Both the .44 Special and the .41 Mag are great, but I fear both are heading for obscurity except among afficianados. I have a Smith and Wesson Model 696 five-shot .44 Special; I don’t think its currently listed in the S and W catalog. Nice little gun; I wouldn’t shoot the loads made up for the Blackhawk in it, however. Even with only five rounds, the 696 chambers are a little thin.
One of the finest revolvers I have ever owned was a Smith and Wesson, model 57 with a 6 inch barrel. Everyone says you can tell the .41 has less recoil but I could never tell any difference.
It was a slick gun tho. Barrel to cylinder gap was almost non-existent yet it never had any fouling build up to hinder rotation. Also, all six cylinders were in perfect range. It was about as accurate as it is possible to make one.
I ended up trading it for several guns worth quite a bit more and even tho I came out way ahead on the trade, I still wish I had kept that beauty.