First, get that trigger shoe off of it and leave it off. Rust may occur under those. They may also loosen at an inconvenient time. In extreme cases, I've read that they can catch on a holster and fire the gun, although that seems a remote liklihood.

The price makes me think that the seller knew that the gun wasn't original. I'd have a gunsmith check it out to be sure that headspace, etc. is as it should be, but the parts do look to be genuine S&W ones.

I think the factory did maintain that their Magnum frames were of a special "chrome-nickel steel" and that other models couldn't be converted to fire Magnum ammo. Maybe Roy Jinks will say. I am quite sure that extra and different heat treatment was given the cylinders (and probably, barrels) of .357 and .44 Magnum guns; not sure about frames. But unless the frames were of the special steel, they might have stretched. I KNOW that some .38's have stretched frames when fired extensively with Plus P ammo. Writer Massad Ayoob said that he did that to a Bodyguard .38 within 500 rounds!

If the work was indeed factory done, that gun should be a fine shooter. I think that Federal still makes a 200 grain lead HP load for .44 Special. I presume that you're familiar with the famous handloads for it. I think that Skeeter Skelton was on the right track with his .44 Special loads pushing a 250 grain Keith bullet at some 950 FPS. Really hot loads will exacerbate wear. Even Elmer Keith once told me that he didn't fire his hot loads very frequently. He reserved them for occasional practice and occasions when that level of power was needed.

Looks like an interesting gun with a good story behind it.

T-Star