Chris, this doesn't sound normal to me. I had some rough sharp edges and a small burr on the frame hook that I eventually did something about but a "long shard of steel" doesn't sound good. Neither does having to hit the gun more than a few taps with a nylon mallet. It sounds like a misfit between the frame and receiver. When my Govt Comp was new, it was stiff but not that stiff. Now I can separate the frame with a stiff push with my thumb on the rear of the bolt.
Where did this shard peel off from? Make sure the frame and receiver still fit flush everywhere. You may want to talk to Ruger about it.