Your .44 mag will be a good choice if you load with .44 Specials--nice, thick heavy bullets moving at moderate velocities.
You must think about a few things first, before carrying with .44 magnum ammunition:
1. Recoverability. Cap off a Magnum round, you'll see what I'm talking about.
2. Muzzle flash. In a 4 or even 6 inch barrel, the flash from a .44 is bright, even during the day. At night, can you say flashbulb?
3. Penetration. The .45 ACP is recognized as a fight stopper. It was derived from the .45 Colt, which is probably one of the best fighting cartridges ever designed. Heavy slugs between 900-1000 fps knock the snot out of what they hit. The .44 Magnum can surpass the energy of the .45 Colt in most loadings, to be sure.
But that .44 will zip through so fast that it will barely dump any energy into the target. I read an account once--I believe that it was one of the Ayoob files--where a kid shot someone with a Ruger Super Blackhawk, loaded with 240 grain JSP. The round went through and through, and the perp stood there in disbelief, finally collapsing a minute or so later.
I personally prefer the big Colt auto. I carry one, both on and off duty. The .40 is no slouch, either--out of a Glock or another suitable platform, it can do the job without a doubt.
But, it still stands that I'd rather face a novice handgunner with a .454 Casull than an expert with a .32 ACP.