I'm just the opposite of the new gear junkie. More like stuck in my ways. I find something that works and the last thing I want to do is try something new and have to change up my whole system. There's something to be said for stability, at least that's how I justify it. I like my #5 LS's.

As stated above, the Longsprings (even the slightly stronger sprung Duke #5) will lose you beaver. Always the same telltale sign: Trap at the bottom of the drowner with a Toenail in the jaws.

A fun trap but most won't use them for serious ADC work.

I will say good for you for noticing the issue. Many people don't.

Duke #3 4 coiled on slider on a normal 45 degree bank slope. Used a sort of light weight so no shock. Drowned dead. On Banks that just taper out slowly I do not use sliders or even try to drown them. I use my extension cables from land trapping and they will not fight that, they might wrap around things but it seems to me if they are mostly out of the water they just wait for you to come an get them, no fight. They fight the drownders hard so you need strong traps there.......jk

With good beaver traps you dont have to worry about "slippage" due to fighting the trap or for any reason. Ive watched a number of beaver get caught, you only have to hold them for 5-6 minutes underwater and they are done. I've quit using Bridger 5's because of the reasons the original poster stated. Theres often slippage on the rear foot with them. Good beaver trappers that I know have had the same issues. I dont remember ever remember seeing it with MB750's. I cant afford any escapes when doing ADC trapping, I dont get paid extra to come back and try to catch a trap-shy beaver.

Lots of times the slippage occurs when the water isn't deep enough to drown on a hind foot catch.

CDRs

I've caught and held a few beaver by a toe with my CDR7.5s I never liked the #5 Bridger LS. I had too many pull outs with them.

If you want to see how easy the trap will slip down on that hind foot, put the foot in the trap just below the ankle. Then stepping on the chain, grasp the front feet and pull upward. You'll probably be surprised at how easy that trap slides down the foot. This is why I will never use laminations on my beaver traps. I don't want that pressure spread out over a larger area. i want the jaws to have more bite.

The #5 Bridgers I used had a rounded jaw face. With a file square off the jaw, eliminating the rounded portion. It doesn't take much. Now take a look at where the levers are when a foot is in the trap. You might want to take a bit off the jaws allowing the levers to raise up higher when a catch is made. Those two simple adjustments really helped that trap perform very well

Exactly what Paul mentioned.

With a properly set up No.5 ls. I have never had any issues. Pit pan. Center swiveled. Drowning rod in deep enough water. Spikes. (legal here). Set to go between the jaws-not over. Had way more toe caught beaver with 750's. The only thing I dislike is taking a beaver out of them. That said I have been slowly shifting back to smaller traps. Much easier to use. Just as effective.

That's true and with a few traps that for some odd reason have rounded jaws...... Its only worse.. Takes a stout trap with proper jaws to dig in and hold below the ankle. 750's, CDR's are a couple that stay put where they snap or do to for me anyway.. Ive had good luck with Bridger #5 coils too...I use several pounds of pan tension and bed them as solid as I can. I can honestly say I rarely ever have a toe catch.. They are usually buried pretty deep..

MB750's, buy once. And never look back.
Sarge

#3 duke does it again. 40 pounds and no damage this time. the big one was bitten bad. Down the cable. that should be the last one there......I hope....jk

750's make even poor beaver trappers like myself, unlike the guys above, look good.

All i do is back foot stuff so i use a cdr. If your castor mound trapping with shallow water setting for a front foot anything will do. Also use some TS 85's, have noticed my older one's are getting weak springed though.

Can't deal with that crazy trigger set up on MB's, like my fingers too much plus got too many toes in them.

I used to use long springs. I now use 750's and Bridger #5 coils. They have worked well for me.

I use modified 85’s more and more. As I get them modded to my liking, I switch them out with my trusty old CDRs. Im all back foot ADC setups. I keep records, and I am seeing less issues of all kinds with them. For back feet bigger is better.

I have every big beaver coil on the market, some I have used more than others, but for my situation the modified 85’s are beating everything else I have used enough to have a decent comparison.

I add a set of #2 springs to 4 coil them, and rig up a CDR size pit pan.

For me, a pan that flips up like a PIT pan is so important that not having it is a deal breaker. Safe to handle, and step that trap right into the bed without even getting my hands wet or risking being caught fumbling around bedding the trap with my hands.

The good news is those two beaver took a ride in the back of your truck. I’ve noticed foreign made traps tend to use more of a rounded face strip steel stock on the jaws which land trappers prefer. I do see a market for an American made stamped steel jawed beaver trap such as a copy of a #44 Blake & lamb double long spring with a PIT pan.

I saw a video where Matt Jones says all big coil springs (7.5 and up) need to be laminated and I 100 0/0 agree.These traps are so powerful you get alot of broken bones on the initial snap creating a weak spot on the beaver and yeah they are most all still in the trap when I check them why would you want a trap that breaks the leg bone?Now if your traps are 20 years old a non lam trap is probably the way to go.Me and Matt’s 2 cents.