Looking for thoughts on the Armed Trimmer

[jacotsmith]

Hi team,

I have thing for short-barreled over/under shotguns.

I've owned an Optima Silver Synthetic, a Stoeger Double Defense, a Mossberg Maverick HS12 and a Ricol 14" all of which had their benefits. I recently learned of the Armed Trimmer and thought I might give one a spin. I like the wood and single trigger aspects, and features like threaded chokes and ejectors aren't all that important to me so I'm thinking given the price of these things one just might scratch my itch.

Anyone have any experience they'd like to share?

Thanks for looking!

 

[mudgunner49]

I needed to bump this to the top as I'd like some feedback on it also. I think it would be the ideal travel shotgun as I do all my travel out of a Timbuktu Co-Pilot rolling 22" carry-on (the vast majority of it by road with a bit of train travel thrown in. This blaster would take up minimal room broken down, though I'd dearly love to see it in 20 gauge...

 

[wildphil24]

Last year I bought an Armed Trimmer and around the same time I found a good deal on a Ricol so I had both at the same time.

The build specs are different but they are the very same design/pattern of firearms. Possibly made at the same plant under different contract but I don't know.
Finish quality was fair on both firearms, they benefit from deburing and polishing in the mechanism.

The Ricol was fun and worked very reliably.
The Armed was a lemon. Test fired only, around 25 rounds. It had 3 major malfunctions:
-lower firing pin pierced every primer
-safety was too loose and engaged under the recoil of the first barrel
-failed once to open and I had to disassemble it to eject my shells

It took time but after 2 months I got a full refund. Dealer was fair so I'd deal with them again.

That's a sample of one, maybe others are reliable, I don't know.

 

[Mikey66]

Hi Jacotsmith, my name is Mikey and I am also an o/uholic. What is it about over unders, especially the shorty ones that is so appealing?
Started with a few standard length Turks. Than I got the bug and bought a Ricol 14" that was the cats axx, especially the way it lobbed the empties 12' behind me, usually hitting something or someone in the process. It even managed okish trap scores. I ended up selling it and buying a Mavi HS12, because there was no advantage to having the 14" barrel vs 18.5" for pack ability. They both easily fit in a Ruger takedown bag. I like the HS12 so much I bought the Mavi hunter as well. Same receiver, longer barrel.
I am trying very hard ignore the A Trimmer. Is there any hope of resisting?

 

[jacotsmith]

Sorry to hear Phil your trimmer was a lemon. There was one on the EE tonight so I took the plunge, hopefully I fare better.

And Mikey I loved my HS12. It shouldered like it was custom built for my arms and I loved the sight picture. In fact I'm hoping the trimmer has the same rear rail/front fiber optic bead combo as the maverick.

I sold the Mavi though because the toe safety was a deal breaker. Not being able to shoot straight down if I was up a tree and a grumpy sow grizzly was underneath me I might be an inconvenient feature. I considered trying to disable it but never ended up trying.

I will update this thread with a range report on the trimmer when she arrives. This will be my 5th O/U shorty so will see how it compares.

 

[jacotsmith]

Mine showed up today so I took her for a quick spin. Point of aim is point of impact at 15 yards with the few slugs I ran through. I only ran about a dozen rounds down range of various loads, (buck, bird, slugs) but am pretty happy with it for the price. The only wrinkle was on a couple of the heavier recoiling loads the first blast was strong enough to partially engage the safety making the second shot go click instead of bang. I will have to explore that a bit more when I have time but I rarely shoot the heavier stuff anyway. All in all I'm happy so far.