This is my first post so bare with me if this topic has come up. This year I decided to experiment with a few different traps. I purchased 5 Montana special dogless #3. Naturally since I’m from Montana. The traps set for 5 weeks with 11 snaps no catches. I also had 20 duke 550 in the same area that had no snaps with 19 catches. Catches are coyotes badgers coons porcupine. Some of the things I noticed about the MSD is pan tension and play in the pan. I have tried to adjust them as much as I could. I am really curious what other’s opinions are. I know misses are a part of trapping doesn’t mean I have to like it

Frozen ground? Or where you using Some sort of anti-freeze
Or wax dirt?
Roughly what pan tension you running?
Do clean the wax off the trigger and jaw?

Set some when the ground was frozen and some when warm I do run wax dirt pan tension is 3.5 lbs and there was any wax build up. I really don’t know how you could adjust the tension

Could it be deer snapping them?

That is weird, I run a dozen and a half of the Specials and I can honestly say I have only had one sprung trap without a critter in it and that was because of the amount of snow on top of the hay set. There shouldn't be any play in the pan, if there is you might have filed it wrong. Mine are all adjusted to the weight of a 18 in rebar stake, whatever that weighs. Very little filing done to make those adjustments.

Sage, assuming you’re trapping in Montana in those pictures, those traps have to be center swiveled. New law from last year.

What exactly is the purpose of that law?

I’ve been using the Montana #3 specials for several years and don’t recall having a pullout issue. As far as pan (height) adjustment, I contacted the Graham’s who talked me thru it. I’d suggest you contact John to see if he can talk you thru your issues.

Your trap looks rusty. Did you buy them new or used? Could spring strength be an issue?

Yeah looking at that pic that aint a Montana #3 Special.

All traps are center swiveled now that’s an old picture. Traps were purchased new 2 years ago. They are dyed and waxed yes they are montana specials says so on the pan

I wasn’t here when they enacted it so I can’t say what the arguments were from either the for or against side.

It was just to please the anti trapper's
They had a bill board up by Billings with a coyote in a old long spring
All wrapped up and looked like no swivel.
And bang we had center swivel all our traps.