Doesn't happen often, but now and then I get a body grip that has a sloppy trigger. One that allows a couple inches or more of trigger travel before the trap fires.

I am aware of this bit in the basic sets section on BG trigger adjustement:

http://www.trapperman.com/trapperman/Basic_Sets_Bodygrip_Adj.html

After looking at it, thinking about it and fooling with it, seems to be the premise of this article is wrong.....more like backwards. Seems to me all the fault lies in the clip....not the dog.

If the dog has a nice square shoulder, it will maintain it's grip on the jaws until the rotating clip (or side cocking clip in the case of 4 way triggers) starts to pry the dog up to the point where it loses it's grip on the round sided jaw and lets go. A crisp trigger is found where the dog is seated just deep enough to hang on, while at the same time, resting firmly on the clip. No gap between the two when set. That way, the moment the clip starts to move as the whisker wires are moved, the dog loses it's grip and trap fires.

So the question is....if the clip allows the dog to sit too low.....requires too much travel to pry it up....how do you fix the clip? That seems to be where the fault lies in the traps I have with sloppy triggers.

On top of making sure the jaw seats in the dog, we are sposd to tune the trigger yoke by tapping a punch or nail on both sides of the jaw so it hits the dog sooner,
The yoke is put in a bench vise while tapping to hold sturdy.
1/2" of travel before tripping is what many folks aim for.
I forget who posted this pic bout 10 yrs ago but i been sharing it.

The issue on some brands is the trigger where it is supposed to bump the dog is too low it literally never touches the dog on certain settings. My experience has been that traps that don't stay set are from the dog and the ones that won't fire the trigger is the problem.

When you have to much trigger travel before the trap fires Is because the top of the clip Isn't making enough contact with dog edge. So filing the dog notch deeper lets the dog make better contact with trigger clip. Anyway that's how I see It.

That seems logical, but the dog has an optimum spot, which is right on the edge of letting go. If you just file the dog's notch deeper so the dog now rests on top of the clip, you have not changed anything. Trigger wires no longer flop around back and forth, but still requires the same amount of trigger wire travel to generate enough clip rotation in order to pry the dog up to the point it lets go.

What needs to happen is the notch needs to be raised....so it is in contact with bottom of a dog that is right on the edge of letting go. The nail trick does not raise the notch, but does create a larger diameter.....so with the same amount of rotation, the edge of the clip that does the prying moves further. Would have to get out the math books to see how much difference that makes.

Another thing to remember too...it's easier to change a bodygrip trigger if you mess up than to replace a dog. Also easier to smash the top of the trigger to raise the contact points or do the nail trick than to file the dog.

I use d a chain saw file and It didn't take but a few swipes and It was done.

Smashing the top of the clip down a bit to raise the bottom of the notch seems to be the best solution I've found, but you need to go easy on that. Easier to smash it down than to move it back if you take it too far and trap will no longer stay set.

Guess if it's really bad, you can always replace the clip?

So If the notch In the dog isn't deep enough to make contact with the trigger and you smash down the top of the trigger Isn't that making It worse?

No. Theres a lot of free space under a lot of trigger clips. Which lowers the shoulders on the clip. If you smash the top of the trigger, you eliminate the free space and raise the shoulders so they catch the dog faster.

Spot on Sniperb!

That's why the bevel is filed on the front part of the dog notch, as shown in Figure B. It decreases the amount of travel to the extent you want before the dog is released from the jaw.

My preference is lightly smashing the trigger, either by putting it in a vise and tapping it with a hammer or using a pair of vise grips.


My experience has been that when done correctly, it turns a standard 2-way into a 4-way which fires when bumped from the front, back, left, and right——a superior trigger.

Some may prefer a trigger that only fires front to back, but the way I see it, if they’re close enough to bump the trigger in any way, you’ve got em.

Had to go back and study the diagrams again, as the first time or two through, I missed the part about beveling the inside edge of the dog's notch. What that would do is recess or inset the release point up inside the notch. So flats of dog still rest on the clip, except now trap is on the verge of letting go......so when the clip rotates or cocks sideways, dog loses its grip and trap fires.

That does seem to be a fast and simple way to adjust these and much easier fix than fiddling with the clip. Problem being if you file off too much bevel trap won't stay set......but then you can file off the flats of the dog to remove some of the bevel........and if need be, also deepen the notch to get it back. Got a sloppy Bridger 160 gonna try this on and will report back when it's done.

BTW, who were the authors of those basic set articles? They are really helpful.

"BTW, who were the authors of those basic set articles? They are really helpful."

I did most of them. I did an article on the adjustment of the conibear triggers in the Trapper and Predator Caller. Later Hal Sullivan asked if he could use my info for an article in Fur-Fish-Game magazine, and I said sure.

A longer travel on the trigger should be less resistance to the animal. Not that it matters much for end result. Just a thought

Squeezing the clip with a pair of vice grips is how I learned to do it, on here, it works like a charm.

Longer trigger travel allows critters to be further through the trap before closure.
WHEN a otter comes speeding through your 330 , ya wana get em behind the head NOT at his hips.

So true. But I mainly use 110's for mink & muskrat. I should have mentioned that. Was just thinking muskrat at the time.

Last post I mentioned a Bridger 160 had a bad trigger. Tips of wires would move nearly 3 inches before trap would fire......and would only fire 2 way....forward or back. No side to side. I spent well over and hour on that clip......and nothing changed.

So on a lark........decided to try a different clip. Looking over the different 160 brands I have......remarkable how different they are. Victor and Duke.....rod stock is smaller than Belisle or this Bridger, which are nearly identical in size. So slipped on a $1 Belisle clip and like magic, problem was solved. Triggers won't move an inch and trap fires.....and is now a 4 way trigger.



No obvious difference looking at them, but huge difference in how it works. BTW, Belisle is a snug fit with no slop. Bridger is sloppy all the way around.....and has a wide notch.....so side to side movement does nothing.

Had a similar problem with a Victor 160......would not stay set. Dog was fine.....without clip, it was rock solid.....so fault was with the clip. Victor clips are not U shaped straps that drape over the bars.......they are squeeze clips that come together on top.....gap in clip is above bars. Solved that one by prying clip apart....with lowered notch just enough the dog could hang on.

Weird how these are all so much different, yet somehow work the same.