mb 550

[beavertrapper46]

how are they for a coyote trap?

[hamburglar]

the best trap for the money.

[calvin]

How do they compare to the 650s? I/m getting to the point where I/m realizing size matters.

I just got a couple dozen 650C's....all my #2 sized coyote traps (no matter how heavily modded) are now a thing of the past. Gone, Gone, Gone.

Now I suppose every combine, grain wagon and skid steer in the country will be hunting my new traps.

[milkie62]

I have both but have not used the 650's yet.Alot heavier trap and may be better for the heavier soils.We have a 5 3/4" jaw spread in NY for land traps so I have to use the inside lams.

[gadgetman]

switched to MB550 last year. I'm in love. I only trap for pred. control on my land so I'm only running a few doz but they are easier to work on and come almost ready to stick in the dirt. I've got a bunch of torn up 1 3/4 fully mods (base plates, lam and 4 spring) and so far the MB550's are MUCH better and have taken the licking and keep ticking... I'm always short on time it's been nice to have traps I don't have to jerk with. I really like the pan's and dog.. crisp

[trappnman]

a bunch of torn up fully modded 1.75s? what brand are those?

in well over 1200 coyotes caught in duke 1.75s, un modified, I've NEVER have a trap damaged other than the dog.

[gadgetman]

I hate to rip a brand... They work and they are much cheaper. I run a bunch of 1 1/2 lam dukes for mink/rats and I am VERY happy with them... But I'm not having the same luck as you with yotes and my 1 3/4's. My biggest joy with the MB's is the lack of work they need before going in the ground. To get a duke ready (lam, base plate, 4 spring (yeah I know we can debate this) tune, dog/pan work) is a lot more work and time. So, i prefer to pay the premium for the MB's and save the time. If a guy is good at working on traps and has the time a duke can be made into a very good yote trap but it aint gonna be a MB550.

[trappnman]

your experiences are 100% opposite of mine. I do nothing to the trap other than short dog it, and replace the chain.

no 4 coils, no lams, no nothin'- time into short notching, and changing chain- about 2 minutes.

and as I've said, in 25 or so years of using them, and a lot of cooytes in them, I've never had a jaw popped, never had a baseplate bent, never had nothing other than a bent dog.

I have a hard time understanding those that have , it seems, every trap ripped apart(unless using 3 feet of chain) when I've had zero. Just the law of averages, should have given me one in the amount I've taken with the 1.75s.

but never- and never close. On short chains, the duke 1.75s have been indistructable- and my looses are about nil.

ah well, one of the mysterys of life.
---------------

keep in mind, i'm not saying the 550 isn't an overall better trap- I've heard lots of good about it- i've never used one but did get ahold of some 750s this summer- and they are a heck of a nice trap

[gadgetman]

MAYBE... I'm just to darn picky about my traps being just so. I'm certain you have more experience than me so... it must be something I'm doing, not doing...or overdoing. regardless, sorry if we hi-jacked your tread beavertrapper. Bottom line to you're question - The MB550 is a fine yote trap.

[trappnman]

I can't think of what you would be doing wrong, beyond longer chains. one other possiblility, is that the trap has changed over the years. I think the last I bought were from beav at WI 5-6 yars ago, otherwise, all mine are 10 years old or older.

the only thing I do perhaps different from others, is to make sure the coyote doesn't fire that trap, until he is pretty much 100% on the pan.

[RdFx]

And that is a step down set or one guided with a small stem, dime size piece of dirt or even a wall of trash to one side of trap....among other things..

[trappincoyotes39]

the 550's are a nice well built trap but jaw size for a "coyote" trap is limited to the point that I do not consider it a "great" coyote trap. I think MB should make the same trap enlarge it keep the same exact design but blow it up to a inside jaw spread of 5 7/8" or 6" and keep a centered pan and they would sell a pile of them to coyote/cat trappers.

[schweg2]

Aug 13, 2011 8:40:54 GMT -6 trappincoyotes39 said:

the 550's are a nice well built trap but jaw size for a "coyote" trap is limited to the point that I do not consider it a "great" coyote trap. I think MB should make the same trap enlarge it keep the same exact design but blow it up to a inside jaw spread of 5 7/8" or 6" and keep a centered pan and they would sell a pile of them to coyote/cat trappers.

My thoughts exactly.

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

Make them dogless and I'd buy em. I caught one cat with the one I have. It was the only dead cat I've had out of the past probably couple of hundred. So I can say they are death on cats. lol!!

[ohioandy]

Aug 13, 2011 8:40:54 GMT -6 trappincoyotes39 said:

the 550's are a nice well built trap but jaw size for a "coyote" trap is limited to the point that I do not consider it a "great" coyote trap. I think MB should make the same trap enlarge it keep the same exact design but blow it up to a inside jaw spread of 5 7/8" or 6" and keep a centered pan and they would sell a pile of them to coyote/cat trappers.

Then it would not be legal in alot of states that have 5 1/2" or 5 5/8" jaw spread regs. Ohio is one of those 5 5/8" states. Isn't the 650 right at 6" inside spread?

Someone else talked about a dogless design on the 550. I had an email conversation with Tim Caven about this topic. He said that they had tried a similiar design to the 650 on the 550 and could not get it to work in a way that they were happy enough with to produce to sell. I will give the cavens credit, they are creative with their thinking.

[trappincoyotes39]

ohioandy not saying replace it saying make another model of it. The problem with the 650's are way over powered unless your buying the cast jaw models to begin with. Plus it would be different by have a PIT pan different levers, less spring rate and would come in I would think a bit cheaper than the 650 cast due to less work in building of them over all.

[ohioandy]

Gotcha, i misunderstood your meaning in the first post. i thought you were advocating replacing it altogether, as i reread it, you definitely were not. Reading comprehension was never my strong suit!