5500AT? or MKII rebuild?

[not enuff]

So I stumbled across a 5500 when looking for an 1100 or 1187 used. I am not familiar with the 5500 but when looking at it, it looks like it's been around the block a few times at least on the inside....and really it's what's on the inside that counts....The comment he had in reply was, "Well that's how you know it works" when in my head it looks/sounds more like "Well it worked when I shot it last". So I handed it back, put in a fat dip, and said "Thanks for your help".

If I got it cheap enough, maybe it would be a fun build. I am not real sure what to look for on these. If purchased cheap enough, maybe it's worth pursuing - but it's discontinued so maybe there was a reason and shouldn't buy an inexpensive shotty to dump hundreds of dollars into it trying to getting its innards right when possibly it was never actually right in the first place. Reliability is big for me. I want it to work when I want it to work. I could probably build something out of "junk" lying around in my garage that can provide the gift of insecurity in working intermittently for a lot cheaper.

Does anyone have any experience with the 5500?

 

[squidmp]

I have an original 5500 (Circa 1985). All parts are 99% inter-changeable with the 5500 MKII and 9200 shotguns parts wise.

Picked mine up a long time ago for about 140. Yes it was used.

When first shooting it, it would not cycle the next round. Come to find out when I went through it, the elevator had broken on the the right side due constant rubbing on the right shell stop assembly. Once I replace the elevator, it has been running non-stop with further no issues for the past fifteen years or so. Yes I do a lot of shooting.

I just recently (two years ago) got extra barrels for it, so I can shoot 2 3/4 magnum and 3 inchers. When I purchased it, it only had the 2 3/4 chamber barrel in full choke for low brass shells, which was not conducive to shooting game larger than doves, squirrels and rabbits.

The 2 3/4 mag's made it feel like I was getting hit by a mac truck with the old barrel.

Once I got the proper barrel chambered in 2 3/4 magnum and 3 inch (from Havlin Sales), recoil was much more pleasant. For slugs, I use a limb saver slip on pad. This makes them and the 3 inchers feel like I am shooting medium brass shells.

And as to shooting the 3 inch shells, it has no issues with them what so ever. Chambers and ejects them with ease.

Just remember if you do get it. If it does not have the 2 3/4 chambered barrel for shooting low brass, it will not function properly in the other 2 3/4 or 3 inch chamber barrel.

I replaced an 1100 with this one. The 1100 had started falling apart due to the amount of shooting I did with it and as a lot of parts were peened into the 1100, it got hard to work on as I had to start relying on a machinist to fix certain parts.

The 5500 basically has nuts/cotter pins or screws for replacing parts. I have no regrets with 5500.

For barrels, Havlin has them and a lot of the smaller parts at good prices. What yo cannot get from Havlin, yo can get from Numrich. Numrich costs a little more though.

Good luck

 

[old mossy]

Sounds like you have it running good. You get a chance post a pic or two.

 

[not enuff]

I have an original 5500 (Circa 1985). All parts are 99% inter-changeable with the 5500 MKII and 9200 shotguns parts wise.

Picked mine up a long time ago for about 140. Yes it was used.

When first shooting it, it would not cycle the next round. Come to find out when I went through it, the elevator had broken on the the right side due constant rubbing on the right shell stop assembly. Once I replace the elevator, it has been running non-stop with further no issues for the past fifteen years or so. Yes I do a lot of shooting.

I just recently (two years ago) got extra barrels for it, so I can shoot 2 3/4 magnum and 3 inchers. When I purchased it, it only had the 2 3/4 chamber barrel in full choke for low brass shells, which was not conducive to shooting game larger than doves, squirrels and rabbits.

The 2 3/4 mag's made it feel like I was getting hit by a mac truck with the old barrel.

Once I got the proper barrel chambered in 2 3/4 magnum and 3 inch (from Havlin Sales), recoil was much more pleasant. For slugs, I use a limb saver slip on pad. This makes them and the 3 inchers feel like I am shooting medium brass shells.

And as to shooting the 3 inch shells, it has no issues with them what so ever. Chambers and ejects them with ease.

Just remember if you do get it. If it does not have the 2 3/4 chambered barrel for shooting low brass, it will not function properly in the other 2 3/4 or 3 inch chamber barrel.

I replaced an 1100 with this one. The 1100 had started falling apart due to the amount of shooting I did with it and as a lot of parts were peened into the 1100, it got hard to work on as I had to start relying on a machinist to fix certain parts.

The 5500 basically has nuts/cotter pins or screws for replacing parts. I have no regrets with 5500.

For barrels, Havlin has them and a lot of the smaller parts at good prices. What yo cannot get from Havlin, yo can get from Numrich. Numrich costs a little more though.

Good luck

Very knowledgeable reference point. Thank you for the info. Sounds like you get to shoot a lot. I think I may wait and see if I come across one that is more ready to range than a fixer upper.