Not sure why this even happens but is there any way to avoid it? This is not the first time I've had this problem with them.

Here's another view of it.

Interesting. I run pans on mine, for marten and mink, and have not had that happen.
Are they set with the trigger on the bottom, with wires up?

It was getting dark and I was gettin er done when I put the set in but I'm pretty sure the dog was on top. I usually have them vertical on a tree with the dog to the trunk as above but this time it was on the ground. Looks like an ermine fired it and got out

Never had that happen...I set them all trigger on bottom

And most smaller traps like that with a wood pan.

Never had one do that but have had then with a wire on each side of the jaw.

I run Victors, so it isn't specifically a Belisle thing. Just bad luck I guess.

The odds of catching on that narrow edge are pretty slim, but it looks like you won that one.



Charlie

Must be a sharp edge on the trigger housing from the stamping.
I wax all my bodygrips so never seen that.Maybe try filing any sharp edges off the trigger assembly.

They're waxed

Maybe they are using a slightly thicker steel on the trigger housing on newer traps?
I hate having to tinker with traps to make them work properly.

That's usually what happens, now I'm really careful to make sure the trigger wires are straight and not bent.

Yeah they seem pretty thick I might look at filing off any sharp edge.

It's not Belisle problem specifically, it can happen with any body grip trap. It happens generally when the trigger is hanging down from the upper jaw rather than standing up from the bottom jaw. It can happen when standing up from the bottom jaw when trigger wires are bent in and out , not parallel with each other.

Excellent chart

Thanks BC- 33o was on it too. Who worked up the diagrams BC?

Very nice post BC

Have the trigger on the so called inside if the trap, or facing into the cubby box / or toward the bait.
Do not have the trigger on the first jaw the animal encounters. It dosed not matter if you are using triggers or a coni pan.
If you bend your triggers back toward the bait it will help. If you choose to leave them straight, take your pliers, grab about 3/4" of trigger wire and bend them up so they pinch up against the main trigger wire, thus shortening the trigger and making it also less likely to hit anything, including the tree on a running pole set.

I used to do that with duke 120's but when I tried it with the belisle it was a train wreck - a lot of hangups - so now I am careful to make sure the trigger wires are straight. I think the belisle trigger wires are longer though so that may be part of it.

I did for a trapper education course I was involved in back in 86 or so.

I had replacement triggers with extra long wires that caught the jaws before.

Looks like that bent your jaws again?

BTW I have never had that happen on my bodygrips. The occasional split wire, but one time I had a jam on the trigger wire tips.