'morning guys. I'm brand new here and this is my first post.
I just bought a beat-up Stevens model 5100 for a project gun.

Right away I nioticed a coupla' things:
1) It is EXTREMELY hard to break the barrels after firing both of them.
2) when I break the barrels open (whether they have hulls/loaded rounds in them or empty chambers) the barrels do not fall completely open. I have to pull the barrels down in order for the hulls to clear the receiver for removal.

Is there anything that can be done about these two problems?

Also, I am looking for a wooden buttstock for this gun, Ihave been told it is a series 2 receiver.

thanks

Some guns are designed to spring back a bit after cocking and ejecting. This allows the gun to be carried in the field, open, without the worry of the shells falling out. Some notable guns, the Model 21 Winchester for example, has this feature. An old Stevens could probably benefit from a strip and clean.

7shortmag,

First the easy part, these folks should have your stock (semi inletted) and I have dealt with them in the past. Prices are fair, quality is good. http://www.gunstocksinc.com/web_pages/Plate-pics/Stevens-stocks/Stevens-shotgu-stocks.html

When you say hard to open, does this occur only when the gun is fired, when empty and cocked or uncocked? I have found some shells in SXS do not allow the firing pins to retract correctly (the pins stick) when the gun is fired causing a mechanical lock of sorts. If this is the case trying different brand of shells my correct it. If it happens when the gun in empty there is something else going on or the extractor is hanging up on the firing pins when opening.

As far as having to pull the barrels down to clear the action so shells can be inserted or removed, I have found this is not uncommon on these guns. You are overcoming the cocking mechanism & the main spring tension. Can it be corrected, probably by refitting the cocking rods but you may do more harm than good.

I am sure others will be by shortly with additional suggestions and recommendations...

Good luck and enjoy the new shotgun...
WBLDon

Stevens guns, the 311 variety anyway are designed to require an extra push to fully open. The reason is to prevent wear on the hinge as well as the reason given above regarding dropping shells...Geo

Can that design be overcome with some mods?

You can over come that design (the need to pull the bbls open to be able to load the shotgun) by modifying the cocking arm and
altering the cocking plunger can also aid in elliminating the feature.
What is happening is that the cocking arm is being pushed to it's limit (which is OK) by the cocking plunger on the underside of the bbls.
The cocking arm is pushing both hammers back much farther than they need to go for the sear(s) to drop into the sear notches in those hammers.
So the hammers being under mainspring tension pushing forward, push on the cocking lever,,pushes on the cocking plunger on the bbl and push the bbl closed on you to a point where the sears stop the hammers and end the main spring 'push'.

In the alteration you want to make the gun cock 'later' in the bbl drop.
That will place the sears into the hammer notches when the bbls are dropped down farther and at that point take the spring tension push off of the bbls. The bbls then stay in that lower dropped position.

Don't shorten the sear nose(s) that will only make it cock quicker and the bbls will set closed even more on you. Leave the sears alone.
You are not altering the sear engagements, angles,, ect.
Just where the bbls are in their arc when the sears drop into the hammer sear notches. You want it to happen later in the drop from where it is now.

Numrich schematic shows the parts pretty clear.
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/savstevspgfld/shotguns-sav/5100?page=2

It's a cut and try operation. A little at a time and use both the cocking arm and the plunger to get to where you want so you don't thin down one part too much. It doesn't take too much alteration to change the timing anyway.

Yeah, perform all those modifications on a $15.00 gun. Then do the same to your $7500.00 Model 21 which has the same problem. Just kidding of course, as is the previous poster, Kutter, I assume.

No, not kidding at all.

I asked a similar question on the Parker forum five or six years ago of extra push required on my 12ga Parker VH. I was told it was not uncommon on doubles, including Parkers.

It is correct that it is not uncommon. It is also correct that it is aggravating. My Perazzi MX8 does the same thing. I've learned to tolerate it, but I'll never like it.

SRH

My Model 21s need to be held open to load. I don't like it, but I put up with it.

That's another reason I like loooong barrels.

More weight to help hold them open all the way.

SRH

Stevens 311 guns don't break open all the way either. Saves spilling shells all over the woods if you prefer an over the arm open carry between coveys. There is a way to keep the barrels from doing that, but it adds wear to the joint...Geo