Stainless steel, while very tough..is a "gummy" metal..never will get the glass-hard surface of a case-hardned steel..or the silky smooth/glass rod breaking feel of a classic S&W.
Colt used stainless steel hammers and triggers in their stainless steel revolvers, including the ultra-smooth Python.
Colt was later into the stainless pistol game and by that time, any problems with stainless had been solved.
S&W just decided it was cheaper to stick with carbon steel parts, with or without the flash hard chrome.