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#25831 - 02/07/18 02:37 AM 280 body grip questions.
Richard2 Offline
Member

Registered: 03/01/13
Posts: 125
Loc: TN
I just received my first 280's, I'm not impressed. They have 330 safeties, 330 triggers and (I assume since these are my first 280's & they are much smaller than 330 dogs) 280 dogs. The safeties- they engage somewhere between one half & two thirds away from the spring eye, allowing more of a gap between the jaws than a 330 and a lot more hand pressure to set them, not a problem setting them but a pain when I'm working on them to get them right. The triggers- the 330 triggers on the smaller diameter 280 is loose in all directions, the trigger wire is wobbly, everything is wobbly. I have - tightened the rivet to tighten the trigger wires and punched the trigger flats in to get them to work with the dog. The dogs- they are much smaller than a 330 dog but with the 330 triggers they take as much filing to get them to work, without the meat of a 330 dog. I'm filing at least 1/2 way thru the backbone of the dog to get a suitable engagement. In their stock form the trigger is swinging at least 3 inches before it fires and that is being generous. 1) Is this standard for most brands of 280's?
2) Hal, somewhere in my reading on this site I seem to remember you said you seldom do the Dobbins adjustment on 280's. That would indicate to me either you buy better 280's than I have or that the wild (4-5 inch) swing of the trigger makes no difference as to the critters targeted with a 8x8 bodygrip trap. Thanks, Richard

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#25832 - 02/07/18 12:35 PM Re: 280 body grip questions. [Re: Richard2]
musher Online   content
Moderator

Registered: 07/22/03
Posts: 2376
Loc: Qc.
I have Belisle 280's. They are a good trap.

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#25833 - 02/07/18 01:57 PM Re: 280 body grip questions. [Re: Richard2]
Ric Offline


Registered: 07/22/00
Posts: 3695
Loc: Wellington,OH=USA
Safties.. you can shorten them if you want. Just put a bend in the shank(between eye & hook). Shortening the over all length.

That much play would be unacceptable to me...... I haven't bought a 280 in a long time, don't know what current production trap triggers are like.

Set an unaltered trap............

Look to see if the bottom of the dog is in contact with the top of the trigger wire bracket (notch).

If not

Place the flat of the bracket in a vice, snug to the bottom of the loop around the frame.

Tap the loop slightly to flatten it a bit. This will shorten your trigger movement before firing, by taking some of the slop out. Can be reversed if you go to far

Your doing the same thing by cutting the notch deeper(changing dog & trigger engagement), but need to cut a relief on the front of the dog notch or you have excessive engagement.

A little slop in the trigger/dog system is not a bad thing. Too tight of tolerances can create unwanted consequences, just need to find a happy medium

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#25834 - 02/10/18 06:52 PM Re: 280 body grip questions. [Re: Richard2]
Hal Online   content
Moderator

Registered: 07/17/00
Posts: 10227
Loc: Blue Creek, Ohio, USA
It's been a long time since I bought any new 280's as well. My last ones were BMI magnums and I didn't have any problems. What brand of 280 was this? Ric told you right. Mash down the top of that trigger yoke and you will shorten the throw. Or, put new triggers on them. Try a 220 trigger and see if it will fit. Then, put the 280 wires back in it. Or... all my 280's have 330 trigger wires.
_________________________
Endeavor to persevere.

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#25837 - 02/12/18 08:37 AM Re: 280 body grip questions. [Re: Richard2]
Richard2 Offline
Member

Registered: 03/01/13
Posts: 125
Loc: TN
Thanks Ric, I tried the vise on the bottom of the trigger and kept ending up with to tight. I didn't think of a little on the bottom and a tap on the top to flatten and widen it tho. I'll try that.

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#25838 - 02/12/18 09:13 AM Re: 280 body grip questions. [Re: Richard2]
Richard2 Offline
Member

Registered: 03/01/13
Posts: 125
Loc: TN
Hal, they are Bridgers. Between bodygrips & footholds I have at least 90 other Bridger traps that I'm very satisfied with, enough so that I'll continue to buy Bridgers as the need arises. I'm embarrassed to admit some 220's & my micrometer were within arms reach and I never thought to check if the triggers were interchangeable. I have one more week of trapping and then all my bodygrips are going to get your ' trigger wire one inch from the bottom' treatment.

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#25842 - 02/12/18 07:15 PM Re: 280 body grip questions. [Re: Richard2]
Ric Offline


Registered: 07/22/00
Posts: 3695
Loc: Wellington,OH=USA
If you were squeezing the loop/yoke together (parallel with the trigger wire). You were lengthening the distance between the top of the frame and the bottom of the notch, compounding your problem

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