cable differences 1x19 vs 7x7

what are the cable differences between 1x19 vs 7x7 ?

First number is the number of bundles in the cable. The second is the number of strands in the bundle.

1x19 is made of bigger strands and the cable tends to be stiffer compared to the same 7x7. It also kinks easier and takes loading easier
. Requires either double ferrules or doubles stops.


7x7 is softer and tends to drop. You can load it but it takes more effort. More resistant to kinking. It also grabs fur more.

There's also a 7x19 which really has no use in snaring but is the most flexible.

Basically different lays for different uses.

1x19 where stiffness and smoothness are priority. In snaring the stiffness holds a more round loop and as said holds loading well. Fires fast due to the smooth hard surface.

7x7 shines for extensions or live catch snares due to it's more flexible and forgiving nature.

7x19 too flexible to be of use.

In snaring 1x19 is used for the actual snare loop but is kept to just the loop itself and attached via a swivel to a 7x7 extension.

7x7 will close down more than 1x19.
Good for snagging extremities when under ice beaver snaring.

Not true at all. My 1x19 beaver snares will close down enough to catch a mouse tail.

My only snaring experience is beaver as that's all I'm allowed. I've caught beaver with both 1x19 and 7x7 and functionally there isn't much difference the devil is in the details. 1x19 is easily knocked down and fired being so slick so getting the loop positioned to get the head in there is key. 7x19 can be bumped just as easily but isn't as prone to firing when done so. Either way loop position is important. Because 7x19 fires slower it needs the beaver to pull a bit more than 1x19.

As for holding a live beaver the key to either is swivels and entanglement, or more properly avoiding the type of entanglement that defeats the swivels. If either cable is rendered stationary where it gets kinked and twisted then the individual wires in the cable can become untwisted and break.

I build my snares with 36" lengths of both. The 1x19 for the loop then a barrel swivel then the 7x7 as the extension finished with a 9ga swivel. I also make more extensions with 36" of 7x7 so I can daisy chain as many extensions as needed to reach a solid anchor point. This gives me a swivel about every thirty inches of cable.

And 1X19 Is more chew resistant.

Are you required to use a deer stop on your snares in Canada?

No,And surely not under ice,lol.

Only if pulled not passively.
Why you will catch way more beaver under ice by the extremities with 7x7 than 1x19.

My beaver snares will close to less than 1/16" on there own during storage. I've caught canines by the very tips of their tails with the same snare.

Loaded 1x19 will put perform loaded 7x7 in pretty much all circumstances. Even in wind or current with proper position or tweaking.

Under ice or not, I still have to have a deer stop on snares. I was wondering in general terms what your regs were like.

Can you use a BAD in place of the stop?

No Sniper, we haven't be able to get that changed yet. It would be nice to have the either or option at some point.

I wanna see a video of that!

No helping it either!

I have caught very few beaver in 7x7 so I can not speak to the comparison. But I have caught well over 500 in 1x19 5/64”. Not a single one has ever twisted or chewed loose, and I quit using swivels after maybe 100 or 150 catches. I do know of someone I trust who has had it happen with 1x19 5/64” cable, and caught that same beaver in body grip wearing the loop a ways downstream, so it is 100% sure that it happened. And I admit a few have been close. But if it does happen to me, I can live with 1 in 350 or 400 beaver loss rate given the convenience of not worrying about swivels. I know, I am bucking the trend here, but that is my experience. Now raccoons are a different story. If you want to hold them at a rate of more than about 7 or 8 in 10, use swivels. My no swivel observation applies only to beavers.

So what kind of extremities are we talking? I have snared beaver by the front feet, backfeet, tails and even nutria by the tails with 1x19.

What size 1x19 are you using? The bigger the diameter the harder it is to make it close tight. I use 5\64 on majority of my snares which close pretty tight. If I use a 3\32 size cable I don't have these close as tight.

I use 1x19 1/16th for pretty much all my beaver snaring. Had a few beaver snared by the front foot this year in some spots where I suspect the beaver werent quite doing what I wanted them do coming up the slides.

I use 1/16 up to 3/32. I have even caught coyotes by the toes with 1x19 3/32.

The picture posted shows the strand and bundle arrangement, but there’s more to be said.

1x19 gives you the ability to shape your loop and its stiffness lets you easily take advantage of stored energy when loaded properly. I don’t find loading cable to be difficult, but I do think 1x19 is a little easier to load. A well built 1x19 snare can really be useful, especially when snaring beavers in the water. 1x19 snares can be made in such a way that the loop is wider than it is deep, possibly(?) satisfying legal “1/2 submerged” regs without having to have the bottom of the loop quite so deep. I use threaded stops for 1x19 or double ferrules.

In my experience, 7x7 makes more of a round loop when loaded. I liked those out of the water on trails at times, and 7x7 makes a great all around cable.

7x19 is very flexible, and in my opinion is second to none when it comes to extension cables, submersion cables, and general non-snare uses. Very handy stuff. Almost all of my 330s have stainless 7x19 cables. It was an investment worth making in my experience.

Using different cable types, sizes, and a variety of locks keeps it interesting, and in a way is similar to having choices when it comes to bullet selection for hunting. Yes, some bullets will do it all, but there are times that specific ones do it better.

If I had to choose only one type of cable for snaring, it’d be quality 1x19. If I had to choose one type of cable period, it’d probably be 7x7 since it can make snares and extensions, but…… when I get my pick for everything, I choose to have a selection.