Montgomery #3 Adjustments

I like the strength and power of this trap, but don't like the trigger.
What is the normal procedure to adjust the pan level position, which is a little high, and the pan tension, which is a hair trigger at less than 1 pound.
You can almost look at it funny and it might go off. (my sister can set it off with a glance )
Thanks

Bend the pan down, youll probably need to vice the trap.

Put a screw driver under the pan shank and slowly press down. Take a angle file and clean off the coating on the pan trigger so it is bare metal and set the trap again. Then clean up jaw face where trigger contacts jaw. See if it goes off by itself like you said. If it does or it takes very little pan pressure to set it off file s bit more. Don’t go crazy and take too much off.

Pan notch on that trap needs to be a bit longer when pan tension is light to keep misfires down. You want some tracel witg that light of tension so the foot is deeper in the trap when it goes off

Yup, up or down is in the pan shank. Tension is in how deep the notch is which dictates how much of the top tab engages the jaw.

On those montys when bending the pan press down or bend up on the rear of the pan so that you're bending the shank itself. You can bend the pan if you apply pressure at the outside edge.

Thanks for the advise folks, good stuff!
I'll give it a tinkerin tomorrow. As suspected, a little filing will go a long way.
Don't hear much about these. Do folks generally like em' ?
It appears heavy, strong and fast, just a bit big for fox but looks real good for cats n coyotes.

Another question: I have a few dozen Northwoods 1-1/2 round and square. I really like these and like the round better (not certain why).
They are stronger than the Victors I have of the same size ... closer to a Duke.
What situations would determine which would be better ? What was the purpose of the 2 designs in the same size ?
Just wondering.
Thanks again.

If the trap is waxed, clean the wax off the notch and jaw face where it connects. If it's still a hair trigger, file as suggested. There may be too much of an up angle filed on the notch. Yes a little goes a long way with the file. I believe Mncedar did a tutorial on adjusting those, it's in the archives.

I really like the design. I have Montana's which are pretty much an exact copy of the Monty. The nice thing about that pan system is it stays adjusted for a long time once you get it the way you want. No dog to get bent and no constant adjustment of pan tension every year before and after wax. I set mine for 3-3.5# of pan tension for coyotes.

It's personal preference for square or round jaw Northwoods. I like both but only have round jaw 1.75's.

For those of us who like dogless traps, yes.

JMO, but doing aways with bent dogs and pan bolts is the way to go. On the montys there is nothing to get bent or out of adjustment. Only wear and tear.

The only issue they had was the levers and lever jaw interface. Early montys were all of a low lever design and didn't have the locking strength of the northwoods. Later ones had high levers but still not as good of a lockup as the northwoods, imo.

I can see where they would be convenient .. once gotten used to.
No dog or night latch to fiddle with. Just be sure the latch area is clean and be extra careful setting it.
I've had it go off and jump from my hands several times ,, but never got bit. I stay under that loose jaw and hold the pan up ... and squint every time. Kinda like Barry Seal starting his car.
Thanks again fellow trappers.

I shoulda mentioned ..... the Northwoods I have and was referring to are with the dog, not dogless. Just comparing the Sq. and Rnd jaws.
Thanks

They take some getting used to of when to let go. Lol
They aren't bad at all once adjusted properly, even then always work under the jaw like you have been. The tutorial I mentioned is in the trap preparation archives on the first page. The way he shows works really well but doesn't elaborate filling an angle to adjust tension.

Hey, I see it now, by MNCedar, nice job. But like you say, not very detailed regarding the actual profile of the latch. Enough to go on tho, good to go now, thanks again !

Paul's dad has a great book on adjusting this trap and others

Might just add that one to my library, thanks Tom !