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OK, I checked my course materials, and I'm most certain that the play is not supposed to be there in the fired position. It is a general principle applies to all revolvers, S&W included.
When the trigger is pulled (DA) or the hammer is cocked (SA), the hand should be in contact of the ratchet at all time, pushing the cylinder till it is stopped by the cylinder stop, right after the hammer drops. The cylinder ends up locked in place between the stopping cylinder stop (Colt calls it the bolt) and the pushing hand. It is proper cylinder indexing.
The play happens when there is wear in the hand. It is called out of time. It happens more in S&W than in Colt because of the design difference. Colt has a 2 stage hand, so the hand is still pushing the ratchet right on when the cylinder is indexing up. S&W has one stage hand. Near index the hand is almost side-by-side to the ratchet. Left side of the hand is constantly rubbing against the ratchet, and metal tends to wear faster. When it happens, the hand is no longer pushing the cylinder to index, and hence the play.
Out-of-time hand is a common repair item for S&W revolvers. The fix usually involves a over-size hand, bending the tip of hand to the left, and / or filing off the left side of the hand window. As usual, after the repair, the revolver must be checked to ensure left, neutral, right sings.
-TL
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