Anyone else having problems with new Belisle 330's? The older ones we have we never had an issue with animals not dead right away, and never really had pullouts. These newer traps are different, and we are having problems. We have a few of them that have bent open a bit, that never happened with the older ones. Did they switch to Chinese steel or what?

I've also noticed the jaws bent after a catch a few times this winter. I caught a black wolf in a 330 belisle back in January right behind the head. It killed it virtually instantly, but when I pulled the trap off the wolf there's at least a 1" gap between the jaws on that side of the trap now. Had jaws bend on a wolverine last winter as well. So was wondering if this is normal. I just pressed the jaws back to where they meet tight again.
Mike

Belisle has always had a soft steel for jaws.They are the most inexpensive Canadian bodgrip,you get what you pay for.They are lighter and cheaper than the LDL or Sauvageau,so some trappers are OK with whacking the jaws back straight with an axe once in a while.Also some guys like the stiff spring hooks.
I use them along with the ldl.

I like them, but they do bend a little. Me and my partner had one bend a little on the last wolverine.

Bought a Sauvageau 220 to fool around with this year, caught two marten it, good trap. Because of the double jaws the dog can't spin all the way around the jaw which can be a little aggravating when setting them. If the dog is below the opposite jaw when you compress the springs with the jaws, you have to let the jaws open a bit to get the dog above the opposite jaw, you can't simply spin it around on the jaw it's on due to the double jaw.

Same with the LDL mag cracker.

I have always liked them as well, and they have always done well for us, the last 18 we bought this past fall though, are different, they don't have the same strength in the jaws or the springs.

Well, since the Belisle 330 trap is made for muskrat, beaver, and lynx I’d say the trap and steel used is plenty strong and fine.

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lol If you use a 330 Belisle for muskrat you must be a master at sewing

LOL yep my thoughts exactly.

Jurassic just so you know, we use them for wolverines and have caught many, without issue, until this new batch of 18 traps. purchased this fall.

And while you can catch lynx in a 330, it is certainly not how we target lynx, I guess maybe that is what the Canadian BMP's tell you the 330 is for?

Caught dozens of rats in both belisles 330s and the bigger 11" sauvageaus. Crossovers and in beaver channels under ice. Most of the time they get them right behind, or on the head, or by the tail. Skin is never torn because of the lack of dog, however where the trap hits all that is left is the skin which changes how you skin the head. Need to kind of push the head out from the fur side.

If the skin is tearing, I would suggest compressing the springs before you try and remove a critter from the trap.

Also, never had an issue with the belisles bending on critters. Only if the trap is set off on a good sized stick will they bend, but no issue to bend them back. If they are bending on critters, I would say thats an issue, since they are designed to be used on critters, not sticks. This is the same with all belisle traps. Set off a 120, 160, or 280 on a stick and you get about 1/2" bend

No experience with current belisle 330s. Havent bought one in a few years. I reach for the sauvageau traps first though, as they are just a better trap. I have new sauvageau 2001-11 traps, and also some really old ones that my head trapper used for years before i took over the line. They are every bit as good as the new sauvageaus and they are 25 years old or more!

No experience with LDL.

And I would suggest you read his post where he said IT’S MADE for muskrat. There’s a huge difference between catching incidental muskrats in a 330 vs targeting muskrats in them. I can assure you if I caught 500 rats using only belisle 330 there would be one heck of a mess. That’s why I use 1.5 coil and 110 Conibear.

Regarding your original post fisherman you are correct. The 330 Belisles I bought last fall are made with crap steal. Have to pound straight after every beaver

Not well suited for them but ill take a rat in one over an empty trap. Its why incidentals are wonderful. While not the right trap ive never had the hide torn on a rat and a good percentage are held by the tail.

http://belisletrap.com/en/shop/beaver/330-super-x-2/

Also. You had better tell belisle they are not made for muskrat. Apparently they dont know

Goofy! A kid puts muskrat traps on his Christmas list. Dad doesn't trap but he discovers 330 belisle is listed as a muskrat trap. Kinda spendy….but the kid gets a couple 330 belisles under the tree for muskrats. Goofy!

Maybe they got big rats in Quebeck

stupid question can conis be laminated to strengthen the jaws kind on like base plating a foothold? I've considred adding kill bars to dukes to make them a 100% close trap! lol. I know mags are supposed to be full close I guess in a perfect world they can and do! My new dukes still have the strongest springs of any coni straight from the box. lol No im not a big duke fan but its bad that they are holding up against some of the best. For the price I can completely gutt them and have a killer trap for a fraction of the price of sauvageua

Fishermann222 I caught a fox in one of my wolverine sets this year right behind the ears, and when I showed up it was on its feet fighting the trap. It was one of the brand new belisle I bought last year. Something was wrong wit the trap. It just seemed weak.