Lipseys had approached Ruger in the past about building a 44 special, Ruger didn't think they would sell. After a while Ruger gave in and said if Lipseys would buy 250 of each, both the 4 5/8"s & the 5 1/2" guns they would build them on the midframe, flattop & all.
The thinking was.....and always had been that people would rather just have the 44 maggie, bigger, stronger, etc, etc. As soon as those first 500 guns hit the market they were gone. Ruger built another 500, they were gone. Hey, whats going on here, nobody wanted a 44 "special" when they already had the 44 maggie.
Since then Ruger has made them a regular catalog item. Seems people are smarter than you think, they knew a midframe gun would take care of 90% of their handgun needs. Most people have never even seen an elk, much less shot one with a sixgun. The most hunted game animal is the whitetail & the muley, probably the most common distance is 50 yds or less.
Will the 44 special work under these parameters....in spades!
Very few actually try to full throttle the 44 special, although it can do an honest 1200 fps with the Keith 250 in most barrels.
The 44 special is a pleasure gun, Ruger made them with close tolerances, cylinder gap, throats, etc. they are wonderful sixguns. There's no need to hot rod them, the 44 maggie is much better if you need more horsepower, enjoy the special for what it is, a lighter, easier packing work of art that rides nice on the hip all day, rolls tin cans, punches spectacular holes in water jugs, will stay on a playing card all day at 50 yds, is easy to load for & makes the wives & kids smile when they find out it won't put a dimple between their eyes when they pull the trigger.
If you don't have one you're missing out on a truly fun sixgun.

Dick