I recently picked up some barely used Victor 1.5’s.

Basically all of my water traps for mink, rats, & coon are Duke & NO-BS double jaws.

Just looking for opinions to use the victors or trade for double jaws and keep everything essentially the same.

If you use a positive drowning system like wire, cable or rods the regular jawed traps will be just fine.

Pretty easy to weld in a small nail or rod to make a chew guard type double jaw, but it's not a requirement. Coons held alive are your main concern this helps with. I'm sure someone has a picture of it.

I’ve used 1 1/2 coils for many years without double jaws and they were ok. Personally, I couldn’t afford double jawed traps so until I added my own lamination strips, I never had them to use. I LIKE double jawed or laminated jawed traps much better than without, but the original jawed traps work fine with drowning rigs.

Like Teacher, I think the double jaws are a better trap, but your Victors will get the job done.
Any regular jaw 1.5s I own have been relegated to drowning rigs now.

I have never used a double jaw trap. So I guess I think they will be fine.
.

The main selling point for double jaws when they first came out was the limiting of self mutilization mostly by coons. That is a good feature in my opinion. To me another practical point is one now has two places of swelling and holding which to me is an advantage. I have used 1 dozen for 3-5 years and was satisfied with the results. I used them mostly on the dry land line.

Bryce

The small amount of coon chew outs over the years wouldn't justify the cost difference, or the slowed trap closing time while powering through trap covering, IMO.

Just not a fan of DJ, or even laminates for that matter...Never really saw the need.

Way less foot damage with the double jaws in my experience.