The Stevens Model 555 12 gauge Over & Under

Stevens is a familiar and well established name. A Savage brand since 1920, the Stevens’ name is synonymous with the company’s value priced firearms, and in use with varying frequency for nearly 100 years. The subject shotgun, the Stevens Model 555, was introduced in July, 2014 as suitable for clays and hunting. Real Guns wasn’t planning on reviewing the Model 555, primarily because it was receiving exhaustive coverage when it was released and there seemed little that could be added. However, when recently looking through some of the coverage, there seemed to be more than a little over and under shotgun snobbery at work in some of the reviews, so…

Contrary to what I’ve seen written, the Model 555 is not plain and lacking in personality, nor is it a shotgun for beginners. No, it does not have artful filigree covering the sides of its receiver, but then few do in an industry where the photo etch process has replaced an engraver’s skilled hands. The Stevens’ Turkish Walnut stock is dark, not without figure and neatly checkered.

The chrome lined barrels are nicely finished in a traditional warm satin black oxide, fitted with screw in chokes and top and side ventilated ribs; pointing assistance is from a single brass bead.

Five chokes, in a handy carry case with wrench, are supplied with the shotgun. While not labeled, they use the face notch system to identify the type of choke. Pictured below, left to right in order of notches and diminishing restriction: 1-Full, 2-Improved Modified, 3-Modified, 4-Improved Cylinder, 5-Cylinder.

The general practice for an over and under is to set up chokes in the order of barrel discharge with the tightest choke going to the last barrel to fire. The single selective trigger is assigned order of barrel discharge by engaging the tang safety, then moving the safety left or right to the desired position.

Generally the lower barrel of an O/U is selected to fire first. The theory is that the lower barrel is at or below the line of the comb, which means the shotgun drives straight back into the shoulder, reducing felt recoil, and minimizing muzzle rise which permits a fast follow up shot. Not being a shotgun ace, either selection, top or bottom first, feels the same to me as does recovery from the first shot.

The Stevens Model 555 is an extractor rather than an ejector, so the shell casings are eased up for manual removal when the action is open… which of course takes away the thrill of getting drilled in the forehead by flying empties as is the case with an ejector system.

The Stevens’ receiver is a heavy walled aluminum casting with an integration of steel pieces to assure structural integrity and durability. As an example, steel button head joint pins are used to hinge the barrel. Unlike headless pins that are supported only by the thickness of the walls they pass through, the button head pins are also supported by the wide surface of the underside of the button head where they contact the receiver.

The breech face receives a steel insert to provide reinforcement a longer wearing guide for firing pin movement. The latch and latch plate are also made of steel. The only thing I would like to see improved in this area, and really my only gripe with the Model 555, is the receiver’s finish. Rather than being hard anodized, it appears to have an epoxy or powder coating that rubs off and scratches very easily, even from routine handling and particularly at sharper edges.

Handling and shooting Impressions

One of the silliest criticisms of the Stevens Model 555 from a reviewer, “The shotgun is muzzle heavy, due to the use of aluminum in the receiver”. The Model 555 is muzzle heavy because it has two 28″ long steel barrels hanging off of a very short break action receiver. Beyond that, a slightly muzzle heavy shotgun favors longer range hunting and sporting clays. In use, the Stevens swings smoothly and follows clays even for me.

There seems to be a trend toward people whining dramatically about recoil. Firearms kick the same as they always have, so I can only assume gun writers are growing older and more fragile or many young writers are actually displaced English majors with more delicate sensibilities. Yes, the Model 555 is a 12 gauge shotgun that weighs only 6 lbs 3.4 oz on a certified scale and, no, it is not unpleasant to shoot thanks to good stock geometry and a not bad recoil pad. This one was shot quite a bit with Federal target ammo and my brittle bones are none the worse for wear.

The Stevens Model 555 will not win the aesthetic admiration of friends at the club, shooting skeet. I could see someone hustling with it a bit… at the club, shooting skeet. It certainly has the performance potential with a good shooter. I could easily see this shotgun in woodland and fields with good hunting results and without the anxiety associated with a shotgun with three or four times the price tag. It’s a good looking, good shooting, inexpensive shotgun.