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I own, and have carried, snubbies in both .357 Magnum and .44 Special. I think that the .357 offers greater versatility in ammunition selection (i.e. bullet weight and design), but it does so (at least in the snub-nose format) at the cost of horrendous muzzle flash for the really effective 125gr. loads, and vicious recoil in the lighter-weight guns (e.g. the S&W Scandium models). I have started calling these weapons "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Inducers", rather than revolvers! I now choose to carry .357 Magnum only in the Smith Model 66 snub-nose: the full-size (K) frame and heavier weight make them much more controllable in my hands. For the J-frame and equivalent snubbies, I download to .38 Special 158gr. LSWCHP +P.
The .44 Special snubbies are allegedly lower in street stopping power than the .357 Magnums, but as always, shot placement is very important here. With the heavier weapons (e.g. Smith 696, Taurus steel-frame) they are quite controllable, with a significantly lighter recoil than the average .357 snub. However, in the lightweight frames (e.g. Charter Bulldog Pug, S&W and Taurus lightweights, etc.) recoil is every bit as painful as with the .357 Magnum snubs, IMHO. I've owned a Smith 696, and loved it, but parted with it to a lady friend who loved it even more... I presently own a Taurus 2" and Charter Bulldog Pug 2½", and prefer the Taurus for recoil reasons. The Pug will remain on call, however, for pocket carry, when weight is an issue. I shall just have to live with the recoil!
The really big advantage of the .44 Special is if you live in a state like New Jersey, which bans hollowpoint ammunition entirely. A solid .357 will whizz right through a felon, leaving a relatively small hole. The fatter, slower .44 Special round is much more likely to stay in the felon, and will also carve a rather wider hole. I like the Remington 200gr. LSWC round for this purpose: it's fast (over 900fps out of my Smith 696) and makes a nice, wide, round hole...
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