I recently purchased a few number 1 long springs with the chain attached at the opposite end from the spring. I am wondering why it was done this way, is there some sort of an advantage?

I did that to all my #1 so that the animal pulls into the spring instead of away from it.

Same here. Learned it from Charles Dobbins

All the single long-spring traps we used in SE PA were done that way. The point is that the animal pulls towards the spring (strength) rather than away form the spring possibly causing an escape.

So it was the same as their jump traps? Not sure on the advantage, except you could use a drowning lock in less water because you could attach it closer to the trap than off the end of the spring. I can't really see that being much of an advantage on a #1 though, doesn't take much water to drown anything you are going to catch in a #1 and people don't usually bother with a slide wire because the weight of the trap and possibly a tangle stick is all that is necessary.

I believe the others in the reason for doing it, but them it begs the question if pulling towards the springs is an advantage why do so many people center swivel traps? If you had a finger in a trap and you wanted to pull it from the trap, you'd move it to the center where the least pressure is exerted on the jaws.

All my old Blake and Lamb no. ones and one and a half longspring stoploss have the chain opposite the spring.l bought them new back in the 70's. One of my favorite muskrat traps.

It turns a #1 into an effective coon trap. Center swivels make more sense on a double spring trap, but not a single spring.

foot shouldn't move on coil spring traps. Side swiveled coils don't swivel well because of the angle. On drowning traps. I don't center swivel unless they came that way

An observation from using these.
See the factory hole in coil trap frame,
it's elongated, lots of flex.
See Mr Modmans hole he drilled,
it's round and no flex at all.

What if you catch the animal towards the spring on one side or the other, it's going to slide to the center, and when it does it's at the spot on the trap where the springs are putting the least pressure on the foot... and I don't agree with your swiveling assessment either. JC Connor wouldn't sell side swiveling base plates if it weren't a better option.

In the center is the highest lever lock up.
6 of 1 half dozen pf the other.

Did quite a few like that way back. I think O'Gorman brought it up in his coon video.
Considered to be used on the coon line as disposable in high theft areas. Small area under jaws difficult for coon to work.

The standard side swivel is trash because they can bind and I've had a few where the j hooks came completely out! What JC sells and what's on TS 85s can't be compared to stock side swivels.

I set a bunch of traps modified like that for mink in deep pockets and field tiles. Trap inside the hole spring first.

I think I have some 11/2 LS Northwoods with chains set up like that.

One thing I’ve learned about trappers is that they over think very simple things. If you got a different way of doing something, as long as you have a valid reason for it, give er man!…..lol

Was common in the early 80's, have the animal pulling towards the strong side, alot of the older longsprings like that you could pull a gap in between the jaws on the side the spring wasn't on.

Thanks for all the replies. When I first started trapping in the 1950's i used number 1 long springs for muskrats, after I got some 110 conibears I quit using them. I do buy some if the price is right to re-sell. I think I heard of this before, but I never actually saw any with that chain hook up. Heck from what I've read here maybe these traps are more valuable, lol.

It seems to me it would make it easier to drown an animal especially like a coon by shortening up the distance or extension of the trap.

chain length doesnt matter much on coon as long as you keep em off the bank. On beaver is more important if youre in marginal water depth. You can shorten the chain with a clip instead of physically shortening the chain.

Dale Billingsley did a video on it. An inexpensive way to mod a #1 trap to be almost as good as a #11. Some #1's already have the small hole for the J-hook, but you won't find any of that small size j-hook new. Best plan is to use/move the one already on the trap on the spring end.....or weld a larger one to the trap.

I always just moved the whole clevis assembly over to that side instead of messing with the hole.

I prefer that mod for setting pockets and climb outs as spring is away from animals approach, though most of my traps are now single spring 1.5s. Like chain spring side for in winter feeders and small houses the limited amount I trap them now.

back in the 70s, marlon farmer from alabama published a book on road trapping mink and coon. he used all #1 longs, moved the chain away from the spring, and added a helper spring. on coons, and w/o this chain mod, youll end up with traps with a gap between the jaws opposite of the spring. i used to run several hundred #1s with this chain mod.