Your opinions on leaving the springs compressed during the off-season. My neighbor insist it will weaken the springs over time?

Compressed. Heat, rust and repeated firings is what weakens springs. Compression does nothing. That's why you don't have to worry about your ar15 mags not working if you lead em loaded for years in case of emergency.

Just as easy to store with the load off for me. Not sure if it matters but this way you don't have to worry

Mine are compressed unless they have a catch in them. If you were to actually let the load off them, you'd have to remove them from the jaws completely.

Compressed. I have some Bridger and Duke 330s that have been compressed most of there life since I purchased them in 2010. Same trap today they were back then. Still kill beaver and otter just fine. My 2 cents.

Compressed and there ready to go, no compression of springs in the field. Have never noticed any weakening of springs do to continuous compression.

Lots easier to store them in the compressed stage. No tangling of safety hooks.

10/4, I forgot to mention that.

x3 Especially if you don't use Belisles. On many other brands the springs will go around the corners of the trap often getting the dog and through them somehow and bending the crap out of your triggers.

All of mine are stored compressed. Takes a lot less space, less tangling (especially when there is only a swivel and no chain), and when it comes time to set them it really speeds up the process. Have Duke 160s that are at least 10 years old that still are strong and kill what they catch no problem.

I saw discussions on this topic go all over the place years ago. I decided to go to the people that know springs and see what they have to say.


This is what my understanding is of what weakens springs: over compressing, over stretching, heat, rust/corrosion, and finally, excessive use.


I leave all of mine compressed unless they’re holding an animal. I also take care of my traps by keeping them from Rusting. Speaking of, it’s time for me to give them a paint dip bath soon.


Good luck

I Leave all my Ram snares compressed. One day I I was in the shed heard something over (a pop) where they are stored, went poking around in the bucket they were in and one had broken. It just snapped one arm by the coil. It was 3 years old (2 trapping seasons). I called the Snare Shop and talked to the owner and he said to decompress them when not in the field and there was no warranty on them. He was pretty explicit to release the spring strength when you were done trapping for the year. I'm not very well versed on metallurgy so maybe someone can explain the difference that and the steel in a BG................ the mike

I store my conibears uncompressed. As the season approaches, they all get compressed ahead of opening day.

I would guess the snare shop didn't want to send you a new one.

x2

I've always stored mine uncompressed. I often precompress them before heading out to set them so I don't have to do it in the field, but have always hated storing/packing them compressed. Was shocked by the people here stating that they take up much less room and are easier to store compressed, and one guy even said, less tangles! I've always folded the uncompressed springs into the the square of the jaws, you then have a flat square trap and if you fold one spring in from the left and one in from the right with the trigger hanging down between them it sandwiches the trigger between the springs, so it can't flop around and is much less likely to tangle with other traps. you can stack them or hang them with much less issues this way. With springs compressed I always have springs, triggers, and chains flopping every which way and tangling with anything close to them.

It's in the making of the springs, there was a flaw in the metal when they are made. Several body grippers brands have had issues getting bad springs in the past.

You can do the same thing with compressed springs. And you never have your free dangling safety hooks get tangled up In the other traps? Ya right.

When I store mine, I leave my extension cables attached. Fold springs in the wrap cable over the springs and clip the carabinier to the springs or cable. Stays tight and no floppage

I have a couple of college buddies who are Metallurgic Engineers that put this argument to rest loooong ago. We all went to Michigan Tech and trapped the UP during the best fur boom in the late 70’s.
They agree that springs wear down/out from working them ie. repeatedly compressing and decompressing. Strength of a spring is not reduced in a static state ie. remaining compressed or decompressed.
Sounds to me the bottom line is “you can have it your way”. Neither way is better or worse.
Sigdoc