Over under shotguns have been popular for decades with clay target shooters and upland bird hunters for their reliability, durability, and simple design. The Model 555 over under shotgun is the perfect combination of performance and value for hunters and shooters with its light aluminum receiver that is scaled to gauge and chrome-lined barrels. 

Let’s take a look at why over under shotguns are popular, a top to bottom overview of your new Model 555 over under shotgun, and a few tips on selecting the right chokes.

Why Are Over Under Shotguns Popular?

Over under shotguns have a wide variety of uses, but they are most commonly found amongst upland bird hunters and clay target shooters. 

Most importantly, others can quickly determine that an over under is safe just by looking at the open action. This is paramount for upland hunters and clay target shooters who are often carrying their shotguns in the field or course of fire and take shots in turn.

They are prized for their ability to take a quick second shot, especially for trap doubles, skeet, and sporting clays. For small upland birds like dove or quail and clay targets, shooters like the narrow sight picture in an over under shotgun compared to the wider view of a side-by-side shotgun. 

They have fewer parts and are less prone to failure than other types of shotguns. They are also quick and easy to clean on the range.

Unlike semi-auto shotguns that rely on inertia or gas from a fired round to cycle the bolt, over under shotguns are cocked when the action is opened and therefore are less picky about shotshells. They are made even more reliable when equipped with mechanical triggers that do not rely on recoil of the first round to reset the trigger for the second round to be fired. This means that if the first round fails to fire for any reason, you will still have the second round ready. 

With two barrels, shooters can take advantage of their shot patterns at different distances by using different choke tubes in each barrel. More on this later!

Over under shotguns tend to be compact and lightweight, easing the burden of carrying it for long periods of time. 

Lastly, over under shotguns have a classic look!  Model 555s have a stylish Turkish walnut stock that looks and feels great.

Basic Operation of Model 555

The first thing you should do with any new firearm is to familiarize yourself with the owner’s manual and the basic operations.

WARNING! Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Make sure your firearm is completely unloaded and ensure that your workspace is void of ammunition at all times. The safety should be set to the Full Safe position.

How to Use the Two-Position Manual Safety

The safety on your 555 shotgun is manual, not automatic. It does not automatically go to the safe position when the shotgun breech is opened and closed. It must be manually moved to the safe position. The safety selector on the Model 555 is a rectangular button which slides forward and backward on the rear tang directly behind the top lever of the shotgun.

Full Safe

The safety is in the FULL SAFE position when it has been moved fully rearward, exposing the engraved “S” and covering the red dot. 

Safety Off – Ready to Fire

The safety is in the Safety Off – Ready to Fire position when it has been moved fully forward, covering the engraved “S” and exposing the red dot.

How to Use the Top Lever and Load Shells

Before opening the action, make sure the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction, the safety is in the FULL SAFE position.

1. Move the top lever to the right as far as it will go.
2. Pull down on the barrel(s) until the action is fully open.
3. Insert one or two shells of the proper gauge into the chambers.
4. Keeping your fingers away from the trigger and out of the action, close the action by pulling up on the barrels until it snaps shut. You should hear an audible click as it locks.
5. When the action is closed and locked, the top lever will return to its former position pointing to the rear.

Opening the action automatically cocks the hammer on both barrels. As soon as the action is loaded and fully closed, the gun is cocked and ready to fire. Unless you intend to fire the gun as soon as it is loaded, the safety should be kept in the FULL SAFE position.

Firing Sequence and Barrel Selection

The safety selection on your 555 shotgun has a dual purpose. In the FULL SAFE position (fully rearward), the safety button can be moved to the left or the right to determine which barrel will fire first when the trigger is pulled. 

There is no right or wrong answer to choosing which barrel shoots first. It’s personal preference. However, many trap shooters prefer to shoot the bottom barrel first because it’s slightly lower in the gun and more in line with the shooter’s shoulder and delivers slightly less felt recoil and less muzzle rise. This tends to make a smoother swing and faster target acquisition for the second shot from the top barrel. 

Bottom Barrel Fires First

When the safety is moved to the right, a “U” is revealed, which means the bottom barrel (under) has been selected to fire first.  When the trigger is pulled again, the top barrel will fire second.

