Are they strong enough?

A good strong No.1 is a good coon trap.

I wouldn't go that far but they will hold a good % of your coons if they are good and strong. Helps even more to move he chain attachment to the other side of the traps frame so the coons pull towards the spring vs the looser side of the trap. And use drowners with them so they don't have time to chew.

Whatever you do don't add an extra spring to try and make them #11's unless they have the symmetrical jaws designed to do that. Ok, ok, it may work, but it looks SOOOO stupid. lol

Will not be using drowners where I trap coons. Mostly dry land, spring runs, and culverts. No intensions of adding another spring.

If I purchase new I will look into getting double jawed traps. But don't know if that would be necessary with a #1.

I'd suggest #1.5 coils or even #1 coils would be a much better option for your situation. If you are buying new traps for certain.

If I remember right a Blake and Lamb No.1 LS was Jim Helfriches go to coon trap.And Craig OGorman talks about Don Bolte of Nebraska taking 980 coon one fall,all with No.1 longsprings.I've myself probably caught far more coon in 11/2 coils but that was because I had like 14 dozen to set at that time,as I used them as my fox trap.But I've set a lot of No.1 LS for coon and wouldn't hesitate to use them again.

A good strong #1 long is a very good coon trap I’d use the #1 before I’d set a 1.5 long for coon.

Many a raccoon waited for me as a kid when I checked #1 longsprings set for rats.

Thanks Buck. I know these days most are using coils and up to this point that is what I've been doing. But these days I've been needing to get back to my roots in trapping. So longsprings give me a chance to do that. I know its not popular but it is the right thing for me right now. When I started trapping many years ago I caught muskrats with them but no coons. Never targeted coons with those traps and trapped mostly swamps for rats with them.

Longsprings have been around for a long time and have caught many many critters over those years. Not saying that they are better than coils, just that they must be a very good trap to have been used for so long before someone came up with the coilspring.

So you guys are suggesting he buy #1 longsprings for coon trapping on dry land, vs. say a 1.5 coilspring for the same or less money?

I suggest he uses the #1 longs he has (if he has any) if they are good strong traps but bolster his coon trap collection with #1.5 coils (DJ for dry land IMO).

Never mind all that after seeing your last post. Go for it Jim.

Thanks for responding John. I have heard this many times before, just never happened for me. I've caught my share of coons in #11s and the #1 is just an 11 without one spring. That is why I asked the question. I want to know if the single longspring #1 would be strong enough to do the job. Sounds like it very well might be.

Did/does anyone make a #1 double jaw? Just curious.

I get what you are saying ADC, I really do. I guess it is just time for me to swim against the current. I like to do that sometimes just to prove I can do it I guess. Always looking for new challenges.

That’s correct. Gotta be the short rounded spring though. I read that book and stumbled into a few dozen old Blake and Lambs that he was talking about. They are great Coon traps. Been using them a long time. Talk a strong spring. Wow. You can put an aux lightening spring in the other longs and they are close.

I can still remember going to my local hardware store as a kid and buying a few small longsprings for muskrat with my allowance. Cut many lawns to earn enough to move up to some Victor #2s for fox trapping. Those were the days!

Nothing wrong with that. I wish you'd posted all that in your first post. Coulda saved me a lot of typing. lol

I set about 30 #1 longsprings for skunks this year. If I got a good catch on their foot they would hold a coon but I had about as many coons get away as I caught. Actually probably more. I'm no coon trapper but from my little bit of experience with coons and #1s I'd go bigger if I was serious about catching coons. I honestly don't see with their long toes how you could consistently get good full pad catchs on coon with a trap that size. But there is definitely a chance I'm missing something considering my limited experience.

Blake and Lamb still does but they are not in stock at F&T.

You don’t need double jaws on a #1. They are too small for chewing. I never had a problem with them.