Glad to hear, I have a 4" 617... never had a problem with it. Try some Eley ammo just for the heck of it. I know yours is working well now, but you may really end up liking the Eley.
I've had a $1500 PC Stealth Hunter .44 that had to go back because the front sight almost fell off within 100 rounds. Last December I had to send back my daughters 642 because they didn't put the correct side plate on and the finish was flaking off. I have to call them again to get my 637 sent back in because it looks like they over tightened the barrel too much and it is leaning to the clockwise direction when looking at it barrel end and shoots to the right. Sucks, but I do know that when there is a problem, they take care of it and send it back in A-one shape. Sad that it takes that when it should be done correctly in the first place. Either way, the 617 is a great gun to shoot. 10 rounds in a 4". Cant beat it.
By the way, the daughters was a week old and mine is about 6 months old. **** happens