I guess I'll have to be the odd man out on this one. Now I've only used two S&W .22 revolvers. Both 1980 vintage, a 17 and a 63. The 17 has moved on but I still shoot the 63.

That's not right. It's way more than I've ever seen. The leading in that area on mine never got more than just a line across the frame above the gap. These days when I shoot the 63 it eats some Winchester M22 that misfires in anything else. I bought a bunch of it during the Great .22 Shortage and have been trying to shoot it up ever since.

I think you have an alignment issue. Especially given the anecdote about your eye.