil is to add more mass to the gun, which is exactly what the N-frame does. .38-44 rounds could be safely fired in any .38 Special revolver of the time, including the S&W K-frame and the Colt Police Positive Special - and were. They didn't blow up the smaller revolvers, but the recoil was too ferocious for most shooters to handle. The Remington ammunition catalogs of the day contained no warnings about the safety hazards of firing .38-44 ammunition in an "ordinary" .38 Special revolver (because there weren't any), but they did warn that doing so would result in "excessive recoil." And there you have it.

That additional mass, at least for police use, also was beneficial when the revolver was used for purposes other than shooting.