Making traps OS

[mathews4ever]

How difficult is it to make a regular jaw trap into an OS trap.

[trappincoyotes39]

You can weld a spot between the jaws or add 1/4" cold rolled rod in between 1 - 1/2-3/4" long pieace on opposite sides of the jaws, your levers won't ride as high, if it where me I would sale off my reg jaws and buy offset traps.

[mathews4ever]

I'm asking because I found a really good deal on a bunch of regular jaw traps but I trap in a dog heavy area so I would really prefer OS traps.

[FWS]

Depends on the trap. I actually milled an offset into 1.5 and 1.75 Northwoods RJ's and then laminated them years ago. They worked very well on gray fox and cats.

[mathews4ever]

The traps that I am looking to OS are 1.75 victors.

[trappincoyotes39]

If you can get a real good deal buy them and buy OS replaement jaws from victor would be quick and easy to do and could do it for 36-38 a dozen?

[trappnman]

I don't think you could weld a lug on the 1.75s that would be acceptable on the levers.

but since they are 1.75s, why worry about offsets? 1.75s are very dog friendly.

[thebeav2]

Offsets are a feel good thing In the eyes of the beholder. Take a trap with a 1/4" offset and tell me If you stick a dogs foot In that trap if that offset will make that dog feel any more comfortable. He will still have the jaws tight to It's foot.
Sure the leavers will come up a bit higher on the jaws but It's pretty minimal.

[RonMarsh]

A 1/4" offset will let a lot of coon loose. I have found that a 3/16 is better.

[Stef]

I use a 5/16"th offset on most of my #3s, double laminated ;D and those #3s catch enough coon high that I don't lost any

Anyway, with the Bridger #3 piece of ¼" rod are bad because the jaws won't stay in place " on the lugs ".
The best thing I've found is to weld a 5/16"th nut.
Its ¼" thick but larger when welded flat than a piece of ¼" rod and that way, no more problem with the jaws.

Stef

[ohiyotee]

A 1/4" offset will let a lot of coon loose. I have found that a 3/16 is better.

ditto for me

Offsets are a feel good thing In the eyes of the beholder. Take a trap with a 1/4" offset and tell me If you stick a dogs foot In that trap if that offset will make that dog feel any more comfortable. He will still have the jaws tight to It's foot.

Thats very true but if you toe catch that dog it will have a better chance of no broken bones in the off set.

[trappnman]

offsets on coon depend on 1 thing in my mind- the size of the trap.

In smaller traps- 1.5, 1.75- I think you lose a good portion of coon in offsets, because of the lower pad catch on them.

I get a LOT of toed coon in regular jawed 1.5s and even 1.75s-

Buti t bigger offsets, coyote sized traps, I don't lose but 1 or 2 coon a year to offsets- and I could have lost them anyways. Bigger traps get a high enough grip, that the offset is moot.

and yes, except for keeping a couple of toeheld cooytes, offsets are more feel good, than practical.

[Stef]

I'm not saying that offset traps are the right traps to use for coon but they are the right tool to use on k-9s and they do catch plenty of coon too.

Here's a couple examples

Huge coon in a old #1.75 Victor 3/16th offset - laminated jaws "#9 wire"






Big coon in a #3 Bridger 5/16" offset double laminated jaws - 4 coils " nice leg?"....LoL

[foxcatcher1]

I can't use #3s around here for coyotes because every coon that gets in them breaks a leg. I have a swivel at the baseplate, in line and one at the stake. I just don't know what else to do. I have went back to the smaller 1.75 traps for coyotes because of this. Matter of fact I might sell off all my #3s and 4s.

Don

[bobwendt]

what kind of #3`s and a description of them as to what you have done? I might be interested in them.

[musher]

A twist of wire around a jaw can make an off-set in a hurry ...

[Stef]

I can't use #3s around here for coyotes because every coon that gets in them breaks a leg.

Do you catch only 5 lb coon or what

[trappnman]

can't say I've had that problem w/#3 montanas or bridgers.

stef- I think you were REAL lucky that bottom coon was still there-

[medicineman]

Ive never used an offset trap before, but i recently bought a few dozen #2 northwoods with a 3/16" offset for some canine trapping. As mostly a coon trapper, I'd hate to lose any, but can I expect to hold almost all coon in this trap or turn a bunch loose? They do have #3 springs and I'm most likely going to laminate them

[Stef]

stef- I think you were REAL lucky that bottom coon was still there-

why?

Shockspring does help I believe