# MB 450 or 550?



## ztc (Jul 3, 2016)

Im in lower North Ga and been trapping possums and beavers off and on for a few years now. Now i think i really wanna focus in on coyote fox and bobcats. I wanting to start picking up some traps and have heard great things about the MB series of traps. So i picked up a MB 550 with offset jaws to see if i liked it and now im wondering if it may be too much for the critters in this area. Also the offset is big enough im afraid i might have a few pull outs with foxs and coons. 
Has anyone here had experience with this? How does the 450 compair?
Thanks


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## furtaker (Jul 3, 2016)

No experience with the 450 but I used the offset 550s for a while and never had any problems with them holding critters.  They are good traps.  I just don't care for the fact that they don't have an adjustable pan tension without modifying the dog.


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## OleRed15 (Jul 4, 2016)

Don't get me wrong MB 550's are great traps, but why pay so much for a trap when you can buy a Bridger #2 dogless and save 70 dollars a dozen and still get a trap that will perform flawlessly and catch and hold any critter you want? That's personally what I run on my coyote and bobcat line and have never had an issue holding raccoon, fox, or the occasional opossum. Bridger is owned by the same people that make MB so don't forget they are still very good quality.


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## sportsman94 (Jul 4, 2016)

You'll lose some front foot caught coon with those offsets, I haven't had any problems with fox. I just buy closed jaws now. Is there any reason you're wanting to stick with the offsets? The 450s are fine. If you're gonna keep all the animals mentioned though why would you use a 1.5 size trap and risk toe catches and a smaller pan? They will hold all the species, I generally only set mine in places that tend to have more foxes than anything else


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## furtaker (Jul 4, 2016)

I've heard people say that you can lose coon in offsets, but it's never happened to me that I'm aware of.  I've held them in 650s fine and they have a fairly large 1/4 inch offset.  Sometimes you will get minor foot damage on small animals with offset jaw traps; I believe from the foot sliding in the jaws.  Basically all an offset jaw does is allow the levers to rise slightly higher on a caught animal...in theory, this allows for a slightly better hold.

I've read great things about the 450, but I prefer a larger trap for coyotes.


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## sportsman94 (Jul 4, 2016)

Furtaker, ive seen it only a handful of times. It was normally in mud or clay where I could see the story that went down. But my experience is similar to yours in that I've held more than I've lost in them by a long shot.


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## famlytraprz (Jul 4, 2016)

If your target animal is coyotes, the 550 will out perform the because of a bigger pan and catch radius.  I've held plenty of coyotes in 450s but your trap placement has to be exact or you will have plenty misses and toe catches.  I have 15 dozen 550s and catch all of the animals you mentioned.... Hope this helps.  Rob


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## mr otter (Jul 5, 2016)

Not to disagree with anyone, but I prefer the MB 450's with a PIT-19 shock spring for live marketing yotes and fox.  Holds cats and coons equally well.  Familytrapz had a point, if targeting yotes only I'd use 550's, but have found they catch our high population of southern grey fox a little high on the leg.


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## ThreeOaksOutdoors (Aug 13, 2016)

550 offset are great for coyotes foxes and cats and i use 450 close jaw for coons and still on some yote sets


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## RJ Trapper (Aug 14, 2016)

I use 550's for my dirt holes, flat sets and mb 650 Olil for my scent post and blind sets.


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