So I picked up a few of these a couple years back and just haven’t gotten to them until now. I thought they were all 1.75 when I picked them up and had planned to modify them and use them in locations where I have fox and my bigger coyote traps are a bit too much (mb650s, no bs lure, etc). So couple questions: plan is to baseplate with center swivel and laminate the jaws. Not first choice for coyotes but they should hold one I would think if I get a coyote instead of fox? Is there anything else I should do to them? Do stock traps like these have any collector value or were they mass produced enough they are just users?

Thanks everyone. Always keep learning.

Both those traps have good strong springs new. When laminating trappes you will reduce the psi so you want to make sure you keep good strong springs on them when setting with rhe possibilities of coyotes. If you replace any springs I'd go to #2 music wire springs. And an inline shock spring will help also.

Honestly with your time and expense to modify them the way you want. You could just sell or trade them for something ready out of the box. They may have some collector value because they are quality traps no longer produced but mostly they are antique users. Keep in mind Poorly modified traps (craftsmanship) really hurts resale and functionality. I sure do like those montgomerys….

I have everything to modify them. I do all my traps that need it. Have a press set up to make the baseplates. So not a lot of expense in that stuff. Yes will have some time in them but thats is fun and I enjoy working on them. Fire up wood stove in the shop and gives me something to do on these cold days when I cant do much else.

Don't think I ever lost more critters out of both of those traps than anything else in my lifetime (well maybe a tie with the old jump traps). I'd dump em and buy better stuff, personally. Sooo much better equipment on the market today. Shooting yourself in the foot (or both feet) by using those.

Flat stock for baseplates ……$
Music wire springs……………$
Quality chain…………………..$
D Rings………………..………$
Upgraded Swivels & Hooks…$
Round stock for lams……..…$
Welding Wire/Gas………..….$
Wire Wheel/Flap Disk……….$

Your time to stave off Borden….Free

Total………………………….traps that might
Work out to hold incidental coyotes and not bust
Up fox. Hard resale if you don’t like em

Make sure there is enough room for jaw clearance before you weld and lams on. Those montys usually don’t have much room between dog eye and jaw when set

When NW first came out with the 1.75 I bought two dozen and trapped coyotes with them. They held them fine. They had a cheesy shock spring that was maxed out after one catch. I was running about 6" of chain with swivels and staking with rebar. I would not be scared to run them. They would not be my first choice for a coyote trap, but never had a problem with them. I got them for fox, but wanted to see what a coyote would do to them.

I run Northwoods 1.75 on my fox line. The only modifications I make are to add a mid-chain swivel and a stake swivel. When coyotes started moving into my area I switched from a single stake swivel to a double stake/cross stake swivel. I keep strong springs on them and change them out when they get weak.

I've only caught a handful of coyotes on my fox line but all were held with no issues.