Leave them set or or unset

I have had the same question. But I leave them unset as that's how they are when purchased.
Plus this sounds stupid but I think that leaving them set might give them a reversed memory as they are spose to be open when they go off but I'm probably wrong..

doesnt matter.
The only times my trap springs are not set is when an animal is in the trap.

Supposedly doesn't matter. But I was taught as a kid to always store them with springs relaxed (unset) so that is what I do.

I leave them set and I see no loss of spring strength. And they are way easier to store when they are set.

Either way with me. Depends on how I put them away

Mechanically speaking, if the springs have been designed correctly it won't matter. The material stress when set should be below the fatigue stress of the steel. That being said, being relaxed is the second lowerest stress on the spring. So it gets down to what's your preference.

This seems to come up every now and then, the longer one should’ve been moved to the archives…….maybe it is?
You damage your springs by working them. Mine are all set. If it’s empty but set off, I reset it because eventually I’ll have to set it again.
Extreme temperatures seem to do funny things to springs sometimes. I’m not talking like oven heat, but +40 to -40 or more.
Hopefully a spring manufacturer might see this again and comment.
Each to their own, I set mine.

Set, easier to store and ready to go when I grab them in the fall.

I see several of you saying they are easier to store with springs set? That is probably one of the reasons I continue to store them unset, I find them easier to store unset, with springs folded in, so they are a nice square without springs flopping willy-nilly.

Yup, this^^^^

Always decompressed when not in use. Something causes springs to weaken, and the only explanation is its from them being compressed. I have bodygrips I've used for years and years and theyre nearly as strong as they were when I bought them.

I store mine set, can't stand it when the safety's hook on to everything.
Also first after I buy any coni-bears I cut the chains off.
And use cable for tie offs.

Same here. There's always stuff on traps that'll hook, the dog is probably the worst on a Belisle. A guy could pinch it tighter so it's not so loose on the jaw, but I don't screw with it. When stored, they're not flopping around, they're in a milk crate or something. 330's are wrapped with the cable tie off that's connected in the eye loop. The 330's don't get much rest though, they're getting use year round.

Mine stay set, wire the springs together with the trigger between them .

If I know they are to sit for a couple years I unset them. Just me.

I have done both and I am about 50-50 today as I am not using as many as I did in the past. As to storing with the springs set. I find that way easier then when sprung. I just fold the springs into the center, one on each side and I have this nice simple square. I can put about 16-18 of those in a 5 gallon bucket and even have my T-bar stakes in the pail too.

Bryce

Mine are stored unset. Raised in farm country, taught to always take the load or stress off of things. We let the loader bucket to the ground before shutting the loader tractor down at the end of the day, implements let down, takes the pressure off the valve, dont leave a load on the trucks and trailers you dont have to, decock the action springs in your guns before storage, etc. Unset they are not under tension, should be easier on them. Your traps do what you want.

Years ago an old friend would always grumble at a snapped and empty 330. Said “it’s one of them weak ones that stayed set, I’ll have to get rid of it at a convention “. Had a lot of respect for him. Mine get stored unset.

A few years ago, a friend gave me 6 victor 330s. He said they had been stored set for over 5 years. And you still need setters to set them.

There is a thing called creep, where cheap steel looses strength over extended periods of stress, but quality steel will mitigate this.
It’d be interesting to see which brands tend to weaken over time. I do have some old Bridgers (not 100% sure of the brand) that are real fun to play with in the yard speed setting.
Heat will do it too, but even stored in the shed in a southern state over summer probably isn’t enough to change anything.

I am an old man and have too many traps to use in 1 season, BUT, there was a time I didn't and was always playing "trap mechanic" during the summer off season. I bought used traps with softened springs and replace the ones that I thought were needed, mostly all BG types. Now we have guys "softening # 2 CS springs" to weaken them for muskrat and mink and 4 coiling other predator type CS traps. Because we have a wide variety of furbearers here and not really great numbers or access to large #'s of any one species I have a variety of all types and sizes of BG's. I may not use many 220 size for 5-10 years due to the fur price, work schedule, family responsibility, user group conflicts etc.. As example after moving back to NE from MN in '84 I stored all my 220s (which I used almost exclusively there for water/creek bank traps) due to pheasant dogs being everywhere on the countryside here. Didn't need the hassle even though the dogs weren't on the right side of the fence. Resurrected them in the late 90's - early 2000's as the Pheasant boys got less and less. Some of those 220's were safety locked for 10 yrs. and showed no noticeable metal fatigue. So now when I prep for a coming fur season all larger BG's (120's -330's) are stored unset, but anticipated users are prepped by setting the safety and stored about 1-2 weeks before planned use. In the fields/water when pulled they are clipped with the safety as soon as I pull them for any ride/time in the truck and they stay like that for up to 4 months. At the end of the season (sometime in May) all BG's get unclipped and stored. Only exceptions for me are a few 330's and 280's I use on beaver damage calls as some are in the water 250-300 days/yr. Don't use any Belisles but believe those are about as good as it gets for a BG now-a-days as design and spring strength have proven their worth to others. My experience.................................................. the mike

I leave mine set and 6-8’ of cable and a swivel wrapped around them.

Unset unless I am going out to start a new beaver line then I'll set a few before I reach my destination .