Glad you are enjoying the books! Cannot say about your hammer - it should align. You have the correct lockplate and hammer, so it isn't that. Perhaps there is a little side play at the rear of the block, and/or the hammer may be very slightly bent. Is the hammer seated all the way down on the tumbler? Can you manipulate the parts so as to make it line up? There is no harm in loading the full 70 grains, as the actions are identical, but - in the slightly lighter gun - felt recoil will be considerably worse.