If you think that's fun there's fifty states and a few territories that have trapping regs and none are standard either. Even better some use non standard english to interpret them.
Though not the first choice of coyote trappers the Victor 1.5 coil has hung onto hundreds of coyotes for me down South since the 1980s. I did got a few traps distorted by mean coyotes but baseplates stopped that.
To me it just shows how valuable our forum sponsors really are to a trapper b/c their websites clearly show outside and inside spread so we know what we are ordering and if it complies with the law if we are bone headed enough to live in a yankee state.
The design of a single long 1.5 trap is totally different than a 1.5 or 1.76 coil trap and thus holding capabilities are quite different. Also a single long 1.5 actually has the jaw spread of a # 2 double long spring. The .5 years ago many times referenced the number of springs as much if not more than the actual size or jaw spread. As stated above there is no real standard as to size so you will find variability in foot holds as well as body grippers.
Back in the late 1970s or early 1980s - just as States were being to add restrictions about jaw spread - one state issued the ruling that any trap larger than a size 2 had to have offset jaws. No exact measurements, just “larger size a size 2”. Easy fix on #3 and #4 traps - take off the original pan and replace it with a #2 pan.
True story. It worked for a short while, until the state got smart and changed the law to reflect jaw spread size.
A victor 1.5 has a bigger jaw spread 4 7/8 than a bridger 1.75 4 3/4. And the bridger 1.75 should hold a yote so why can’t a victor 1.5
Because the Bridger is a much better built trap. One of my favorite all around traps. Also, the Victor is only that wide in the center, correct, because it's a round jaw. Which actually has more room inside the jaws?
To be fair though, I don't think any serious coyote trapper is running 1.5 traps. It's not just about holding, it's about getting a deep hold on that big foot to start with. Just because I can hold a coyote in a coon trap doesn't make it a good choice for coyotes.
I've caught many yotes in a 1.5 victor soft catch and was just starting out and didn't know any better. I wouldn't try it now unless I had no other choice.
PAskinner, true story I actually caught the one I mentioned in a coon set
I've done that. I've also missed them in 1.75's because of just a bit of crust over the trap. I don't like bigger traps on my home line, but I can see why people use them in certain areas.