The .44 special is the best contender for reloading, it can handle anything that needs self defense attention.
The magnum .44 is not needed unless you live in really big game country, or with really big animals that want to eat you.
But even then you should be extremely proficient with magnum firearms, most people are not.
I'm old and slowing down. It's time to enjoy the big boomers at a leisurely pace of non magnum jarring jolting mayhem.
There is nothing like the accuracy one can obtain with the reloaded .44 special. It is a pleasure to reload bullets from 160 grains to 265 grains.
Anyone who absorbs those big slugs is going to have a bad day.
The .45 Colt is another favorite, but it is second place to the .44 spl. It also has a brass cartridge case that was designed to originally contain maximum case capacity of black powder.
The .44 spl. can get by using less faster powder.
Jim
A good pair seen below...