Pictures would help to allow us to make more meaningful comments. Still, you had the gun for 30+ years. Shot it with high pressure +P+ rounds, and had some top strap erosion. Doesn't sound too unusual to me. Lose of metal will progress to a point, then practically stop after it reaches a certain point. It's normal.

Truth is, you don't really know for certain how hot your handloads were. Many common recipes that were commonly shared between handloaders in the '70's and '80's were later found in the '90's, when better pressure testing equipment became available, to be much higher. Sometimes even to unsafe levels.

Regarding the look of the new Smiths, I agree with you entirely. Perhaps it takes a measured eye, but they sure don't look as perfectly proportioned as the guns from the 90's and before. In my view, the extra metal they added to the frame to cover the lock and the lock-flag mechanism destroyed a large part of their inherent gracefulness.

It's a pity S&W didn't just adopt a Taurus style simple hammer lock.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~