External Validation and Calibration of Cox model

Undeniably, calibration curves for survival probabilities are the preferred method. The idea of risk groups as proposed from Roystol et al was used as a technical device to indicate how well the model fits and predicts in a validation sample, for example by graphing or tabulating performance. In order to create a mean survival curve for a KM survival curve, is So(t)^ exp(mean(LP)) a valid way?

Could “β being far from 1.0”, mean we had inadequate sample size (~300) or was something wrong with our usage of R in estimating it? If not, what can be done next?

As always, thank you for your insight and time.