Hello
Been a victor 3 long spring user my while time trapping. I have been humoring adding some 4s in this year. All for coyote. Anyone run both and start to go towards 4s more after using them? If so why do you favor the 4s?

Thanks

I recently bought some Victor #3s. Idk what 4s measure, but 3s are anywhere 5 1/4-5 1/2" outside spread. Maybe the 4s are bigger, I'd like to know myself.

I believe victor #4 longs have a 6" outside spread. They also work well for coyotes.

4s grab a little high for me, and laminated they seemed to cause less damage than stock jaws did. #3 is a decent jaw spread for coyote, I believe.
In Rick Jameson's book he shows he used #4 longs for his coyote work.
Jim

I agree with Jab.
We do not want to grab them by the leg, but by the foot, that’s why they are called foot holds, not leg holds.
A number four is for rear foot Beaver sets on my line.
This is another case where bigger is not better IMO.

A #3 longspring and a #1.75 coilspring "jaw spread" are roughly the same, yet lots of people on here say a #1.75 isn't big enough to be a coyote trap.

But then they turn right around and say a Victor 3N is one of the better coyote traps, Lol, go figure.

That is an excellent point,KY.I have heard people on this site sat that a. MB550 was a 1.5 sized trap.It had exactly the same jawspread as the Victor 3N's and longer,hinge to hinge.New trappers trying to reinvent the wheel.Go figure.Great post,KY.

The jaw width is where the similarities end.
And ford galaxie can have a 390 engine, so can an old ford 4x4 truck, which would you take on the cross country off-road trapline?

I think the jist of the conversation was people saying a 1.75 coil is to small...Clearly it's not when a Victor 3N, is or was, considered a premier "government" issue trap.

If you put #3 springs on it, and beef it up a little, no problem....If it's a MB 550 or Sleepy Creek 1.75 coil, just set it.

Hey Taxi, Yeah this big trap trend started a few years back, now it's accepted as gospel it seems.

Russ Carman, Jim Spencer, the Leggett's, and many others have used the 1.75 coil on coyotes.... No, It's probably not the ultimate coyote trap, but it's definitely not to small either.

Exactly. I always thought you were supposed to catch critters across the pad not above the ankle. Never understood using a beaver trap to catch coyotes. I use 1.75 and 2s and see no need for a bigger trap.

I’ve never understood the modern love affair with the 3N. Sure they were good in their time.

We’re light years ahead of them now.

Nostalgia I suppose.


As for Victor double longs, my #4s aren’t much bigger than the #3s measured across the dog. Jaw post to jaw post is where they’re stretched out. I personally prefer the #3s for dry land, but I only use them for exposed cat sets.

I use 3's and 4's for beaver. Prefer 4's. I have never understood this new love affair with hind footing beaver. The only time I set for a hind foot is when there isn't a spot to bed a trap for a front foot catch. A lot of the places I trap beaver the water isn't all that deep and I can drown a front foot caught beaver safely and reliably in 16-18" of water, you hind foot him and he is going to be able to reach air. 3's work fine for front foot beaver but I always prefered 4's for the incidental otter and being more versatile, if I find a spot where I can't set for a front foot I want a 4, and it is easier to already have one than to go back to the truck to get one because I am packing 3's. That being said I use some 3's because I only have about 3 dozen #4's and when I was setting a lot of beaver traps I would set more than that, since I have about 4 dozen 3's I would set them at times.
I've used 3Ns for coyotes, and they are a good coyote trap. Where I trap now though there are wolves and I don't want an incidental wolf pulling out (3N may hold them but I think they are marginal so I never set one where a wolf is a possibility). I use mb650s mainly because they should hold a wolf (may be rebuilding or replacing it after the catch, but you can buy a lot of traps for one wolf hide) and where I consider a visit by a wolf likely I have been known to set a mb750 with the pan tension turned down. Serious overkill for a coyote, but I know it will hold any wolf that happens by.
Never used 4 dbls for coyotes, never saw the need, and I like offset jaws for land trapping. All my 4s have closed jaws and virtually all have teeth brazed on them for beaver trapping (they were all my dad's traps before me, and he did that in the 70's, never seen that it was necessary myself, but since they are there and I only set them at water sets I have just used them as is)

Totally agree with bearcat regarding front foot target with beaver. Rear foot makes for the need for deeper
water.

I agree with Boone.If you deal with real Winters,you will learn to appreciate more jaws spread and the coilsprings are usually more compact so chiseling in flint hard,frozen ground can be a little less work.

Bearcat2 also makes some good points.In season,I relegate my MB650's to locations that might catch a wolf.That theory hasn't been tested yet but it is my strongest coyote trap so that is how and when I use them.I also keep those out of the timber as that is the most likely place to encounter a mountain lion.

The victor 4 is 6 1/4" I believe. It is my preferred beaver trap since we have a 6.5 limit. I've used them for coyotes and cats but overkill in my mind, so it's just beaver for me.

I'm in total agreement with KS Yote trapper. I've got MB 650s, Mj 600s and #4 traps but hardly ever use them land trapping. Just victor 1.75s and mb 550s which are similar in size is all I need. It might be different if all we had was coyotes, but I still think I would run the same trap. I will catch greys, reds, cats, and coon along with coyotes so it's just more trap than is really necessary.

I will add to KS Yote trappers posts. Just as the 550 is built like a rugged 1.75/2, the bridger #2 is as big as SC, Victor, and duke 3s. Funny how some will set their bridger 2s aside for some bigger #3 sized traps.

Also agree with bearcat 2 on the beaver. Front foot on a drowner is the goal and works just fine. Maybe that's because I can't and never have used big beaver traps, but I don't really see it improving my catch much.

Also agree with Taxi on the winter trapping. I also bump up a size in traps around mid December. Even then its usually just flat sets and the smaller traps at dirtholes if I can make 'em.

Good, practical posts fellas, in my mind anyway.

Personally I do not know what the love affair there is with a long spring trap on coyotes unless as said above nostalgia,, as boone point makes we have moved past that. .
I do like dbls for cats , but coyotes, victor 3 coils are same as a there long spring same with the 4s.
Using a smaller trap is like slitting your sack and sticking your foot throw it imo.
Huge handicap in deep snow. Bring your 1.75 on outer your 550s out see what they can do in 6inches of snow every night.
If your nice weather fair weather trapping all those types are well in good weather, not bad weather.

Maybe you just skimmed my post, or maybe you have poor comprehension, or maybe you just enjoy internet squabbles. I agreed with the bigger traps in winter. Only a fool would trap in 6 inches of snow every day. For crying out loud, you'd be dealing with close to four feet by the first week's end. I'm guessing if I brought out the 1.75 or 550 out and shoved them up your arse you'd be whistling a new big trap/small trap tune, haha. Anyone who has trapped seriously for any amount of time would know that you make hay when the sun shines. Trapping in severe winter conditions is not really a prosperous endeavor, especially feet of snow like you imply. I guided in Wyoming 20yrs ago and have stomped around Montana a bit also and the winters are rough at times, I agree, but you are an exaggerator.

If a guy can consistently take deer with a stickbow does he have to use a crossbow cuz that's the only way some other goon can take deer?

The OP asked would you favor #4 long springs over #3 and as I have been observing for years hear it seems it always gets off topic to the argument coil spring over long spring my advice which doesn't mean squat is use the type of trap (long spring or coil spring) you like best because at the end of the day use what you feel most comfortable with and makes you happy!

I know this Is off track but does the heavier less compact trap such as the long spring cause more damage then the lighter more compact coil spring?