Wow, an old necro thread that died, got revived, then died again, and is back in full swing.
Actually, there's some interesting and relevant back-n-forth here, so I'll add my .02-cents.
I'm a 10mm guy in autos, but the .41 Mag cartridge in revolvers is somewhat similar due to its
versatility of use. Hunting, self-defense, or Sunday afternoon fun at the range blasting away on bowling pins with hardcast loads, all without the excessive recoil and abuse of the .44 (at least over extended shooting sessions).
However, unlike the 10mm, which has a
huge range of bullet-weights & styles to draw on, whether in factory ammo or for handloading, the .41 is stymied by a relatively small selection of bullet-weights and styles.
Not so for the .44. Projectiles are available in a huge array of weights and configurations, and are cheaper to purchase in volume.
As a "woods walking/boonie-packing gun" in the lower 48, the .41 & .44 are tied. If I was living in Alaska, or up there on vacation, say, to go fishing for salmon off the river banks, and couldn't take my 10mm G20, I'd pack something in .44Mag like one of the old S&W Mountain 4" wheelies or a 4.2" Ruger RedHawk, either one being carried in a shoulder or center-chest holster.
As far as shooting the "Special" versions of each of these magnum cartridges, it's a wash. Take your pick: 44mag/.44Special, .41mag/.41Spec., .357mag/.38Spec ---> 10mm AUTO/.40S&W (i.e., in a S&W 610).
You can either download the magnum cartridge itself, and skip shooting its little-brother (Special) altogether, ... or you can buy or reload the Special-version of the cartridge. Either way, none of these has an advantage over the others in that regard.
All that said, I still like odd balls, whether in handguns or long guns. And I've always had a fondness for the .41Magnum. So I reload hardcast boolits for mine at "police load" velocities, and just enjoy the range time with it.
Obligatory pic: S&W Model 58 - shown with the 210gn lead FN police load x 6, a/k/a "thug thumpers."