I’ve never used the MB traps before. I’m looking into buying a dozen this year. What would be the best size, specifically for coyote, maybe bobcat in future. Also to get offset or not? I was thinking about the 550 offset. Thanks for help

550's work better in a mixed line IMO.....if you are only wanting coyotes and cats 650 is very good. Offset and cast.

550's are easier to release non-targets IMO.

I'd go with the 550. imo, the best designed MB trap.

I have 550s and 650s Cs. 650s are a lot better for coyotes, IMO

But to each his own.

I have both and prefer the 550 personally. Both are great traps I just feel the 550's are easier and quicker to set. Never had a problem holding a coyote in either.

As stated the 550 and the 650 are great coyote traps, if you have some fox the 550 would be a good choice.

I run both. Prefer the 550. Much easier to set and bed. The biggest problem I have with the 650 is the 1/4" offset--coon pulled out last season. Indiana requires offset of 1/8" if your trap has a spread over 5.75" and some claim the 550 does between the posts (haven't measured, didn't want traps for different states).

550 in a step down dirt hole works very well. 650's really need to be at grade. Definitely go cast jaws. Getting caught in your own one time makes the investment seem cheap. If you go 550, just get 2 coil. 4 really isn't necessary with new springs, and setting a 4 coiled tires you out a lot faster.

mb 550 regular jaw 2 coil. that is the best coyote trap out there for the money.

Yesterday morning I went to check some sets for coyote. We have had a lot of rain.

I get to the second set and there it was and thrashing around. It just pulled up with the 550 on its foot and the cable stake intake.

Off through the brush it went, me shortly behind but a lot slower.

After looking around for 15-20 minutes in the pine area, nothing.

I won't using anything less than a MB550 anymore.

MB 650 cast would be too big for Pa. The steel would be right at the 6.5" mark. Might make a difference whose tape measure is being used. I would have to be just a little over and get busted.

Go with the 550. I don't think I even had to level and of the pans.

I use both and like both.Sounds like you better check the jaw spread regs on the 650's.The 2 coiled 550's are easier to set and a little simpler trigger setup.I get consistent,above pad catches and high lock ups with each.Both have been fine for me,on red fox but I would consider neither,good for coons and grays,though the 550 would be slightly better.


If you like light pan tension,the 650 doesn't like to go that low,say,less than 2 1/2-3#.

If you are going to have a lot of snow/crusted ground,I'd give the nod to the 650.

I will also say,I prefer the laminated jaw 650 over the cast.The laminated jaw has a wider surface and that's the whole purpose of laminations and cast jaws.They are also much cheaper.The cast jaws on the 650 are too sharp edged for my liking and I wouldn't set them without addressing that.The single lammed are about $50 cheaper and I only file one edge of each jaw VS having to file both jaw edges on the 650's.The single lammed jaws are also a few ounces lighter,so,faster,though the cast is plenty fast enough.

I disagree. I let fox go out of my 650 casts every year. Although only a couple per year, I've never seen a cut on any animal with the casts.
Another thing about cast over lams is the cast is rough like sandpaper. Even with the offsets, coon (or anything) doesn't slip out like smooth steel.

The first coon I caught in the 650Cs was a muddy coon by the foot taper. I prodded him to see if I could get him to slip it. He didn't.

I've had far more visible damage with my 550s.

Just my observations.

Calvin,we've had this conversation before.The cast jaw 650's have sharper edges that the 550's plus the 650 is much heavier.This equals more damage and I see it every season,even though I rounded the cast jaw edges before ever setting them.I catch about 15-20 red fox a year and I run cast jaw 650's.IL 650's and 2 coiled OS 550's side by side.

I wondered if the longer checks might have made the difference.Last year I caught a red that had severe damage,in a cast jaw 650.I won't photograph something like that and hate to even talk about it but it happened.I had just checked that trap 12 hrs before catching it.That was way,unacceptable.

I have since,gone back and radiused those cast jaw edges even more and that seems to be making a difference.I had originally tried to emulate the radius of the 550 jaw edges,but still getting damage,I realized that wasn't enough,probably due to the extra trap weight and size The cast jaw 650 weighs 11.2 oz more than the 2 coiled.

The single lammed 650's get less damage than the cast.I take the sharp,un-laminated jaw edge down,with a file,so they aren't "right out of the box",condition.Like I said before,the single lams have a wider jaw surface so I don't buy the cast jaws any more.I know how to radius them to cut down on that damage but I'm not going to pay $50 more,and have to aggressively file all 4 jaw edges on each trap times however many dozen.

I still love the 650 but the IL version is my pick for less work,less damage and way less cost.

I personally like the 550 for coyote, but the 650 is great in frozen ground it has a lot of power you do not want to get your hand caught in it i have and it HURTS.

I wonder what the difference is then, Taximan. Only thing I can think of is that I run short chains... And my 550s aren't offset. My catches show about opposite of your findings. I'm on a 24 hr check here....which in reality isn't a whole 24 hrs after the catch.

I got the 650s Cs after Asa experienced the same on his fox...as I let all my fox go here, if I can. I've had to keep a couple in 550s.

I like to test, so thought about getting some 550 O/S. But personally I just didn't think a ton of the #2 sized 550 when dealing with mainly coyotes. It shows all the characteristics of every other #2....from what I've seen.

You guys have already touched on it but I believe chain length has a lot to do with damage. Not to say a sharp edge isn't a factor but I've seen what I believe to be easier on the catch is either a very short chain or a longer chain. I've went to all short just for the convenience factor like 6-8 inches and have very little to no damage. I use 550s along with other brands, some lamd. some not and the 550s are my favorite.
Getting a good pad catch instead of higher up is why I prefer a slightly smaller trap.

You will be very pleased with a dozen mb 550 offset. These are coyote catching machines. Enjoy and good trapping.
Greg.

Well,I have never used a closed jaw 550 so maybe that is the difference?If you like the larger trap,I'd stay with that.The 650's are excellent traps-all versions.I just find the IL version more practical for a number of reasons.I also use short chains,app 10",with 2 swivels.

I also don't believe the fox fight the bigger trap as much as the smaller traps. Asa believed this was the case years ago...and why I finally tried them where I might catch fox. From what I see, he was correct (for my area) But we all know what works for one, doesn't always work for another. That's the Funny thing about trapping.