I got my 1st 330 last night. Had a fleet farm gift card and they had em on sale for $16. Anyways, I’m going to get a safety but was curious if the stock trigger setup was good or if guys preferred a different setup?? I have heard of setups that have wires bent so trigger is off to side with 1 down and 1 bent toward middle of opening and I’ve seen where they are bent “out and down”. Is there a configuration based on if they are in clear water, runs vs castor sets, etc??

I will say that just in compressing the springs, it has my utmost respect.

Off to the side is often to avoid otters.
I make mine bell or tear drop shaped, or wishbone.
Upgrading to the extra long trigger wires from Southeastern outdoors when the factory need replaced.
Wrap them around a 1 quart paint can when shaping them

Don’t forget to hit them with a stripe or 2 of a dark paint to break up an outline and blend them in with limbs or sticks so it looks like they fell naturally from above, as opposed to a picket fence, unnatural looking guiding.

Don’t shove them down into a soft mud bottom, lay down 2 thumb diameter sticks several inches long perpendicular to the jaws underneath them and on top of the mud to act as a runway so the jaws will close fast without dragging mud and debris, slowing them down.
Sullivan Stabilizers wire to 330’s and do this exact function and are the cats meow. Don’t forget to wire them to your trap, the spring eye for instance, so when tripped they stay with the Trap since it is wired or cabled to something secure on shoreline.

Thanks TJ

I prefer twisting half together then bending the remainder away from each other to make a T.

I also twist them together all the way to the tip.


I think that twisting them together makes them last longer.

IMHO the best all around trigger position for any setting and animal is with the trigger wires in a V position from the bottom up!

Thanks for the pics, but we have to fully submerge a 330.

Thanks. I did notice it seemed like a lot of youtube guys set them w the trigger pointed up.

It depends on the set,submerged or not,what animal you are targeting,two way or one way approach,baited set or blind etc,and how far into the trap you want the animal before it fires etc.

Yes "Boco" I should have added that for water diving sets I prefer the trigger hanging down from the top bar, and of course when using a pan trigger the trigger lays over the back trap jaw.

Same here, you just put them out deeper, and lay local debris/limbs to guide similar as shown.

If the trap Is partialy submerged like In a castor mound set then I bend the triggers In the shape of a T and they are under water. I don't want that beaver to have to push those wires with It's face.
When that trap Is totally under water then those wires are centered In the opening and they hang down from the the top.

I use the T method but I put a double ferrule on the trigger wires it seems that this makes the trigger wires last longer for me

Good Idea.

i put the wires together and one side rubbing the spring . a beaver aint getting through and a rat aint settng it off .

Personally, I don't like triggers off to the side. I've seen too many hip caught otter and beaver.

Excellent point!