I have a couple of questions about 3N s

What makes a 3n different than a 3??

The swivels and chain on these are prompting my question.





Thanks for any help

The 3N was the Cadillac of the line. The chain, swivels, cast jaws and the jaws were held in the base plate similar to the Newhouse innovations.
They were designed not for the trapping market as most trappers could not afford them at over 120 dollars a dozen back in the day. Your government could though spending money and numbers ended up government trapper's hands to be abused.
It was a beaver and yote trap, but the money was in mink and muskrats those years, and with poisoning, the coyotes had been cropped back that the market was there, so when the long fur prices came into demand under Ronald Reagan with sales to South Korea, the smaller coil springs were the primary sellers.
As the yotes were spread in the breeding program by the government, the speed, price and power of the four coils dominated the market.
Pack a dozen of those traps around and you noticed it fast and those traps had the trait of walking away on two legs with trap thieves.

The trap in the picture is not a true 3N. The jaws are not cast. They are like the jaws you would find on an ordinary 3 Victor double long with factory offset jaws.

The chain, including the swivel and the clevice, is original though it has been shorted. A standard 3N chain is 30 inches long.

I agree with star flakes on the first 3 items on his list as to what makes a 3N different - chain, swivels, cast jaws.

I disagree with the 4th item - the jaw insertion into the base. The jaws on a 3N are not inserted into the base like a Newhouse. The jaws on a 3N are inserted just like the jaws of an ordinary # 3 Victor double long. Solid base piece that is upturned on each end. Each upturned end has 2 small holes. The jaw tips are inserted into each hole. Since the jaws are cast, the inserted tip looks a bit different than a standard # 3 jaw tip.i

What are they worth $ In very good condition.

That is not a 3N Victor...as they had maleable cast (hook-in) jaws.

True 3Ns sell for $25-$35 ea. 3Ns in good condition with legitimate gov't/agency stamping can fetch up to $100.

3Ns had highest production of any coyote sized government trap (stamped or unstamped).