In the lot of traps. I purchased today. There are a few #4 Oneida community with single springs. My first thought is that a trapper removed one of the springs years ago for some reason. My second thought is, did Oneida Community manufacture some #4’s with a single spring? Anyone have info on this?

I remember some government wolf trappers removing one spring in the late 80's to trap and then collar wolves in WI, read it in a book I think.

I’ve got some also plus a couple 4 Blake and lambs.No idea if they came that way or were modified.

When I was a kid we had some we used for beaver. Not sure if they came that way.

Single spring #4s are considered a #3 1/2. The same as a #2 and a #1 1/2, same size jaws, less one spring.


Charlie

I've got one. Has the made in Canada on the pan. I just figured someone removed a spring. I had to repair the pan with a weld though.

Yes, that’s what I figured but the pan says 4.

Pans sometimes got replaced, so that's just as possible as the spring being removed. Since the frame and jaws are the same, the pans would be too. I never met an old time trapper that didn't have a bucket full of trap parts and the parts of one trap might eventually repair another. Some guys I knew back in the '50s preferred single spring traps and would remove the second spring, I don't remember why.

Probably cause they couldn't set them

And, easier to bed.

If you obtained several Newhouse that have #4 pans but only a single spring they almost certainly had one spring removed. That was commonly done with #4 size Newhouse because they are nearly impossible for most trappers to set over a knee with two springs. There were a few # 3 1/2 size Newhouse made with #4 pans BUT those traps have teeth and unbalanced jaws so are easy to tell from #4 traps which do not have teeth but do have balanced jaws. Original #4 Newhouse springs are fairly easy to obtain and are also easy to install unless the nut on the jaw post is rusted in place.

Possible special order from a company or individual.

A #4 Newhouse with one spring is still probably stronger than any other #4 out there with two springs!!

Cohunt is correct, my take is the trapper removed spring after purchase.

Although Newhouse/ATC were very willing to modify some traps for large Gov't orders, random traps shipped with less springs or no chain were viewed as "incomplete" by production supervisors. This could have led to field performance problems and voiding of warrantee policies.

As you know, it would take only a few minutes to remove a spring from a new #4 by the trapper for individual application.