I suspect that excessive oil has gummed up the inner working so that the parts don't slide as they should and your thumb on the lever is required to over come the resistance of the old oil. I suspect a good cleaning would fix it. Just guessing....
Also, I suggest that you always use the top lever to close your gun. It is my opinion that "snapping" a gun closed will cause more wear to the action than pushing the lever over and gently releasing it after the gun is closed. Others my disagree but hey, it can't hurt to be gentle on these old guns and it just may help to avoid a trip to the gun doctor.
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