I've had a Taurus 44SS4 4" ported .44 mag for a couple of years now. Shoots real nice, gives a good kick with the heavy stuff, and an incredible fire ball with 180gr UMC. I have a set off Pachmayrs on it.
I just recently picked up a Ruger SBH Bisley Hunter, just because I've always found it drop dead gorgeous. I got mine used, and it came with the Belt Mountain pin and pawl. Shoots like a dream, and is amazingly accurate.
I also tried .44 special recently out of the SBH, and found it about like shooting .38 special out of a .357; no surprise there. Not terribly exciting, but a nice pleasant round to shoot. It's very expensive to buy, though, so unless I start loading for .44 I don't see too much "special" in my future. And I don't see that happening soon, since I just started loading for .45 Colt.
--- Sam