Top Barrel Fires First

When the safety is moved to the left, an “O” is revealed, which means the top barrel (over) has been selected to fire first. When the trigger is pulled again, the bottom barrel will fire second. 

Extractors or Ejectors

Certain Model 555 shotguns are fitted with extractors and others with ejectors. Regardless of extractors or ejectors, please be respectful of the environment where you’re shooting. Pick up your spent shells, ammunition boxes, trash, and other litter you find. It’s important we all do our part to protect the habitats we hunt and keep our ranges, shooting clubs, and clay fields clean.

Extractors

With an extractor, shells will move rearward enough to be grasped with your fingers when the action is opened.

Models: 555, 555 Compact, 555 Trap, 555 Trap Compact, 555 Sporting, 555 Sporting Compact

Ejectors

With an ejector, the fired shells will be forcefully ejected from the chamber when the action is opened. Unfired shells will be moved rearward enough to be grasped and removed with your fingers. 

Models: 555 E, 555 Silver

Comb Adjustment

Certain Model 555 shotguns are equipped with an adjustable comb. Adjusting the comb tailors the shotgun's fit to the shooter's dimensions and shooting style, minimizes discomfort and fatigue by achieving a proper cheek weld, and helps the shooter maintain a consistent sight picture for improved accuracy.

Models: 555 Trap, 555 Trap Compact, 555 Sporting, 555 Sporting Compact

How to Adjust 555 Comb Height

On the right side of the buttstock, there are two small holes in the bottom edge of the comb piece with an Allen set screw in each hole. Using the smaller 2mm hex wrench included in the box (located inside the choke kit), loosen both screws and raise the comb to the desired height. Note that after loosening the set screws, the fit of the cheek piece will be tight and the comb may require some gentle wiggling back and forth to raise. This tight fit ensures a secure movement free fit of the cheek piece. Once the desired height is achieved, retighten the set screws.

How to Adjust 555 Comb Cast

If you wish to adjust the sideways cast of the comb, begin as above but once the screws are loosened, pull the comb off. The two metal pillars the comb rides on will be visible with another 3mm hex screw on the top of each metal pillar. Loosening this screw allows the pillar to be moved left or right. The comb may be set at an angle by moving one pillar one way and the other in the opposite direction or move both pillars in the same direction to move the comb sideways.

Once the desired position is achieved, tighten both pillar screws, reinstall the comb piece on the pillars, set the desired height, and tighten the final two set screws.

Screw-In Choke System

The Screw-In Choke System allows you to select and quickly change the choke(s) to meet your shooting needs. 

What Chokes Come with the 555?

With the exception of the 555 Trap, Model 555s come with five different interchangeable screw-in choke tubes (Beretta/Benelli style). 

Choke Identification

A notching system allows chokes to be easily identified in low light conditions and without removing the choke from the barrel. 

How to Install a Choke

Always unload your shotgun, open the action, and set the safety to FULL SAFE before changing or verifying chokes. Firing a shotgun without a choke installed may result in damage to the bore and possible injury to you or a bystander.

To remove, insert the provided choke wrench, engage the notches in the choke tube and turn counterclockwise.

To install, insert the choke tube in the barrel and turn clockwise and hand tighten only. We recommend applying a thin coating of light gun grease or choke tube lubricant to the threads before they’re installed in the barrel.

Tips for Picking the Right Choke

If you’re unsure which choke tube offers the right constriction for your shooting purposes, check out this Beginner’s Guide on Choke Tubes to learn about constriction, shot string, patterning and distance, shot material, and more. 

For now, we want to examine a shooting scenario common to over under shotguns. Clay targets and upland birds are small but fast targets that move away from the shooter once in flight.  A shooter can take advantage of their shot patterns by using different chokes in each barrel. 

For example, a pheasant hunter may choose to use a modified choke in their first barrel because it has a moderate pattern. Their second barrel may use a full choke with a tighter pattern since the pheasant will be further away if a second shot is required. 

Similarly, a trap shooter may use an improved cylinder choke in their first barrel and a modified choke in their second barrel since the second clay bird will have traveled further away and will need a tighter pattern than the first shot. The same concept applies for skeet and sporting clays.