
Detailed pics can be hard for me.
Your pics seem to indicate a larger "U" shaped slide stop release, while mine is more "square". May not be anything at all as pics are hard to interpret. The spring looks more compressed as well.
I also may not be seeing any wear on the actual "stop/catch" which could indicate it seats too high, and would make a left handed release tougher. Hard to say.
Since your having an issue, send it back, S&W will make it right, if it were me, I'd have a reputable gunsmith take 5 minutes, and give me his .02 cents. Most smiths won't even charge to look at something. But I don't think, from what I've seen in the latest release, the slide stop is any larger, or more pronounced from the frame.