Re: more on #44 Newhouse
[Re: mike mc murray]
#6337066
09/30/18 04:44 PM
09/30/18 04:44 PM
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 78 Texas USA
IWM
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 78
Texas USA
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As you can tell by my posts, I am over-passionate about #44s and am receiving more email & phone questions than I have time to handle right now. I have studied #44s for many years because they are the first officially designated Newhouse Gov't trap and I limit my discussions to Gov't/official research traps. Two questions I am getting repeatedly are: 1) why do so many pat date 44s have split jaw posts? 2) why don't pre-pat date 44s have factory Gov't stamping if some went to Gov't agencies?
An abbreviated answer for both is that until 1914, the only official organized predator control was by the US Forest Service (1905-1914). Trap/equipment orders were sparse & sporadic do to lack of primary funding. In 1914, Congress charged the Biological Survey with all official animal damage control and followed with a $125,000 appropriation in 1915-16 (equivalent to $3,051,040 in 2018) that jump-started official purchases. At the same time, the US was about to enter WW1 and conservation of cast parts began; thus resulting in split posts fashioned from sheet metal instead. Because early Gov't trappers had been introduced to the pre-pat date #44s, and a "designated Gov't issue trap" was more easily requisitioned by newly funded Agencies; a spike in orders occurred for pat date #44s during split jaw post period (1916-1918). Many of these were converted back to cast jaw posts afterwards by trappers unhappy with integrety of split posts. When figuring out production forensics on Gov't traps, it ALWAYS correlates to Agency authority (via correspondence) and subsequent funding. Until Newhouse realized the significance of Gov't purchases after 1915-16, they couldn't justify investing in personalized press & stamp tooling. With onset of Gov't purchase orders and establishment of Agency rules concerning proof of ownership from origin (factory), they initiated "property of" stamping of trap parts before assembly. After 1925, ATC greatly expanded this stamping process on most Gov't traps, but the production of #44s dwindled about the same time as OC-ATC transition.
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Re: more on #44 Newhouse
[Re: mike mc murray]
#6337069
09/30/18 04:50 PM
09/30/18 04:50 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 7,091 MO
cfowler
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 7,091
MO
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I don't collect traps or own a #44, but this has been a very interesting thread.
I trap for fun. I skin 'em for the money! Grinners For Life-Lifetime Member, MO Chapter, Den #1 ~You Grin, You're In~
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Re: more on #44 Newhouse
[Re: snakecollector]
#6337435
10/01/18 06:49 AM
10/01/18 06:49 AM
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 452 Minnesota
4zebra61
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 452
Minnesota
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Mods, this is some great information, is there anywhere in the archives for it?
MTA member NRA Benefactor Life Member Winchester Arms Collector’s Assn.
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