Big Bill . . . I have one, shoots great. I wouldn't hesitate buying it.
I have never understood the why folks shy aways from 44 mags pertaiing to recoil. The redhawk is heavy, period. Recoil is manageable. I've shot 44 specials and 357s in other guns that had far greater "jolts".
The 44 mag recoil is lumbering, and unless you try to shoot it like a semi-auto (which can be done), you break your wrist, bend your elbow . . . then do it again. It doesn't "hurt", it's not going to come back and hit you in the head or rip skin from your hand. I ain't a big fella and I'd rather shoot 44 mags in Redhawks or N-frames than K/L framed 357s, but none of them have killer recoil.
UNLESS . . . you put a Hogue rubber on it. Properly fitted . . . OK. But most monogrips don't snug up well and tend to pinch skin between the exposed backstrap and grip when flexed in recoil. For rubber, though they don't feel as cushy nor, IMO, look as cool, Pachmyer decelerators have worked best for me. Hogue fancy woods are great, though.
On Stainless guns, they wear as much as blued guns when holstered . . . they just shine where the blue "rubs" off on rust guns. One note . . . you can reblue a blued gun. Refinish a stainless, too, but not as simple.
On the "good as a range gun only" comment . . . BULL! I have taken 2 deer with mine. One at 45, one at just over 50. Yards, that is. With my 7.5 redhawk, I've reached out to 115. Misses . . . none. Off my knees, with the 5.5 redhawk, I shoot 5 & 6 inch groups routinely (ikes, at the range) at 100 yds. Sorry, I don't take Elmer Keith shots with a handgun. Plus, walking in the woods with a white gun . . . well . . . it's white. Blue (black on a ruger) might shine in the sun, but nothing like stainless. Sure stainless resists rusting, but an adequately maintained blue gun, hell they been around without rusting much longer than stainless.
Having said that . . . my 7.5 Redhawk is white.
The trigger is a bit strong but gets better with use. Other than that, the 5.5 Redhawk is a fine revolver.