What you're feeling is a timing issue that pretty much all Savage's have, whether its an Axis, Model 25 or from the 110-family. What your feeling is resistance or binding of certain functions due to the interaction of different parts being out of time with one another.

Unfortunately there's really not much you can do about it at this point on the Model 25's. I know Fred at Sharp Shooter Supply retimes the 110 series, but he hasn't started offering a similar service for the Axis or Model 25's yet and he may never. It may get a little easier as the gun breaks in and some interacting surfaces wear into one another, but don't expect a miracle as most all these parts are surface hardened.